1. Home
  2. Items
  3. Undeveloped hydropower as a potential energy source in Idaho. Research...
PDF

Undeveloped hydropower as a potential energy source in Idaho. Research technical completion report, project A-057-IDA Item Info

Energy demands and rising costs of fuels for steam power plants has made small scale hydro a viable energy source in much of the United States. Because streams had not been studied for small scale hydro development a survey was needed to determine the potential energy available in the streams of the State. Through this study a new technique was developed for finding flow duration information along reaches of natural streams that did not have streamflow records. In addition a method of estimating flow duration curves for regulated streams ,was developed. With these techniques a survey was made of the theoretical energy potential in the streams of the State of Idaho. This was first done on a reach by reach basis and then the hydrologic data generated for the reach analysis was used to estimate power potential at existing dams, all proposed power sites and certain power possiblities in irrigation systems. A summary of the results of the hydro survey for Idaho is included in this report. Subsequently the study was expanded with the help of neighboring state water centers to cover the entire Pacific Northwest region of the United States. A preliminary social, political and environmental feasibility analysis was also made to identify the reaches wherein favorable action toward implementation could be expected. Results of feasibility analysis and a ranking of most promising reaches is included in this report.

View on Timeline Download PDF
Title:
Undeveloped hydropower as a potential energy source in Idaho. Research technical completion report, project A-057-IDA
Authors:
Warnick, C. C.; Heitz, L. F.
Date Created (ISO Standard):
1979-10
Description:
Energy demands and rising costs of fuels for steam power plants has made small scale hydro a viable energy source in much of the United States. Because streams had not been studied for small scale hydro development a survey was needed to determine the potential energy available in the streams of the State. Through this study a new technique was developed for finding flow duration information along reaches of natural streams that did not have streamflow records. In addition a method of estimating flow duration curves for regulated streams ,was developed. With these techniques a survey was made of the theoretical energy potential in the streams of the State of Idaho. This was first done on a reach by reach basis and then the hydrologic data generated for the reach analysis was used to estimate power potential at existing dams, all proposed power sites and certain power possiblities in irrigation systems. A summary of the results of the hydro survey for Idaho is included in this report. Subsequently the study was expanded with the help of neighboring state water centers to cover the entire Pacific Northwest region of the United States. A preliminary social, political and environmental feasibility analysis was also made to identify the reaches wherein favorable action toward implementation could be expected. Results of feasibility analysis and a ranking of most promising reaches is included in this report.
Subjects:
water resources development hydroelectric power feasibility studies
Collection:
IWRRI
IWRRI number:
197929
Rights:
Rights to the digital resource are held by the University of Idaho. http://www.uidaho.edu/
Publisher:
University of Idaho
Contributing Institution:
University of Idaho
Type:
Text
Format:
application/pdf
Cataloger:
wbv
Date Digitized:
2012

Contact us about this record

Source
Preferred Citation:
"Undeveloped hydropower as a potential energy source in Idaho. Research technical completion report, project A-057-IDA", Idaho Waters Digital Library, University of Idaho Library Digital Collections, https://www.lib.uidaho.edu/digital/iwdl/items/iwdl-warnick2_1979.html
Rights
Rights:
Rights to the digital resource are held by the University of Idaho. http://www.uidaho.edu/
« Previous Back to Browse Next »