Niagara Power Project FERC No. 2216
DESCRIBE THE EFFECTS OF PROJECT CONSTRUCTION ON THE SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT
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Prepared for: New York Power Authority
Prepared by: URS Corporation; Gomez and Sullivan Engineers, P.C.; and E/PRO Engineering & Environmental Consulting, LLC
August 2005
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Copyright © 2005 New York Power Authority
This report identifies and
summarizes the social, regional and ecological pre-construction conditions in
the
1. describe the construction of the NPP structures and related facilities, including any relocations,
2. describe pre-construction terrestrial and aquatic habitats in the area presently occupied by the NPP,
3. qualitatively describe the excavation, dredging, and spoil placement or filling activities associated with the construction of the Project,
1. describe the pre-construction cultural and social setting, and
2. identify the source of the spoil or fill materials generated during construction of the Project.
Major components of the NPP development involved the
construction of two below grade water conduits from the upper
March 18, 1958 First rock excavation
January 25, 1960 First scroll case completed and tested at the Robert Moses Niagara Power Plant
June 25, 1960 Conduit excavation completed
August 19, 1960 First turbine runner installed at the Robert Moses Niagara Power Plant
December 31, 1960 Conduits and canal watered
January 28, 1961 Unit 1 at the Robert Moses Niagara Power Plant put into regular commercial operation
February 10, 1961 First Power ceremonies
September 30, 1961 Adams and Schoellkopf plants cease operation
December 1, 1961 Unit 1 at LPGP put into regular commercial operation
October 11, 1962 Twelfth and final unit at LPGP put into regular commercial operation
PROJECT CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES
Construction activities occurred from the upper Niagara River
near the southern boundary of the City of
Conduits
The route of the two parallel water conduits extends from
the intake structures on the upper
In constructing the two intakes, a cofferdam was installed
to create a dry work area. Excavated
material from the intake structure locations was placed in the
Forebay
The 71-acre Forebay, which receives the water from the conduits, serves as headwater for the Robert Moses Niagara Power Plant and tailwater from the Lewiston Pump Generating Plant. Material removed from the Forebay excavation was stored within the reservoir boundaries for use during construction of the reservoir dike.
Robert Moses Niagara Power Plant
The Robert Moses Niagara Power Plant (RMNPP) is located at
the western end of the forebay on the face of the
The Lewiston Pump Generating Plan (LPGP), situated between the forebay and the Lewiston Reservoir, is built on bedrock. One end of the reservoir dike is anchored to the plant’s north end and the other to its south end. The dike is a rockfill structure with an impervious clay core. To reduce the permeability of the foundation, the bedrock under the central core was extensively grouted.
NYPA-Funded
Non-Project Related Construction
As part of the development of the NPP, numerous public benefit projects were undertaken. Original efforts related to the Project included construction of an 8.5-mile section of the Robert Moses Parkway from the North Grand Island Bridges to the Upper Mountain Road interchange, enlargement of and construction of a new parking lot on Goat Island, enhancements to the Niagara Reservation State Park, including a contribution of parcels of land toward creation of a new parking lot, construction of a new American Rapids bridge connecting the mainland to Goat Island, construction of a maintenance garage at Whirlpool State Park for the Office of State Parks and Recreation, and enlargement of Hyde Park in the City of Niagara Falls.
Additionally, land was either donated by NYPA or provided as a site by NYPA to local and state agencies. This included provision of land and the development of Reservoir State Park, provision of land for the Schoellkopf Geological Museum, provision of land for the development of Artpark, donation of land and development of DeFranco Park in the City of Niagara Falls, and donation of land and development of Veterans Park in the Town of Niagara.
Project Construction Relocations
Seven permanent relocations were required to complete the
project. Four relocations were required
for construction of the Reservoir: Two relocations involved Fish and Gill
creeks, respectively, which were rerouted around the Reservoir, The third
relocation involved moving a portion of
The fifth relocation was the moving of 76 homes for the
construction of the conduits. The sixth
relocation was the power lines crossing the Niagara River from the Sir Adam
Beck Generating Station in
The seventh relocation involved either moving homes or building new homes for Tuscarora that were impacted by construction of the Lewiston Reservoir. Twenty-nine households were affected and eventually relocated onto other lands owned by the Tuscarora Nation.
Although not a relocation, a 630-foot section of the Gill Creek streambed was reinforced with a concrete bottom within the section that crosses over the conduits.
NYPA-Funded
Non-Project Construction Relocations
To construct the
PRE-RMNPP
CONSTRUCTION AQUATIC ENVIRONMENT
Project construction took place in the following areas of the Niagara River: (1) the area around the present-day Buckhorn Marsh weirs and Buckhorn Island Diversion Dikes on the north end of Grand Island; (2) the shoreline of the upper Niagara River near the location of the present-day intakes and along the eastern end of Goat Island (Niagara Reservation State Park); (3) the area around the present-day Robert Moses Power Plant in the lower Niagara River, and (4) specific areas of Gill and Fish Creeks where the Lewiston Reservoir was created and where the conduits were placed under a section of Gill Creek.
The area in the vicinity of the Buckhorn Island Diversion
Dikes and the north end of the Buckhorn Island Dikes on the north end of
Prior to the construction of the
Along the eastern end of Goat Island (i.e., Niagara Reservation State Park) where fill was placed, the upper Niagara River has high water velocities and standing waves and unlikely to contain SAV.
The shallow, near-shore zone in the area of the
present-day RMNPP likely existed as a narrow strip and contained large-grained
substrate (e.g., large cobble, boulder, and bedrock). A 1928 survey of SAV in the lower Niagara
River indicated that SAV was found downstream of
Portions of Gill and Fish Creeks were relocated for the construction of the Lewiston Reservoir. In the area where the reservoir was constructed, both creeks appear to have been meandering channels, bordered largely by a thin strip of riparian vegetation, and surrounded by agricultural lands. The creeks in this area were likely slow-moving, with little gradient. From the existing information, it is not possible to determine the species of aquatic plants that grew in these areas.
PRE-RMNPP
CONSTRUCTION TERRESTRIAL ENVIRONMENT
Construction activities took place in the following land areas: (1) the shoreline of the upper Niagara River near the present-day location of the intakes, (2) the area around the present-day RMNPP on the lower Niagara River, (3) those locations where the forebay, Lewiston Reservoir, maintenance/equipment warehouse, switchyard, and conduits are found today, (4) along the present-day route of the Robert Moses Parkway, on the Niagara River, (5) parkland in the City of Niagara Falls, (6) present-day Earl W. Brydges Artpark, (7) Niagara Reservation State Park, (8) Whirlpool/Devil’s Hole State Parks, (9) and those areas where fill or excavated material was temporarily placed or stored.
Prior to construction, the terrestrial habitat on
Before Project construction, the area adjacent to
On the 1953 USACE navigation chart,
The conduits, from the intakes to the forebay, traverse
land that was heavily developed prior to Project construction. The forebay area, which includes a switchyard
and maintenance/equipment warehouse, was a golf course and agricultural land
prior to project construction. The
Lewiston Reservoir area was primarily agricultural fields with a few patches of
undeveloped woodlands. Also within the
reservoir construction area were several roads, residential properties, and
Gill and Fish Creeks. The streams, from
Three railroads or railroad rights-of-way crossed the
Project area. These included (1) the
former Great Gorge Railroad right-of-way, (2) an inoperative track owned by the
New York Central Railroad that descended into the gorge and that was used as a
haul road during construction, and (3) the operational New York Central
Railroad on the rim of the gorge. The
portion of the RMNPP site that is upslope of the gorge had once been the
location of a railroad line and a quarry.
The areas along the shoreline of the lower Niagara River that were
affected by Project construction consisted of the site of the RMNPP and an
associated access road, and additional shore access created for
Whirlpool/Devils Hole State Park and Artpark.
There were the remains of a railroad bed (former Great Gorge Railroad)
and several footpaths in the gorge prior to Project construction. The immediate shoreline along the lower
Surface
Water and Groundwater Hydraulics
As part of this study an evaluation of river and groundwater hydraulics was conducted to determine what effect the operation of the NPP has on both water regimes. To evaluate the surface water hydraulics, data were used from a 1953 study conducted by the International Joint Commission, and 1991 to 2002 river hydraulic data collected by NYPA. The groundwater evaluation used data from the 1964 United States Geological Survey study and an ongoing NYPA groundwater study begun in 2003.
Based on available data, current river water levels for a diversion flow of approximately 100,000 cfs are higher than pre-1950 water levels. The magnitude of this difference is greatest in the Chippawa-Grass Island Pool and diminishes with distance upstream. For a flow diversion of 100,000 cfs, current water levels at Material Dock are 0.85 feet higher than pre-1950 conditions.
The primary groundwater aquifer in this region exists within layers of bedrock. Several unique water-bearing zones are found in the bedrock, which together comprise a relatively complex groundwater flow regime. Groundwater flow patterns and levels have changed since the construction of the Project. This effect is most pronounced in the area of the conduits and is the result of groundwater being redirected through external drains designed to reduce hydrostatic pressure on the walls of the conduits. In general, groundwater levels very near the conduits have been lowered by tens of feet (dewatering effects farther away from the conduits are much less), and groundwater in the vicinity of the conduits now flows towards the conduits rather than towards the south or west (ultimately heading toward a large diameter sewer tunnel or the Niagara River gorge).
As a result of filling the Lewiston Reservoir, groundwater
levels near the reservoir dike generally increased. The increased groundwater levels near the
dike were generally less than ten feet.
The effect of increased water levels diminished farther away from the
reservoir.
This report identifies and summarizes the social, regional
and ecological pre-construction conditions in the
The objectives of this report are as follows:
· Describe the construction of the NPP structures and related facilities, including any relocations,
· Describe pre-construction terrestrial and aquatic habitats in the area presently occupied by the NPP,
· Qualitatively describe the excavation, dredging, and spoil placement or filling activities associated with the construction of the Project,
· Describe the pre-construction cultural and social setting, and
· Identify the source of the spoil or fill materials generated during construction of the Project.
The investigation area includes areas affected by both Project-related and NYPA-funded non-Project-related construction. These areas are described below and depicted in Figure 1.1-1.
Areas within
the FERC project boundary: These
areas include the locations of Project-specific structures, namely, the water
intakes, water conduits, forebay, Lewiston Reservoir, Lewiston Pump Generating
Plant, Robert Moses Niagara Power Plant, the tailrace tunnels, and portions of
the
Lands used to store spoil and stockpile material: These are generally adjacent or near the major construction areas and include Artpark, the reservoir basin, and several locations adjacent to the conduits.
Non-Project-related
construction: These are areas that
were created or constructed with the Project- funding but are not part of the
NPP. These areas include the extension
of Goat Island, portions of the
This investigation involved compiling and reviewing existing information regarding the physical condition of the investigation area before the Project was built and during its construction. Information for the time period of interest (1951 to 1962) was reviewed. Information from before this time period was also reviewed. Information was found in the form of books, newspaper articles, government reports, and NYPA records, historical and current topographic and navigation maps, historical aerial and ground level photographs, and construction drawings and documentation. In addition, NYPA staff and local historians were interviewed regarding their knowledge of the investigation area’s pre-construction conditions.
[NIP – General Location Maps]
The 1,880-MW (firm capacity) Niagara Power Project (NPP) is
one the largest non-federal hydroelectric facilities in
The NPP is located in
The Niagara River, which bounds the county to the south
and west, consists of two major reaches: the upper Niagara River and the lower
At Grand Island (upper Niagara River), the river divides
into the west channel, known as the Canadian or Chippawa Channel, and the east
channel, known as the American or Tonawanda Channel. At the north end of Grand Island, the
channels unite to form the 3-mile-long Chippawa-Grass Island Pool
(approximately 9 feet below the level of Lake Erie), at the downstream end of
which is the International Niagara Control Structure. This gated flow-control structure extends
from the Canadian shoreline to the approximate midpoint of the river. The Falls are located about 4,500 feet
downstream of the control structure.
Below the International Niagara Control Structure, the river surface
elevation falls 50 feet through the Cascade Rapids before being divided into
two channels by
Below the Falls, the river flows through the 7-mile-long
Niagara gorge, which extends from the Falls to the foot of the escarpment at
In 1909, the United States and Canada signed the Treaty
Between the United States and Great Britain Relating to Boundary Waters and
Questions Arising Between the United States and Canada (1909 Treaty),
establishing a framework for the allocation of boundary waters between the two
countries. Among other provisions, the
1909 Treaty created the International Joint Commission (IJC), and granted it
broad authority over “uses or obstructions or diversions, whether temporary or
permanent, of boundary waters on either side of the line, affecting natural
level or flow of boundary waters on the other side of the line.” The 1909 Treaty provided further that “except
in cases provided for by special agreement between them, [the U.S. and Canada]
will not permit the construction or maintenance on the respective sides of the
boundary of any remedial or protective works or any dams or other
obstructions…, the effect of which is to raise the natural level of waters on
the other side of the boundary unless the construction or maintenance thereof
is approved by [the IJC].” IJC authority
extends to all United States-Canada boundary waters, including the
In addition to creating the IJC, the 1909 Treaty set
diversion limits on the Niagara River, limiting the amount of water that the
Within approximately three months after the signing of
1950 Treaty, Ontario Hydro began construction of the Sir Adam Beck 2 Generating
Station, designed to use
In response to the June 7, 1956, collapse of the Schoellkopf power plant, Congress passed the Niagara Redevelopment Act in August 1957, directing the Federal Power Commission (today’s Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, or FERC) to issue a license to the Power Authority for the construction and operation of a power project with capacity to utilize the entire United States share of the Niagara River permitted to be used by international agreement. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the legislation on August 21, 1957. On January 30, 1958, following several months of hearings in Washington, D. C., the Federal Power Commission issued the license to the Power Authority.
The water level in the Chippawa-Grass Island Pool is
regulated in accordance with a 1993 directive of the International Niagara
Board of Control. This directive
requires that, to ameliorate the adverse effect of high or low water levels in
the pool, the Power Entities (Ontario Power Generation, or OPG, and the Power
Authority) operate the International Niagara Control Structure to ensure the
maintenance of an operational long-term average pool level of 171.17 meters
(El. 562.75 feet in USLSD 1935, El. 561.5 IGLD 1985). The directive also establishes adverse high or low water levels in the
pool, as well as certain tolerances for the pool’s level as measured at the
Material Dock gauge. The maximum
permissible accumulated deviation is 1.5 feet per day within a 3-foot normal
range. The maximum level in the pool may
be increased temporarily to assist in flushing ice over the Falls. The Directive also provides that these
tolerances may be waived in case of significant risk of severe property damage
or loss of life.
In the past century, the
The population of the City of Niagara Falls, which was the
major population center for the region before and during construction, grew
from 11,700 in 1893 to 19,457 in 1900, and reached its peak of 102,394 before
1960 (Census Bureau 1962). This last population increase paralleled the
city’s transformation into the commercial and cultural center of the
region. A trend toward suburbanization
would soon follow, however, with substantial population growth in surrounding
towns and villages. Urban and suburban
growth proceeded concomitantly during the 1950s, but urban growth peaked around
1960, and City of
Prior to Project construction, manufacturing was the
largest sector of
In 1950, retail and wholesale trade was the next largest
industrial sector.
In the early 1900s, agriculture provided a strong basis
for local economies. About half of
From 1900 to 1950, the
This concern for the preservation of the environment had,
previous to the twentieth century, resulted in the “Free Niagara Movement,” led
by Frederick Law Olmsted. In 1885, the
State of
In addition to
·
·
The Whirlpool Rapids Trails, located 2 miles
north of
·
Throughout the early twentieth century, the increased use
of the automobile as well as the extension and improvement of roads made the
The City of Niagara Falls was the location for the first
suspension bridge across the Niagara River—the Niagara Suspension Bridge (over
the Whirlpool Rapids)—and soon developed into a major international rail
transshipment center. Population was
starting to locate to the city. A
streetcar service was soon set up in response to the population growth. This streetcar provided service to
The lands of the Tuscarora Nation are bounded the Town of