Libby Dam powerline work Jan. 20th
Water to pass over spillway
by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers news release
January 18, 2005
Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), will be conducting required maintenance on power line relays at Libby Dam on Thursday, January 20, 2005. The operation was originally scheduled to occur on January 4, 2005, but was postponed due to cold weather.
The operation will require that all power generation at the dam be ceased for a period of approximately 12-13 hours. During this time, operators will be able to pass approximately 2,500 cubic feet per second (cfs) through the turbines without generating power. An additional amount of water will be passed over the spillway in order to maintain the minimum dam discharge of 4,000 cfs, though reservoir elevation and total dissolved gas (TDG) standards may limit discharge to a rate less than the minimum. The work has been coordinated to occur during a time when biological productivity and river use are both at their lowest, thus minimizing negative effects.
The operation has been coordinated by BPA, the Corps, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), Idaho Department of Fish and Game, and the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho. Failure to complete this work could result in a relay failure, causing discharge and generation from Libby Dam to cease for an unknown, and possibly extended, period.
The Corps and Montana DEQ will monitor and attempt to minimize TDG levels in order to best protect aquatic organisms from harm, and will reduce or stop spill during the operation if TDG levels become excessive. Contact Greg Hoffman at Libby Dam (406-293-7751, ext 255 or e-mail gregory.c.hoffman@usace.army.mil for further information.
|
