LIHI Certificate #96 - Red Bridge Project, Massachusetts

Red Bridge Project, LIHI #96
項目名稱 Red Bridge
理海證書編號 96
LIHI 證書期限
 March 27, 2023 – March 26, 2033
擁有者 Central Rivers Power MA, LLC, a subsidiary of LS Power/ Patriot Hydro, LLC
狀態 麻薩諸塞州
地點 Located at approximate river mile 15.2 on the Chicopee River, in the Towns of Wilbraham, Ludlow, Palmer, and Belchertown in Hampden and Hampshire Counties, Massachusetts.
裝置容量 4.5 MW
平均年發電量 12,715 MWh
設施類型 河流的奔流
聯邦能源監管委員會 不。 P-10676 exempt 1992

The Red Bridge Project is located in the Towns of Wilbraham, Ludlow, Palmer and Belchertown in Hampden and Hampshire Counties, Massachusetts, on the Chicopee River. The Project 壩 crosses the town line between Wilbraham and Ludlow; the 發電站 is located in Wilbraham. The impoundment extends in a northeasterly direction, bordering Belchertown and Palmer. The project was originally constructed in 1901 by the Ludlow Manufacturing Company.

奇科皮河雖然只有 18 英里長，但其流域面積卻達到 721 平方英里，是整個麻薩諸塞州最大的流域，也是康乃狄克河最大的支流流域。在工業革命期間，奇科皮河成為特別受歡迎的水力發電目的地，主要是因為其流經的河段落差為 260 英尺。

The project is the upstream most of six dam on the Chicopee River. Downstream dams are the Collins Project (LIHI #88), 印度果園 (LIHI #112), Chicopee Falls (FERC No. 6522), and Dwight (LIHI #170).

該項目包括一座水壩， 運河 headgate house, power canal, two operating 壓力管道, a powerhouse with two generating units, a tailrace channel and appurtenant facilities. Two flood control dikes are located on the northeast shore of the impoundment upstream of the dam.

The dam crosses the Chicopee River in a roughly north to south direction and is composed of three sections. The northern section of the dam is composed of a 165-foot-long earthen embankment with a concrete core. The middle section of the dam is a 300-foot-long overflow 溢洪道, consisting of rubble stone with cut-granite facing. The southern section is a 362-foot-long earthen embankment with a concrete core. The maximum height of the dam is approximately 51 feet. Cut-stone abutments separate the two earthen sections from the middle spillway section. The dam creates a bypassed reach approximately 2,160 feet long.

The canal headgate house is a wooden structure on a granite block foundation, housing the 10 intake 蓋茲 that control flow from the impoundment to the power canal. The manually-operated 頭門 are all steel construction, 5.5 feet wide by 8.5 feet high.

The power canal extends from the headgates to the 壓力水管 intake structure. The canal is approximately 340 feet long by 73 feet wide by 13 feet deep. The inner sidewalls are constructed of cut-granite. Sloped earthen embankments create the outer walls and the floor of the canal is concrete.

The canal leads to the penstock intake structure for the two operating and two abandoned penstocks. Adjacent to the trashracks on the upstream face of the intake is a cut-stone ice sluice that crosses beneath Red Bridge Road and discharges back into the Chicopee River. There is one cast iron drain gate, 3 feet wide by 2 feet high, operated by a lead screw mechanism. Two operable and two inoperable 13-foot-diameter, 100-foot-long steel penstocks lead underground to the powerhouse. The two inoperable penstocks were taken out of service in 1938.

The powerhouse is constructed of brick and cut stone. The original circa 1901 equipment included horizontal waterwheels and 40-cycle generators. The original waterwheels for Units No. 1 and No. 2 were retired in 1938. The powerhouse contains wells for the discontinued Units No. 1 and No. 2 at the northerly end and the operating Units No.3 and No. 4 at the southerly end of the structure. The project has a total installed capacity of 4.5 MW. The flows from the two operating units discharge through two tailrace bays into the tailrace canal. The tailrace canal runs 735 feet in a southerly direction to where the flow re-enters the Chicopee River.

The flood control dikes are situated adjacent to the northeast shore of the impoundment, approximately 1,500 feet upstream of the dam. The first of these (known as the Railroad Dike) is of earth construction and is approximately 60 feet wide at its base, 50 feet long and rises 10 feet. The second dike (known as the Alden Street Dike) is located approximately 650 feet north of the Railroad Dike and extends northeasterly for approximately

該項目運營於 徑流 mode and impounds a 185-acre reservoir. 扣押 level fluctuations are limited to +/- 0.25 feet. The project provides a minimum bypass flow of 237 cfs from April 1 – June 30, and 100 cfs the rest of the year. This flow regime was developed in consultation with US Fish and Wildlife Service and the Massachusetts Division of Fish and Wildlife (MDFW) to support water quality and fisheries habitat.

Waters within the project reach are impaired for invasive aquatic plants.  Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection confirmed that the project is not responsible for the impairments, pending confirmatory sampling.

The Chicopee River watershed is not currently the subject of migratory fish management efforts. American eel is the only migratory species found throughout the Chicopee River system. Downstream dams create a barrier to upstream passage for 溯河洄游魚類 species. With the exception of American eel, it is unlikely that migratory species may be found in the project area. Additionally, the project was constructed well after the first dams were installed on the river, dating back to the late 1800s. Though not specifically designed for it, the minimum flow gate permits downstream passage for riverine fish and eels.

The project lands consist of 4 acres. This includes project structures, adjacent fields, and some forested lands. No lands of significant ecological value exist in the vicinity of the project. The project requires an erosion control plan should any land-disturbing/clearing activities be planned.

Threatened or endangered species potentially present in the project vicinity include the Northern long-eared bat which has the potential for habitat statewide. Consultation with MDFW indicated that none of the project areas are mapped as Priority or Estimated Habitat, thus the bat is not expected to be found in the project area.

The project is included in the 國家歷史遺跡名錄 as a part of the Ludlow Village Historic District. Consultation with the State Historic Preservation Office must occur before any land-disturbing activities are performed or any modifications of the historic features of the project.

Recreational resources at the project include small boat access, picnic facilities, a hiking trail, and a canoe put-in below the powerhouse tailrace. These facilities are now overseen by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation and the MDFW. Public access is provided free of charge.

合規狀態

此證書包括以下設施特定條件：

條件一：  The facility Owner shall provide LIHI a copy of the report on the results of the water quality testing to be conducted along with comments received from USFWS and MDEP within 60 days of report finalization. Currently, the report is scheduled to be completed by November 30, 2024.  If additional testing or other actions are found to be required as a result of this study, then the plan and schedule for implementing those actions shall also be provided to LIHI.

條件2：  The facility Owner shall notify LIHI when powerhouse and related repairs are completed and operations resume.  Notification shall include documentation of any permanent changes made to facility structures or operations as a result of the powerhouse collapse.  LIHI reserves the right to modify the Certification or conditions in light of any changes made.

2025: No material changes or compliance issues were identified. The project remains in compliance based on the annual review.  The project remains out of service. For Condition 1, the project reported no studies were conducted due to project being out of service.  For Condition 2, the project reported on the status of powerhouse repairs.

2024: No material changes or compliance issues were identified. The project remains in compliance based on the annual review.  On August 22, 2023 the powerhouse partially collapsed resulting in minor environmental disturbance from debris and a small amount of mineral oil entering the river – the project was not operating at the time so effects remained localized to the tailrace.  The project remains out of service.  For Condition 1, the project reported that due to the powerhouse collapse which resulted in all river flow passing through the bypass reach, no water quality study was undertaken. There were also abnormally high river flows during the summer of 2023 and resource agencies agreed to postpone the study to 2024.  For Condition 2 the project reported that the facility and powerhouse continue to be evaluated.

2023: 目前證書的年度報告尚未生效。

認證歷史

2024 年 1 月 3 日： 低影響水力發電研究所已就紅橋、普茨橋、印第安果園和德懷特水力發電計畫中期重新認證發布了最終決定。這些項目位於馬薩諸塞州的奇科皮河上。初步決定於 2023 年 11 月 28 日宣布，並開啟為期 30 天的上訴期。該窗口於 2023 年 12 月 28 日關閉，並且沒有提出上訴。因此，重新認證專案的決定現已是最終決定。新項目期限如上表所示，完整的中期審查申請及審查報告如下。

2023 年 11 月 28 日： The Low Impact Hydropower Institute has preliminarily approved Low Impact recertification for the Red Bridge, Putts Bridge, Indian Orchard and Dwight Projects Hydroelectric Projects located on the Chicopee River in Massachusetts.  This decision is preliminary pending the 30-day appeal window. Only those who commented on the initial application during the 60-day comment period are eligible to file an appeal. Such appeal needs to include an explanation as to how the Project does not meet the LIHI criteria. Appeal requests can be submitted by email to 評論@lowimpactHydro.org 主題行為“Chicopee River Projects”，或郵寄至 Low Impact Hydropower Institute，地址為 1167 Massachusetts Ave, Arlington, MA 02476。申請人將有機會回應，任何回應也將公佈。 請求必須在 2023 年 12 月 28 日東部時間下午 5 點之前收到。  The consolidated review report can be found below.  If no appeal requests are filed, the new certification term will be March 27, 2023 – March 26, 2033.

2023 年 8 月 17 日： 位於馬薩諸塞州奇科皮河上的四個 LIHI 認證項目於 2023 年 3 月 13 日收到了對其 FERC 豁免的合併修訂。這些項目分別是 Red Bridge (LIHI #96)、Putts Bridge (LIHI #102)、Indian Orchard (LIHI #112) 和 Dwight (LIHI #170)。該修正案授權對每個項目的運作進行變更 達到峰值 在一些項目中，隨著繞行河段最小流量的變化，河流將變為徑流。根據第二版 LIHI 手冊 2.05 修訂版第 5.3.4 節的規定，頒發 FERC 豁免 影響 LIHI 標準的修訂構成“重大變化”，並觸發中期 LIHI 認證審查。如果專案繼續符合 LIHI 標準，即使目前認證條款尚未到期，也可以授予新的認證條款。申請人 Central Rivers Power, MA, LLC（LS Power/Patriot Hydro, LLC 的子公司）已提交與 FERC 豁免修正案相關的營運變更摘要。各項目網頁的認證文件部分提供相關文件：

A 60-day public comment period is being opened to allow stakeholders to comment on the submittal. All comments received will be incorporated into the mid-term review report, posted on the LIHI website, and incorporated into the preliminary decision to recertify the projects.  Comments can be submitted to mailto:comments@lowimpacthydro.org 主題為「奇科皮河計畫」。  評論必須在 2023 年 10 月 16 日美國東部時間下午 5 點之前收到。

2022 年 1 月 1 日： 根據 2022 年 1 月 1 日發布的 LIHI 第二版認證手冊第 2.05 版，LIHI 證書期限已延長。

2018年12月18日： The 30 day appeal window for the Red Bridge Hydroelectric Project has now ended and no appeals were filed. Therefore, the preliminary decision is now final and the Red Bridge Hydroelectric Project has been approved for a new 5-year term, effective March 27, 2017 and expiring March 26, 2022.

November 15, 2018: The Low Impact Hydropower Institute (LIHI) has preliminarily approved the Red Bridge Hydroelectric Project for a new 5-year term of Low Impact Certification. This decision is preliminary pending the 30-day appeal window. Only those who commented on the initial application during the 60-day comment period are eligible to file an appeal. Such appeal needs to include an explanation as to how the Project does not meet the LIHI criteria. Appeal requests can be submitted by email to 評論@lowimpactHydro.org with “Red Bridge  Hydroelectric Project” in the subject line, or by mail addressed to the Low Impact Hydropower Institute, 329 Massachusetts Ave, Suite 2, Lexington, MA 02420. All requests will be posted to the website.  The applicant will have an opportunity to respond and any response will also be posted. Requests must be received by 5 pm Eastern time on December 15, 2018.  The full application and reviewers report are available below. If no appeal requests are received and the decision becomes final, the Certification term for the Red Bridge Project will be March 27, 2017 through March 26, 2022.

August 7, 2018: The Low Impact Hydropower Institute has received a complete application for a new term of Low Impact Certification for the Red Bridge Hydroelectric Project (LIHI # 96). The Project is located on the Chicopee River in central Massachusetts. LIHI is seeking public comment on this application.  Specifically, we are interested in knowing whether you think the Project meets the LIHI Low Impact Certification Criteria, as revised in the 2nd Edition Handbook.  Please review the program and criteria in LIHI’s revised 手冊 然後查看下面該項目的2018年申請資料。與特定 LIHI 標準（流量、水質、 魚道等等）將非常有幫助，但所有評論都會被考慮。意見可以透過電子郵件提交給研究所 評論@lowimpactHydro.org with “Red Bridge Project Comments” in the subject line, or by mail addressed to the Low Impact Hydropower Institute, 329 Massachusetts Avenue, Suite 2, Lexington, MA 02420.  Comments must be received at the Institute on or before 5 pm Eastern time on October 6, 2018 予以考慮。所有評論都將發佈到網站上，申請人將有機會回應。任何回應也將被發布。

June 14, 2018:  The Red Bridge Hydroelectric Project has been granted an extension of the current certificate term. The new expiration date is November 30, 2018.

December 26, 2017: The Red Bridge Hydroelectric Project has been granted an extension of the current certificate term. The new expiration date is June 30, 2018.

March 1, 2017: The Red Bridge Hydroelectric Project has been granted an extension of the current certificate term. The new expiration date is November 30, 2017.

July 17, 2013: At their June 25, 2013 meeting, the Low Impact Hydropower Institute’s Governing Board modified Condition D of the Red Bridge Project’s certifications.

September 16, 2012: The Red Bridge Project has been certified as low impact for a five-year term, effective March 27, 2012 and expiring March 27, 2017.

March 27, 2012: Essential Power LLC has submitted an application for the certification of the Red Bridge Project. Public comment period has been opened.

認證文件

2023年中期審查

2018 年重新認證

2012 年認證

關鍵文件