The Bureau of Reclamation is seeking public review and comment on the Draft Environmental Assessment (Draft EA) related to the third hydroelectric generating unit project at Black Canyon Diversion Dam located on the Payette River about 30 miles northwest of Boise, Idaho.
This Draft EA documents the environmental effects of a proposal to construct a third hydroelectric generating unit capable of producing an additional 10 or 12.5 megawatts which is enough power to supply 9,359 homes. Additional environmental effects identified in the Draft EA include construction in powerhouse, penstock, and associated facilities at the dam.
The proposal also includes the removal and replacement of the existing switchyard, the existing administration building, and the installation of a new trash rake debris removal system on the upstream side of the dam.
Construction is anticipated to begin in late 2012 and take approximately two years to complete at a cost of about $40 million. The project is being funded by the Bonneville Power Administration.
Black Canyon Diversion Dam was constructed by Reclamation in 1924 as part of the Payette Division of the Boise Project. It is a multipurpose facility that provides irrigation, hydropower, and recreation.
The deadline for comments is July 29, 2011. For more information, or a copy of the Draft EA, contact Ms. Gretchen Fitzgerald, Bureau of Reclamation, Snake River Area Office, 230 Collins Road, Boise, ID 83702-4520 or call (208) 383-2231. A copy of the Draft EA is available online at http://www.usbr.gov/pn/programs/ea/idaho/blackcanyon/index.html.
Source: Bureau of Reclamation
