LIHI Certification for Woronoco Hydropower Project

Woronoco Hydropower Project located on the River Westside in Russel, Massachusetts has obtained the LIHI Certification by the Low Impact Hydropower Institute. This certification is valid for five years and would expire on January 28th 2015.

The Low Impact Hydropower Institute is basically a non-profit organization with a focus on reduction of environmental impacts due to generation of hydropower and certifies only those projects, which have either avoided or decreased the environmental impacts based on the criteria given by the Institute.

The certification has been issued on a conditional basis that the applicant would in 2011 both commence and complete the project all based on a schedule, which has been established previously. The applicant should use methods, which have been approved previously along with sample sizes, effectiveness testing of downstream fish passage for fish such as the American Eel and Atlantic Salmon. They have to demonstrate and show to the LIHI, as indicated by the effectiveness testing that the measures taken for downstream fish passage at the facility are suitably protective of both the American eel and the Atlantic Salmon that are passing through the facility area.

This LIHI program has been created mainly for assisting consumers to recognize low impact and environmentally sound hydropower units. Once a project gets certified by LIHI, the owner can use the certification as a part of their marketing strategy and claim to be a certified low impact facility.