Hydropower is critically important to a reliable carbon-free grid, but the future of hydropower relies on coupling reliable, flexible power production with technology and practices that maintain and restore healthy river ecosystems.
The Monroe Drop project, located in central Oregon, provides a compelling case study of how hydropower can prioritize both efficiency and sustainability.
With novel safe fish passage and high-performance hydropower sourced from pre-existing infrastructure, the Monroe Drop project also provides insight to owners and operators looking to learn from the project's fish passage data - studies conducted in 2020 and 2022 demonstrated that the site's turbines passed rainbow trout up to 19.7 inches with 98-100% survival and no detectable injuries.
INNOVATIVE USE OF EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE
Situated in Oregon's Deschutes River Basin, the Monroe Drop project makes use of a pre-existing irrigation canal operated by the North Unit Irrigation District. Originally designed to deliver water to nearly 50,000 acres of farmland, the canal now also serves as a renewable energy source.
In 2020, Natel, an engineering company specializing in hydraulic design of turbines designed for safe fish passage, installed a high-performance Restoration Hydro Turbine (RHT), transforming the canal's operations. The turbine generates 300kW annually, supplying central Oregon communities via the local grid.
BENEFITING COMMUNITY, INDUSTRY, AND THE ENVIRONMENT
While the Monroe Drop is a small hydro project, it stands out for the multifaceted benefits it models for hydro projects of any scale - sourcing renewable high-performance hydropower from existing infrastructure, implementing novel safe fish passage technology, and conducting ongoing field testing to advance the use of turbines designed for safe fish passage in more places around the country and throughout the world.
The project is certified as "low-impact" by the Low Impact Hydropower Institute (LIHI). Shannon Ames, Executive Director of LIHI, praised the project, stating, "Monroe is a great example of how innovative owners can operate a project consistent with power, environmental, and community needs. This project effectively and efficiently utilizes existing infrastructure to find new hydropower sources without compromising fish safety."
