Role of slope stability in cumulative impact assessment of hydropower development: North Cascades, Washington
- Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)
Two environmental assessments considered the potential cumulative environmental impacts resulting from the development of eight proposed hydropower projects in the Nooksack River Basin and 11 proposed projects in the Skagit River Basin, North Cascades, Washington, respectively. While not identified as a target resource, slope stability and the alteration of sediment supply to creeks and river mainstems significantly affect other resources. The slope stability assessment emphasized the potential for cumulative impacts under disturbed conditions (e.g., road construction and timber harvesting) and a landslide-induced pipeline rupture scenario. In the case of small-scale slides, the sluicing action of ruptured pipeline water on the fresh landslide scarp was found to be capable of eroding significantly more material than the original landslide. For large-scale landslides, sluiced material was found to be a small increment of the original landslide. These results predicted that hypothetical accidental pipeline rupture by small-scale landslides may result in potential cumulative impacts for 12 of the 19 projects with pending license applications in both river basins. 5 refs., 2 tabs.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- OSTI ID:
- 86436
- Journal Information:
- Environmental Geology and Water Sciences, Vol. 21, Issue 4; Other Information: PBD: Aug 1993
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Methodologies for Assessing the Cumulative Environmental Effects of Hydroelectric Development on Fish and Wildlife in the Columbia River Basin, Volume 2, Example and Procedural Guidelines, 1987 Final Report.
First Ever Field Pilot on Alaska's North Slope to Validate the Use of Polymer Floods for Heavy Oil EOR a.k.a Alaska North Slope Field Laboratory (ANSFL)