10/17/2014

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Dams:

(Leave the old guy alone!)Wehr's Dam DefenseBy Bill White, The Morning Call, mcall.com

Here's another perspective on the significance of Wehr's Dam

My wife and I joined a Morning Callteam packing food boxes for SecondHarvest a few years ago. One of thepeople we worked with, who turnedout to be a regular in these food-packing gatherings, was WilliamWehr, We talked that day aboutgrammar and other stuff, but when Iwrote the other day about mysentiments regarding Wehr’s Damand the Covered Bridge Park inSouth Whitehall Township, I didn’t

Copy obtained from the National Performance of Dams Program: http://npdp.stanford.edu

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And Other Stuff

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Quote of Note: “He who laughs, lasts!” - - Mary Pettibone Poole

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“Good wine is a necessity of life.” - -Thomas JeffersonRon’s wine pick of the week: NV Tess US Red Blend "Red Wine Blend" (8/14) “ No nation was ever drunk when wine was cheap. ” - - Thomas Jefferson

make the association between the guy I had talked to and one of the activists trying to convince South Whitehall to preserve the dam rather than tear it down. Briefly, I explained in my column that I love that park but that I’m not at all sentimental about the dam, which has created an algae and weed-choked pond and makes the Jordan Creek slower and warmer than it should be. I argued that the priority should be what’s best for the creek, the park and the fishing, not preserving the dam. While advocates for the dam are pushing for a decision, I argued that South Whitehall shouldn’t do anything until the Wildlands Conservancy completes a study of the impact of removing the dam and the budgetary impact on the township if it has to maintain it. I actually expected more negative reaction than I received – the hostile reaction to my recent Penn State column more than made up for it – but I did hear from Bill Wehr, who pointed out very nicely in a healthy exchange of emails why I was wrong. I quoted another dam defender in that column, but although Wehr didn’t succeed in changing my mind, I decided to air his comments here, since he offered an interesting historical perspective. Here’s what he wrote:

When Wehr's dam was built, you were not even a twinkle in your mother's eyes. When Wehr's mill was torn down, my Uncle Alton Wehr owned the mill and dam. He used the timbers from the mill to build the recreational hall. I helped him to do some of this work. He knew the dam had historical recreational value since he lived there as a kid and as an adult. People swam there, fished there and ice skated there. I also did those things there as a kid. He rented the hall out for all kinds of events. People continued to come there to swim, fish and ice skate. I helped to build a dock upstream from the dam to swim and fish at. The Jordan would have algae and also dry up periodically. When my Uncle Alton died, his widow sold the dam and surrounding property to South Whitehall Township for its recreational park. In a history book about South Whitehall Township, the dam is frequently mentioned. The Jordan would have algae and frequently dry up. The dam in Trexler Park also has algae, and signs say the water is treated. People also like the dam there. The Wildlands Conservancy has a history of destroying dams. One dam they removed near the fish hatchery in Allentown caused the fish there to be killed or washed away. Another dam near Fogelsville is now a big mess. Their studies seem to be not so good. Just a bit of history. And you want them to do a report on whether to save Wehr's dam. Ha! Ha! Ha! Come on Bill. Your English is good but your history needs some updating. You do a good job helping to pack food for Second Harvest, but you need to help old guys like me to save recreational history and not just worry about algae and the Conservancy.

(Oops!)Dam malfunction causes Capitol Lake to suddenly drainBy Brad Shannon, Staff writer, October 4, 2014, theolympian.com A computer malfunction at the Capitol Lakedam Friday night caused the lake tounexpectedly empty into Puget Sound. No damage to fisheries was reported,according to Jim Erskine, spokesman for theDepartment of Enterprise Services, the statelandlord agency that oversees the dam andadjacent park.The north lake basin around Heritage Parkretained water but water was significantlylower in a southern basin, which is fed bythe Deschutes River. By late afternoon,rising tides were pouring salt water backthrough the dam into the lake.Erskine said staff discovered the malfunction about 7 a.m. at the dam, which sits along Fifth Avenue on the city isthmus. He said DES had consulted Department of Fish and Wildlife officials and learned no large fish runs were ongoing, but a few migrating wild coho could have been in the waters.

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(Another pair of eyes on the dams.)Dam: Inspections are comingPosted on October 6, 2014 at 12:12 pm by Rick Karlin, Capitol bureau in Department of Environmental Conservation

The Cuomo Administration is releasing funds to repair and inspect a number of dams around the state including several owned by the state. Here are the details along with quotes:Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced $2 million in NY Works funding will be provided to inspect, analyze and design dams across New York State to ensure they meet safety standards and protect residents, homes and property from storms and floods. The funding includes $1 million for inspections of 50 state-owned dams and $1 million for specific projects at four dams located in Franklin, Essex and Chenango Counties.

“For these communities, dams are a first line of defense against extreme weather, and we must ensure that they have the strength and resiliency to control water levels, prevent damage and protect the public from flooding,” Governor Cuomo said. “Under our NY Works program, we continue to make smart investments in our infrastructure, and these upgrades and inspections will ensure these dams meet all design and safety standards.” The inspections of the 50 State Department of Environmental Conservation-owned dams include screening for potential downstream hazards and verifying dam safety information in the State’s database. Contracts for the work have been awarded to CHA Consulting, Inc. of Albany and Paul C. Rizzo Associates of Tarrytown. The list of dams that will be inspected can be found here.In addition to the inspections, design, permitting and construction inspection and management will be performed at the following dams to ensure they meet State regulatory requirements:

• Oseetah Lake Dam (Lower Saranac Lake Lock), Franklin County• Upper Saranac Lakes Lock Dam, Franklin County• Horseshoe Pond Dam, Essex County• Chenango 7 Wildlife Pond Dam, Chenango County

Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Joe Martens said, “Through NY Works, Governor Cuomo is providing critical funding to help strengthen infrastructure in the state, including dams. The work being performed will ensure these dams are properly constructed and maintained, which is essential to protecting public safety.”

Chairman of the Franklin County Board of Supervisors Billy Jones said, “The Oseetah Lake Dam (Lower Locks) and Upper Saranac Lakes Lock Dam are important components of the local infrastructure that supports outdoor recreation in the region. We welcome this NY Works funding, which will be used to inspect and maintain these dams, ensuring that they are both safe, effective and will continue to provide recreational boating access to the chain of lakes in the region.”Chairman of the Essex County Board of Supervisors Randy Douglas said, “The Horseshoe Pond Dam dates back to the 1930s and we are pleased that the State is investing resources to ensure this dam is safe. The New York Works program is important to communities like ours and we thank Governor Cuomo for recognizing our needs and providing funding to reduce potential hazards and protect our residents and community. We look forward to continuing to work with the state on this project.”

(Another benefit of dams.)Coon Rapids dam rehab nearly doneThe Coon Rapids Dam was built around 1913. After the $16 million update, the dam should be fully operational by early winter. — Coonrapidsdam.net By Shannon Prather, Star Tribune, October 07, 2014 - m.startribune.com Crews have worked for two years replacing nine of the dam’s 10 gates. The new gates will stay in an “up” position year-round to block invasive carp.The $16 million makeover of the historic Coon Rapids Dam is almost complete.Crews are now finishing up replacement of the final gates that will shore up the century-old dam’s structural integrity and ideally keep invasive carp from the upper reaches of the Mississippi River and the popular Lake Mille Lacs fishery.

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The rehabilitated dam should be fully operational by early winter.Crews have worked for two yearsreplacing nine of 10 gates and arerepairing one existing one. Old,inflatable rubber gates have beenreplaced with new, hinged metalones. The new gates will stay in an“up” position year-round to keepinvasive carp — known to leap 8 to10 feet in the air when startled —from traveling past the dam.

The Legislature paid for therehabilitation in large part to stave offthe invasive fish species, which hasbeen found as far north on the Mississippi as the Cottage Grove area.Three Rivers Park District owns the dam, which maintains water levels to allow for boating and recreation in the upstream pool, but it’s the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources that has overseen the massive rehabilitation. Erosion of the riverbed near the dam also demanded attention, a DNR engineer said. “It wasn’t an emergency, but it was something that needed to be addressed fairly quickly,” said Jason Boyle, a dam safety engineer overseeing the project for the DNR. “Three Rivers came to us and said we need to fix the dam.” The dam was built around 1913. It produced hydroelectric power until NSP took it offline in 1966. NSP donated the dam to the Hennepin County Park Reserve District, the precursor to Three Rivers. The pedestrian walkway across the dam will remain closed during construction.

Hydro(I’m not holding my breath!)Congress needed on water, powerBy Jon Freedman - 10/07/14, thehill.com

By now most people are all toofamiliar with the extended drought inthe American Southwest. Pictures ofwildfires in California, decimatedagricultural lands and the effects of adiminishing water supply regularlymake the news. What most peoplemight not know, yet just asdevastating, is the potential effect ofthe 14-year drought in the ColoradoRiver basin on the Southwest’senergy supply. Hydropower facilitiesand thermoelectric power plants relyon a rushing Colorado River to provide the more than 19,200 megawatts of power that facilitates the energy needs of individuals and industry across the West. This power could be in jeopardy as reservoir and river levels dip to historic lows. Lake Mead is currently at 39 percent capacity.Changes in water supply directly affect power systems in the West, and we watch closely as low water levels in Lake Mead could have an impact on the amount of energy generated from the Hoover Dam. On the other side of the coin, energy is needed to transport and treat water

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throughout the West, especially in California, where 20 percent of the state’s energy use is for water-related purposes.

This pivotal subject of the water-energy nexus was well covered at the recent Business of Water 2.0 summit in Las Vegas, hosted by business coalition Protect the Flows. The summit attracted a roster of influential speakers, including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), and more than 150 corporations, water agencies and business associations, including General Electric Water & Process Technologies, all laser-focused on sustainable water management in the face of limited water supplies. Despite the troubling low water levels in the Colorado River basin, I am enthused about the role business innovation and technology can play in addressing the Southwest’s water and energy challenges. Many companies highlighted what they are doing to capitalize on reuse situations in their respective industries. GE presented its achievements related to our Ecomagination water goals, where we have reduced freshwater use by 45 percent since 2006 and have implemented energy efficiency wastewater treatment technologies that allow water to be reused in the Las Vegas area and across the globe. But to make a lasting impact on effective water management solutions, businesses must also address the need for key elected officials to advance sustainable water policy that focuses on incentivizing water innovation, efficiency and conservation. We can’t do it alone. We absolutely need Congress, federal and state officials and other decision-makers to help us innovate and drive water-saving technologies. As we strive to “do more with less,” we look around and see policy and regulatory barriers that still exist, disincentives for more efficient use of water and the use of more recycled water. And planning between the energy and water sectors remains disconnected, despite the close interdependence of the two. We ask that water policy decision-makers at all levels support us in our efforts to reduce water consumption in all phases of our businesses. With the right incentives and investments in decisions and planning, we know that the complexities of energy and water can be properly addressed, allowing the business sector to thrive in this new environment and make life easier and more rewarding for the customers we serve. Freedman is Global Government Affairs Leader for GE Water & Process Technologies. He monitors and shapes domestic and international water policies and helps GE Power & Water develop technology collaborations with government entities.

(Not good!)California Drought Means Less Hydro, More Gas-Fired PowerBy Richard Nemec, October 7, 2014, naturalgasintel.comWith 58% of California now in exceptional drought conditions, the state's source of hydroelectric power is down sharply, while reliance on natural gas-fired generation and renewables increased steadily during a dry period stretching back to 2011. On average, hydroelectric sources accounted for 20% of California's in-state power supplies during the first six months of each year between 2004 and 2013, according to a report released Monday by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). But hydropower accounted for only 10% of in-state electricity during the first half of 2014, the third consecutive drought year the state has experienced. "Monthly hydropower generation in 2014 has fallen well below the 10-year range for each individual month [in 2014]," EIA said. "The dry conditions limit hydropower generation, requiring generation from other sources to make up for the shortfall." When hydro supplies drop, gas-fired generation usually jumps above its 10-year average, and that is what EIA reported for the first half of this year. Natural gas-fired generation for the first six months of 2014 was 16% higher than the 10-year average, and 3% higher than in the first half of 2013.

Generally, natural gas-fired generation accounts for more than 40% of the state power supplies, according to the California Energy Commission (CEC), which tracks gas-fired generation statistics, along with other sources of power generation for its Integrated Energy Policy Report.EIA said wind and solar generation also are playing bigger roles in California's in-state electricity mix, and for the first time, wind generation surpassed hydro as an electricity source for the state. Wind topped hydro in both February and March this year, the federal agency report said.Another offshoot of the drought is a proposal now undergoing environmental and state coastal commission review involving construction of a desalination plant at Virginia-based AES Corp.'s

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Huntington Beach, CA, multi-unit gas-fired generation complex, where several units are idle. A water-producing plant would have to be coordinated with efforts to repower many of the gas-fired plants located along the coast to comply with a phased-in statewide ban on the use of seawater to cool power.

Boston firm buys Tannery Island hydro plant in Carthage for $1.3mOct 8 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - Ted Booker Watertown Daily Times, N.Y., renewablesbiz.comenewablesbiz.com

A Boston energy company has purchased the hydroelectric power plant on Tannery Island in the Black River.Ampersand Hydro LLC bought the 4.3-acre village property for $1,300,449 on Friday from Tannery Island Power Corp. of Lowville, according to Jefferson County property records. The plant was co-owned by Charles D. Hirschey, of Champion, and Sarah H. Miller, of Lowville.Mr. Hirschey said declining wholesale prices of natural gas in recent years have affected rates for electricity sold by the 1.9-megawatt hydroelectric plant, which factored into the decision to sell the operation. Electricity rates are established by the New York State Independent Systems Operator. "We were pleased with the outcome, and we believe they will be able to capitalize on the synergy of having multiple plants in the renewable energy business," Mr. Hirschey said. "They're going to do some things that we didn't do and are going to increase production and make it more automatic."

Launched in 1986, the hydroelectric operation on Tannery Island includes a small cinder-block powerhouse, five submersible turbines, one large dam and two smaller dams, according to a news release from Ampersand Hydro. Jason Huang, the company's director of asset optimization, said in a prepared statement that improvements to increase energy production are expected to be made at the Carthage site. "The existing machinery is generally in solid condition," Mr. Huang said. "We believe that by applying experience from our other sites, we can further enhance production at the site. AHL staff completed very similar work at some of its existing sites, resulting in increased efficiencies, and targets to kick off its engineers within weeks of closing."The hydroelectric plant is the fourth acquired by Ampersand Hydro in New York state over the past two years, including one near the village of Gouverneur last December. The firm bought the 900-kilowatt Hollow Dam hydroelectric plant on the west branch of the Oswegatchie River near Sullivan Island. The plant, which includes a concrete dam and two submersible turbines, was bought for $60,000 from Robert E. and Barbara J. Sullivan, owners of Sullivan Island and the river's southern shoreline. Ampersand Hydro, which owns a total of 10 hydroelectric plants, also has operations in Lockport and Troy.

(Those are high falls!)RG&E gets stimulus grant for hydroelectric plantSteve Orr, Staff writer, October 9, 2014, Overstimulated? Your kids, maybe. But not RG&E.Rochester Gas and Electric Corp. has beenawarded a $2.8 million economic stimulus grant —yes, from the mostly forgotten American Recoveryand Reinvestment Act of 2009 — to help pay forrenovation and expansion of its hydroelectricpower plant at High Falls.The plant, known as Station 2, can now generateas much as 8.5 megawatts of electricity, a 30percent increase over its previous capacity. In atypical year the plant produces enough electricityto satisfy the needs of about 7,400 homes.The High Falls station is one of three RG&Ehydroelectric plants on the Genesee River in Rochester. The biggest by far, Station 5, is located

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between the river's Middle and Lower falls and can generate as much as 46 megawatts. Station 26 in the middle of downtown Rochester can produce up to 3 megawatts of power.

RG&E, which is owned by Spanish energy giant Iberdrola SA, spent $111 million to upgrade Station 5. That work was finished in 2012. It also has made recent upgrades at the small downtown generating station. Construction at the High Falls hydro plant was finished several years ago, though related work to connect the plant to a new substation wasn't wrapped up until late in 2013. The company also built a new passage to channel fish away from the turbines and down a chute to the river at the base of the 96-foot-high falls. The company applied for the $2.8 grant federal grant in 2012, spokesman Dan Hucko said, though routine inspections and paperwork delayed final approval until now. The grant, which the company announced Wednesday, is from a stimulus program meant to reward companies for investment in renewable green energy. More than 630 New York companies had received a total of $705 million under the program through July, according to a U.S. Department of Treasury database. Recipients ranged from a handful of large wind, solar or biomass developments that received grants in the tens of millions of dollars to numerous farms and other small businesses that received grants in the tens of thousands for solar or wind installations.

Water: (Ouch!)For Release On: Oct. 3, 2014Central Valley Project Begins Water Year 2015 with 3.1 Million Acre-Feet of Storage (2 Million Acre-Feet Less than WY 2014)Reclamation and Stakeholders Developing Strategies to Address Prospective Continuing Drought

Sacramento, Calif. - The Bureau of Reclamation’s Central Valley Project began water year 2015 (Oct. 1, 2014, to Sept. 30, 2015) with 3.1 million acre-feet of water in six key CVP reservoirs (Shasta, Trinity, Folsom, New Melones, and Millerton reservoirs and the federal share of the joint federal/state San Luis Reservoir). This is less than half of the 15-year average annual carryover of 6.4 million acre-feet and about 2 million acre-feet less than the amount with which the region started WY 2014. “Last year was a difficult one, and we are starting this year with even less water in our reservoirs,” said Mid-Pacific Regional Director David Murillo. “We are working closely now with our stakeholders and partner agencies to determine all possible strategies to help us manage our limited water supplies. It continues to be critical that we use every acre-foot of water wisely and efficiently as the Mid-Pacific Region enters what is potentially a fourth year of a severe drought.” The following tables show reservoir capacities and end-of-year storage comparisons for water years 2013 and 2014 for key CVP reservoirs and compare end-of-year storage from WY

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2010 to WY 2014. One acre-foot is the volume of water sufficient to cover an acre of land to a depth of one foot, enough water to sustain a typical California household of four for one year.

To address the prospect that dry conditions will persist into WY 2015, the Mid-Pacific Region has begun holding meetings with CVP water contractors, power customers, tribes, non-governmental organizations, other federal agencies, and state of California agencies to facilitate open communication on the status of WY 2014 and brainstorm additional water management strategies, suggestions and ideas for consideration going into 2015. “Cooperative and collaborative relationships have been critical to managing our scarce supplies through the drought of 2014 and will continue to be indispensable as we face a potentially dry 2015,” Murillo said. Following several stakeholder meetings in 2013, Reclamation developed the CVP Water Plan 2014, which contains actions and strategies for managing water in drought conditions. The plan may be viewed at www.usbr.gov/mp/Water_Supply_Meetings/index.html. Reclamation will develop the CVP Water Plan 2015 after gathering information, suggestions and ideas during meetings being held in 2014. In addition, Reclamation and the State of California are working with agencies to develop a 2015 Drought Operations Plan to cooperatively address critical drought-related issues throughout the 2015 water year.

The CVP typically provides irrigation water critical to about 3 million acres of agricultural land in the San Joaquin and Sacramento valleys and along California’s central coast, but that quantity was significantly reduced in WY 2014. The CVP also provides urban water for millions of people and industrial water essential to the San Francisco Bay Area’s economy. Water from the CVP is also crucial for the environment, wildlife and fishery restoration, and hydroelectric power production. During WY 2014, CVP powerplants generated about 2.7 billion kilowatt-hours. Project use consumed about 25 percent of this energy; the remaining energy was made available for marketing. The Mid-Pacific Region’s hydroelectric generators have a combined capacity of approximately 2.1 million kilowatts. In late January Reclamation will announce preliminary WY 2015 CVP water supply conditions and in late February will announce the initial CVP water supply to be made available under contracts (prior to the start of the contract year, which begins on March 1). Reclamation will continually monitor and evaluate hydrologic conditions and will adjust the initial water supply allocations, as warranted, to reflect updated snowpack and runoff. Current allocations and background information are available at www.usbr.gov/mp/pa/water.For additional storage information, please visit www.usbr.gov/mp/cvo or contact the Public Affairs Office at 916-978-5100 (TTY 800-877-8339) or email mppublicaffairs@usbr.gov.

Copy obtained from the National Performance of Dams Program: http://npdp.stanford.edu

CVP Reservoir Capacities and End of WY 2014 Storage in Million Acre-feet

Reservoirs Annual Storage Comparisons 15-YearAverage Storage

CVP Reservoirsand Capacities

2014

% of Capacity

% of15 Yr Average

2013% of Capacity

% of15 Yr Average

1998-2014

Shasta 4.552 1.2 26 47 1.9 42 74 2.45

New Melones 2.42 .52 21 37 1.0 41 70 1.40

Trinity 2.448 .60 25 40 1.3 53 81 1.53

Folsom .977 .35 36 70 .36 37 70 .50

Millerton .52 .18 35 75 .32 61 128 .25

Federal San Luis .966 .25 26 84 .22 23 77 .30

Total 11.8 3.1 27 47 5.1 43 75 6.4

Comparison of Previous End-of-Year Storage

Million Acre-feet

2014 2013 2012 2011 20101977(Driest Year)

1983(Wettest Year)

3.1 5.1 6.9 9.3 7.4 1.5 9.8

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# # #Reclamation is the largest wholesale water supplier and the second largest producer of hydroelectric power in the United States, with operations and facilities in the 17 Western States. Its facilities also provide substantial flood control, recreation and fish and wildlife benefits. Visit our website at http://www.usbr.gov.

NASA images show California's drought deepeningusatoday.com, 10/4/14

All of California is in a historic drought, and images taken from a NASA satellite show the dramatic decrease in the state's water storage since 2002.The three images were taken in April 2002, June 2008 and June 2014. Orange and red colors represent greater water loss. California's Sacramento and San Joaquin River basins, which includes the Central Valley, have suffered the most significant losses, in part due to increased groundwater pumping to supportagriculture.Between 2011 and 2014, these riverbasins have lost 4 trillion gallons of watereach year.It's also much more than California's 38million residents use in cities and homesannually.As of Thursday, 100% of the state ofCalifornia was in a drought, according tothe U.S. Drought Monitor. More than58% is in "exceptional" drought, theworst level. Record warmth has fueledthe drought as the state sees its hottestyear since records began in 1895,according to data from the NationalClimatic Data Center. Calif. Gov. JerryBrown declared a statewide drought emergency earlier this year. Since then, reservoir storage levels have continued to fall, and as of Thursday, they were down to about 52% of the historical average. Regulations restricting outdoor water use were put in place in late July for the entire state. People aren't allowed to hose down driveways or sidewalks, nor are they allowed to water lawns and landscapes (if there is excess runoff). There are reports of wells running dry in central California. About 1,000 more wildfires than usual have charred the state, including some unusual ones in the spring.

(Dependable capacity wind ain’t! Why not pumped storage?)US Court Decision a Loss for Wind, But Boon for Storage? The wind industry lost — and energy storage may have inadvertently won — when a circuit court recently ruled that the unpredictability of wind deems it unfit for certain favorable pricing. By Elisa Wood, Contributing Editor, September 18, 2014 |

Virginia, USA -- The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit rejected a claim by Chicago-based Exelon that its Texas Panhandle wind farms are entitled to favorable pricing. The wind farms sell power to Southwestern Public Service Company, an Xcel Energy subsidiary. The dispute stems from an interpretation of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA) of 1978, designed to help alternative energy developers overcome market barriers created by utility monopolies. Under PURPA, the wind farms can operate as ‘qualifying facilities,’ meaning they are eligible for special rate and regulatory terms. But a decade ago Exelon and Southwestern began disputing exactly what those terms are. And the argument has been winding its way through regulatory and court venues, culminating in the September 8 circuit court decision. Exelon maintained that Southwestern was obliged to enter into a long-term contract based on avoided costs, with

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payments pegged at $0.035/kWh to more than $0.090/kWh for the first nine years of a 20-year agreement. Southwestern argued that the price was too high and refused to accept the terms. Because the wind farms could not supply firm power, they were eligible only for a current ‘time of delivery’ price for ‘as-available’ power, the utility said. In a 2-1 decision, Judges Jennifer Walker Elrod and Jerry Edwin Smith sided with Southwestern and the Public Utility Commission of Texas on the issue. Elrod and Smith said that while PURPA promotes alternative energy, it does not “do so at the expense of the American consumer” but “mandates that the rates that utilities pay for such power shall be just and reasonable.” The majority went on to say that the more favorable pricing is meant only for those generators “able to forecast when they will deliver energy to the utility — and capable of delivering the specified amount of energy at the scheduled time.” What does this mean for wind farms within the Fifth Circuit Court’s jurisdiction (Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas)? “The issue is concerning,” said Scott DuBoff, an attorney who specializes in environment and energy with Garvey Schubert Barer. “It is advantageous for the wholesale purchaser, and it presents potentially serious disadvantages for the producer of the power.”

Good for Storage Roy Palk, attorney and senior energy industry advisor at LeClairRyan, said the decision is likely to result in contract renegotiations and partnerships among wind farms that operate as QFs in the affected states. “Wind producers that are selling into the marketplace in the Fifth Circuit either are going to have to accept the as-available tariff or increase their bundle of offerings when they sell wind to make it firm,” Palk said. This may mean partnering with other wind farms that will act as back-up, he said. “Power producers do buy and sell from each other on a regular basis, so that model is not foreign to the marketplace.” Or it could mean employing storage, especially as it comes down in price, to supply power when the wind isn’t blowing. The court decision “is an incentive for further development of energy storage equipment, further technology developments, further refinements,” Palk said. “Storage is an option, and it’s going to become better and better,”

Appeal?Of course, much depends on whether or not

Environment: NOAA: Fish ladder required at Mud Mountain damThe Army Corps of Engineers has been ordered to improve dam operations on the White River because too many endangered fish die on migrations downstream as juveniles and upstream as adults.By Phuong Le, The Associated Press, October 7, 2014, seattletimes.com

Federal fisheries biologists told the Army Corps of Engineers it must improve dam operations on the White River to protect endangered salmon, a report released Tuesday shows. NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) Fisheries found that too many migrating fish, including endangered chinook salmon, can’t make it safely down the White River or to spawning habitat upriver above Mud Mountain Dam near Enumclaw. The agency is requiring the corps by 2020 to build new fish-passage facilities near Buckley, Pierce County, to comply with the federal Endangered Species Act. It said the current structures are outdated, unsafe and routinely injure and kill endangered salmon, steelhead and other fish. Brig. Gen. John Kem, the corps’ northwestern division commander, replied that the corps is committed to improving fish passage and meeting the requirements set out by NOAA. He said the corps will seek money for the project with the goal of having it operational by 2020. The corps committed itself to building the new facilities in 2007 but that hasn’t happened. “Do I think this will get done? Yes, if we can persuade Congress to authorize the program,” said Will Stelle, NOAA Fisheries regional administrator.

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Mud Mountain Dam, an earthen and rock-filled structure built in 1948, provides flood control for an area with more than 400,000 homes between Buckley and Tacoma. It was built without a fish ladder, so for decades the corps has been trapping and collecting migrating salmon at a diversion dam near Buckley and trucking the fish above the dam. Tribes and conservation groups have raised concerns over tens of thousands of salmon dying below the dam. The runs on the White River are crucial to the recovery of the species throughout Puget Sound, according to the NOAA report, known as a biological opinion. The fish are also important to the recovery of endangered Puget Sound orcas that rely heavily on chinook salmon for food. Only about 80 percent of adult salmon survive on their migration upstream to spawn, and less than 20 percent of juveniles survive the downstream journey. NOAA is requiring the corps to make improvements to boost that adult survival rate to 98 percent and the juvenile survival rate to 95 percent. Stelle says the agency also has an obligation to the Muckleshoot and Puyallup tribes, whose treaty rights with the U.S. ensures they have the right to fish on the White River.

(Bugs the heck out of me!)Study: Rivers recover quickly after dams removedBy Jeff Barnard, Associated Press, October 9, 2014, capitalpress.com

The scientists found that the numbers and varieties of insects downstream of the dams recovered to levels elsewhere on the river within a year.

Grants Pass, Ore. (AP) — Scientists at Oregon State University have found that the ecosystems on two rivers quickly recovered after small dams were removed, and the geological structure was not far behind. The study was published in the online peer-reviewed journal PLOS ONE.It looked at insect life and riverbed geology before and after removal of Savage Rapids Dam on the Rogue and Brownsville Dam on the Calapooia. The scientists found that the numbers and varieties of insects downstream of the dams recovered to levels elsewhere on the river within a year, despite large amounts of silt scouring the river bottom after the dams were breached.Lead author Desiree Tullos, associate professor of biological engineering, says the findings are important in light of the growing number of aging dams being removed around the country.

Un-Build It, and They Will Come: With Dams Gone, Chinook Return to Upper Elwha ICTMN Staff, 10/9/14, indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com

Two years ago Chinook salmonmade a triumphant return to thelower Elwha River just six monthsafter the dam of the same namewas demolished. Now they havebeen spotted spawning in the upperElwha, for the first time in 102years. It happened just a week afterthe last vestige of the GlinesCanyon dam blocking the river wasdemolished, the Peninsula DailyNews reported. “I just happened towalk up to the edge of the streamabout 100 meters above the dam, and there it was, sitting right next to the bank,” Mel Elofson, who is the assistant habitat manager with the Lower Elwha Klallam tribe, told the Peninsula Daily News. “It was female, probably 20 to 25 pounds. It was in really good shape. It was exciting.”The Elwha River dam and two others were demolished in stages beginning in 2011, part of a $325 million river-restoration project. Olympic National Park officials have confirmed the sighting, the Peninsula Daily News said.

Copy obtained from the National Performance of Dams Program: http://npdp.stanford.edu11

Other Stuff: (Wonder if it will work full scale and what will it cost?)New rechargeable ‘solar battery ‘promises to revolutionize solar technologyBy Daily Digest News, October 04, 2014, dailydigestnews.com

Scientists from Ohio State University invented a revolutionary breakthrough green energy technology that has the chance to upend the solar power industry. Led by Professor Yiying Wu, scientists created a solar cell that also doubles as a rechargeable battery– the first combined device of its type. “The state of the art is to use a solar panel to capture the light, and then use a cheap battery to store the energy,” Wu said. “We’ve integrated both functions into one device.”Wu and his students designed the solar panel battery by layering titanium mesh gauze, then wove vertical rods of titanium dioxide through the mesh. They placed that on top of a sheet of permeable carbon as well as a lithium plate.

When the battery absorbs light, the mesh solar panel reacts by generating electrons. The electrons then help break down lithium peroxide into lithium ions and oxygen. The oxygen is released into the air, and the ions get stored inside the battery. In order to consume the stored energy, the battery pulls in oxygen from the air to reform lithium peroxide. “Basically, it’s a breathing battery,” said Wu. “It breathes in air when it discharges, and breathes out when it charges.” Currently, solar energy is created with panels, which are then connected to external batteries to charge. Normally about 20 percent of the power generated by solar panels is lost in the transfer of electricity to the battery storage. By combining both the generation and storage processes, Wu and his team have been able to drastically reduce lost potential, saving nearly 100 percent of the electrons produced. “Any time you can do that, you reduce cost,” said Wu.The team estimates that their device brings down costs by 25 percent, which would be a significant boon to the solar energy industry. Costs and inefficiency are the two factors consumers often point to that inhibits solar energy usage compared to traditional fossil fuel sources. The team filed for a patent on the solar battery, and plans to license it to the broader energy industry for sale and distribution.

Copy obtained from the National Performance of Dams Program: http://npdp.stanford.edu12

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