TURNERS FALLS — To repair one of the bascule gates at the Turners Falls dam that caused 445 gallons of hydraulic fluid to spill into the Connecticut River last month, FirstLight Hydro Generating Co. will be lowering water levels upstream of the dam during the week of July 7.

According to FirstLight Communications Manager Claire Belanger, the company identified a repair plan that will take the least amount of time to complete, contingent upon the water levels being lowered at the bascule gate, which cannot be safely accessed without a drawdown.

“FirstLight immediately engaged expert engineering resources to assist in the design, engineering and implementation of a process to secure the gate and make repairs while considering public and worker safety, community disruption and aquatic habitat,” she said in a statement.

The June 3 oil spill only impacted Bascule Gate 2, with gates 1, 3 and 4 operating as intended. According to FirstLight, employees observed a sudden loss of hydraulic pressure in the dam’s bascule gate system and, responding to the dam, observed an oil sheen below it.

FirstLight previously stated it notified the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, which responded to the spill, alongside FirstLight personnel and health, safety and environment professionals. The company noted that the dam system was stabilized and there are currently “no indications of an ongoing leak of hydraulic fluid.”

The Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs has a Waste Site & Reportable Releases Information webpage detailing the June 3 spill, which reports 445 gallons of hydraulic fluid were released. In response to this spill, MassDEP issued FirstLight a Notice of Responsibility, dated June 16.

A notice about the emergency drawdown that FirstLight provided to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), MassDEP and other stakeholders on June 24 explains the details of the plan.

The notice states FirstLight will lower the water at the gate to 6 feet below its minimum operating level of 176 feet. The drawdown will release water at 2 feet per hour until reaching the minimum operating level of 176 feet, then 1 foot per hour until it reaches the 170-foot mark.

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This drawdown is expected to take between six and nine hours, and work to repair the bascule gate will take four days. A fifth day accommodates for refilling the impoundment to its normal level of 180 feet.

The Connecticut River Conservancy, a Greenfield-based environmental advocacy nonprofit, took to social media on Monday to warn residents about the drawdown and what impacts it may have on safety, recreation and ecology.

“These conditions can be dangerous, so please avoid the area during this time of repair,” the statement reads, noting how the riverbed poses a risk of someone becoming stuck. Montague Town Administrator Walter Ramsey made a similar announcement during Monday’s Selectboard meeting, advising residents to stay out of the river while repairs are conducted.

FirstLight plans to do this work after the July 4 holiday weekend to accommodate recreation plans on the river. Belanger said Tuesday that the company has “been working to maintain boatable water levels throughout the week,” and that FirstLight is “focused on continuing to do so during the weekend to support recreation and the community’s ability to remove boats ahead of the work next week.”

The notice to FERC also acknowledges there will be “some impact on fish passage and spawning and rearing habitats” during the drawdown due to fish passage upstream being suspended and nest spawning fishes like sea lamprey being impacted by the dewatering. According to FirstLight, downstream fish passage through the power canal and power station will continue as long as the canal’s water elevation can be kept above 164 feet.

Nina Gordon-Kirsch, Massachusetts river steward with the Connecticut River Conservancy, said Monday that the impact of this drawdown could have been mitigated if there was a wildlife rescue plan to retrieve aquatic species in the river that will be impacted.

On Wednesday, Belanger confirmed that during the drawdown, FirstLight plans to relocate mussels in dry areas “where it is safe to do so.”

Although work is not expected to begin until next week, low river levels have already been observed by residents who live along the river. Gill resident Ed Trudel reported to the Connecticut River Conservancy on June 22 that his dock was sitting on mud, with the water line just hitting its edge. In an interview Tuesday, Trudel said his dock is still sitting on the mud and that he anticipates the waterline at his dock will recede another 6 feet to 8 feet from where it is now within a day of the drawdown starting.

In response to the current water levels, Belanger confirmed that because Bascule Gate 2 is in a slightly open position, combined with low natural flows, the water level remains lower at this time even ahead of the drawdown.

Belanger also noted it is FirstLight’s understanding, based on information from the state Department of Conservation and Recreation, that the public docks at Barton Cove in Gill and the Northfield Boat Ramp will also be unavailable during the drawdown.

The oil spill and the emergency drawdown come as FirstLight continues to move forward in the process to obtain a 50-year license from FERC for its Connecticut River hydroelectric facilities. FirstLight has been operating the Turners Falls dams and the Northfield hydro-pump facility under a temporary license since 2018. This relicensing effort has faced opposition from the Connecticut River Conservancy and other regional groups like the Franklin Regional Council of Governments (FRCOG) and American Rivers.

As part of this process, FirstLight was issued a water quality certification through MassDEP in April. The Connecticut River Conservancy and American Rivers appealed MassDEP’s decision on May 12, arguing that the conditions under the state water quality certification do not protect water quality, river ecosystems and recreational resources for the 22 miles of the Connecticut River that are impacted by the facilities, as is required by Massachusetts state law.

In response to the appeal, FirstLight said on June 2, “We disagree with CRC and American Rivers’ characterization of the certification issued by MassDEP,” and declined to comment further as it is an ongoing legal matter.

Gordon-Kirsch said residents are encouraged to contribute statements that the Connecticut River Conservancy will submit during the federal public comment period for the draft Energy Impact Statement, which is open until 5 p.m. on July 29. Two in-person public hearings will be held at Greenfield Community College on Wednesday, July 16, with one in the morning from 9 to 11 a.m. and another in the evening from 6 to 8 p.m.

“We highly encourage people to get involved, whether they have been involved or whether they’re new to the topic,” Gordon-Kirsch said. “This is the last time that we can make an impact on the next 50 or 60 years of hydro operation.”

Erin-Leigh Hoffman can be reached at ehoffman@recorder.com or 413-930-4231.