Project Overview
About the Middle Dam Project
As the owner of Middle Dam, Brookfield White Pine Hydro, LLC is required to meet certain dam safety criteria mandated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) license issued in 2002 to operate and maintain the facility. Middle Dam is a circa 1850s dam that has undergone numerous repair and upgrade efforts during its lifetime. The facility must undergo future repairs to meet FERC dam safety requirements. After evaluating both replacement and in-kind repair options, Brookfield White Pine Hydro, LLC, has determined to pursue a repair, which will minimize stakeholder and environmental impacts. Continued detailed on-site inspections, consultation, and coordination with FERC engineers, and an Independent Engineer, along with ongoing discussions with stakeholders have resulted in making this determination. Specifically, the repair project will meet the dam safety criteria of accommodating Inflow Design Flood (IDF). We do not anticipate significant impacts to recreational and fishing access, or aquatic habitat with the repair option. The piers, aquatic habitat, and access to the pool are expected to remain as is following the repair efforts.
Current Status
The downstream Deep Gate rehabilitation began earlier this summer and will be ongoing through August. In early August, Bancroft will begin installation of the Pier 4 and 5 nosings utilizing the help of a dive team. Once this is complete, the team will transition into the fall/winter work scope, which includes the rehabilitation of the upstream deep gate section as well as the remaining north and south spillway scope.
Brookfield will be targeting a head pond elevation of 1444.5ft by September 3, 2024, to facilitate the upstream deep gate work. This headpond elevation will be held until the end of 2024, and, like previous years, a drawdown will begin for the north and south spillway work after the winter holidays.
To ensure the safety of workers, flows will be passed through various gates throughout the construction season. Which gates used will depend on a variety of circumstances and conditions, but the goal will be to keep flows a safe distance from the active work area. At this time, minimal impacts are expected to public recreational access and bridge use.
Due to varying weather conditions and other mitigating circumstances, these plans are subject to change without prior notice.