Woodruff Narrows low head hydroelectric power plant feasibility determination

Technical Report · Thu Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1979

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5624937· OSTI ID:5624937

Woodruff Narrows Reservoir, owned by the State of Utah, was built in 1961 as an irrigation reservoir. The reservoir outlet works and spillway are in need of repair, and plans have been made to enlarge the reservoir from its present capacity of 28,000 acre-feet to 53,200 acre-feet when these repairs are made. The purpose of this study was to determine if it is feasible to add hydropower facilities when the reservoir is repaired and enlarged. A computer simulation model based on mean monthly values, utilizing 26 years of recorded streamflow into the reservoir, was used to determine the mean annual energy potential for the following configurations: (1) present dam, (2) the proposed enlarged dam, (3) a new dam at the lower site with a maximum head of 65 feet, and (4) a new dam at the lower site which would store water to the same elevation as the proposed enlarged dam. Results of the simulation study show that maximum power capacities are respectively 2.1, 3.0, 3.9, and 4.5 megawatts. The marketing potential for this electric power, cost estimates and financial analysis, and environmental, social, and regulatory aspects of the proposed hydropower facilities were evaluated. The results showed the addition of hydroelectric power development at the Woodruff Narrows site would have minimal social and environmental effects on the area, would result in little or no changes in the present patterns of water and land use, income, population, and employment and would not result in any significant changes of the social structure or characteristics of the area. However, hydroelectric power development at the Woodruff Narrows site is not economically feasible at the present time. (LCL)

• Research Organization: Utah Div. of Water Resources, Salt Lake City (USA); International Engineering Co., Inc., San Francisco, CA (USA); Utah State Univ., Logan (USA). Utah Water Research Lab.
• OSTI ID: 5624937
• Report Number(s): DOE/ID/01767-1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

13 HYDRO ENERGY
130100* -- Hydro Energy-- Resources & Availability
ECONOMICS
ELECTRIC POWER
ENERGY SOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
HYDROELECTRIC POWER
HYDROELECTRIC POWER PLANTS
LOW-HEAD HYDROELECTRIC POWER PLANTS
NORTH AMERICA
POWER
POWER GENERATION
POWER PLANTS
REGULATIONS
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION
SOCIAL IMPACT
USA
UTAH