Economic evaluation of minimum flow at Rockton

This paper reports that the Rockton Hydroelectric Project is a two-unit, 1,100 kW plant operated by South Beloit Water, Gas and Electric Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Wisconsin Power and Light Company. The project's 1,000-foot spillway directs water from the main stem of the Rock River, down a 5,000-foot power canal to the project. During relicensing of the project, state and federal resource agencies directed the licensee to propose an operations scheme for providing a protected minimum flow in the main stem of the river. As the prime relicensing consultant to Wisconsin Power and Light, Mead and Hunt conducted field studies to assess the environmental impact of various minimum flows. Mead and Hunt then conducted economic analyses to determine the economic impact of various minimum flows. The economic and environmental analyses were combined to develop a recommended minimum flow, which will be provided in the Draft Application for Subsequent License