Village of Saranac Lake – Lake Flower Dam Hydroelectric Project Subsequent License Application (FERC Project No. 8369-050)
AI-generated summary for informational purposes only. Not legal advice. See the original source for the authoritative text.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has accepted for filing a subsequent hydroelectric license application submitted by the Village of Saranac Lake, New York, for the Lake Flower Dam Hydroelectric Project on the Saranac River in Franklin and Essex Counties. The project was filed on September 30, 2025, and operates a 200-kilowatt Kaplan turbine-generator powered by a 134-foot-long, 33-foot-high dam that creates a 1,455-acre impoundment. The application is not yet ready for full environmental analysis. The Village proposes to continue run-of-river operations, maintain a minimum downstream flow of 55 cubic feet per second, keep existing public recreation facilities, and add a new whitewater park (Boothe River Park) downstream of the dam. Environmental management plans covering invasive species, bat and bald eagle protection, impoundment drawdown, and operational monitoring have also been filed as part of the application. Any person or entity wishing to protest or intervene in the proceeding must file with FERC by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on May 26, 2026. The Commission accepts electronic filings via FERCOnline and paper submissions addressed to the Secretary. The procedural schedule anticipates environmental analysis readiness notices and comment periods running through August 2026.
AI-generated summary. May contain errors. Refer to official sources for legal decisions.
Key Changes
- Subsequent license application filed September 30, 2025 for Lake Flower Dam (Project No. 8369-050) seeking continued hydroelectric operation on the Saranac River, New York
- Project maintains a 200-kilowatt Kaplan turbine-generator and a 1,455-acre impoundment at elevation 1,528.67 feet NGVD 29
- Applicant proposes minimum continuous downstream flow of 55 cubic feet per second (or inflow, whichever is less) to protect river ecology
+ 3 more changes with Pro
Obligations
What this law requires
Village of Saranac Lake must file motions to intervene and protests with FERC by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on May 26, 2026
Village of Saranac Lake must continue operating the Lake Flower Dam Hydroelectric Project in run-of-river mode such that project outflow approximates inflow to the impoundment
Village of Saranac Lake must release a minimum downstream flow of 55 cubic feet per second or inflow, whichever is less, as measured immediately downstream of the dam
Village of Saranac Lake must maintain the normal maximum surface elevation of the impoundment at 1,528.67 feet NGVD 29
Village of Saranac Lake must continue maintaining existing project recreation facilities including Riverside Park, Hydropoint Park, Beaver Park, and the River Walk