20070812 Ver 1_Flow and Reservoir Elevation MP 2007_20070510

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DRAFT
Yadkin Project (FERC No. 2197)
Flow and Reservoir Elevation Monitoring Plan
Alcoa Power Generating Inc.
Apri12007
Licensee Contact: Gene Ellis
APGI, Yadkin Division
P.O. Box 576
Badin, NC 28009
[phone]
ALCOA [e-mail]

Table of Contents
Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................. i
List of Figures ................................................................................................................................. ii
Acronyms ....................................................................................................................................... iii
1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 1
1.1 Project Description .......................................................................................................... 1
1.2 Background .....................................................................................................................1
1.3 Purpose of the Flow and Reservoir Elevation Monitoring Plan ..................................... 1
1.4 Plan Development ........................................................................................................... 1
2 Flow Monitoring ....................................................................................................................... 4
2.1 High Rock Flow Monitoring ........................................................................................... 4
2.2 Narrows Flow Monitoring .............................................................................................. 6
3 Reservoir Elevation Monitoring ............................................................................................... 8
4 Flow and Reservoir Elevation Monitoring Records ................................................................. 8
5 Schedule ....................................................................................................................................8
6 References .................................................................................................................................8
Yadkin Project i Draft Flow and Reservoir Elevation Monitoring Plan
FERC No. 2197 April 2007

List of Figures
Figure l: Yadkin Project Regional Locus Map .............................................................................. 3
Figure 2: Approximate Location of High Rock Flow Monitoring Device Transect ...................... 5
Figure 3: Approximate Location of Narrows Flow Monitoring Device Transect .......................... 7
Yadkin Project ii Draft Flow and Reservoir Elevation Monitoring Plan
FERC No. 2197 Apri12007

Acronyms
APGI Alcoa Power Generating, Inc. or Licensee
FERC Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Licensee Alcoa Power Generating, Inc. (APGI)
NCDWQ North Carolina Division of Water Quality
NCDWR North Carolina Division of Water Resources
NCWRC North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
Plan Flow and Reservoir Elevation Monitoring Plan
Project Yadkin Project or Yadkin Hydroelectric Project (FERC No. 2197)
USFWS U.S Fish and Wildlife Service
USGS U.S. Geological Survey
Yadkin Yadkin Division of Alcoa Power Generating, Inc.
Yadkin Project Yadkin Hydroelectric Project (FERC No. 2197) or Project
Yadkin Project iii Draft Flow and Reservoir Elevation Monitoring Plan
FERC No. 2197 Apri12007

1 Introduction
1.1 Project Description
The Yadkin Hydroelectric Project (Yadkin Project or Project) is owned by Alcoa Power
Generating Inc. (APGI), awholly-owned subsidiary of Alcoa Inc. (Alcoa). APGI's Yadkin
Division (Yadkin) is responsible for operation of the Project. The Yadkin Project includes four
hydroelectric developments, the High Rock, Tuckertown, Narrows and Falls developments,
which are located on a 38-mile stretch of the Yadkin River (see Figure 1). High Rock, the most
upstream development, is located at mile 253 on the Yadkin River and serves as the principal
storage facility for the entire Yadkin-Pee Dee River. The Tuckertown, Narrows, and Falls
developments are located approximately 8.7 miles, 16.5 miles, and 19.0 miles downstream,
respectively, of the High Rock Development.
The Yadkin Project is located approximately 60 miles northeast of Charlotte on the Yadkin River
in Davidson, Davie, Montgomery, Rowan, and Stanly counties in central North Carolina. The
Yadkin River and its tributaries are part of the Yadkin-Pee Dee River Basin, which extends from
the eastern slopes of the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Atlantic coast near Georgetown, South
Carolina. The Yadkin River's name changes to the Pee Dee River at its confluence with the
Uwharrie River. The Pee Dee River continues its southeastern flow to Winyah Bay, where it
meets the Atlantic Ocean.
1.2 Background
The Yadkin Project is licensed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC No.
2197). On ,the North Carolina Division of Water Quality (NCDWQ) issued a water
quality certification for the Project under Section 401 of the Clean Water Act. On APGI
received a new license for the Project from the FERC. In accordance with the conditions of the
401 Water Quality Certification and the FERC License (Article ~, APGI is required to prepare
a Flow and Reservoir Elevation Monitoring Plan (Plan) for the Project and to monitor flows and
reservoir elevations in accordance with the Plan.
1.3 Purpose of the Flow and Reservoir Elevation Monitoring Plan
The purpose of the Yadkin Project Flow and Reservoir Elevation Monitoring Plan is to ensure
through appropriate monitoring that Project operations are in compliance with applicable
requirements of the FERC license and 401 Water Quality Certification.
1.4 Plan Development
On , a Draft Flow and Reservoir Elevation Monitoring Plan was distributed to NCDWQ,
North Carolina Division of Water Resources (NCDWR), North Carolina Wildlife Resources
Commission (NCWRC), U.S Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and the U.S. Geological
Yadkin Project 1 Draft Flow and Reservoir Elevation Monitoring Plan
FERC No. 2197 Apri12007

Survey (USGS) for comment and review. Comments were requested by .Comments were
received from
A complete record of this consultation is provided in Appendix
Yadkin Project 2 Draft Flow and Reservoir Elevation Monitoring Plan
FERC No. 2197 Apri12007

Figure 1: Yadkin Project Regional Locus Map
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Yadkin Project 3 Draft Flow and Reservoir Elevation Monitoring Plan
FERC No. 2197 Apri12007

2 Flow Monitoring
In accordance with the 401 Certification and Article of the new license, APGI is required to
monitor Project flows from the High Rock and Narrows developments. Monitoring of flow at
Narrows development is to serve as the compliance point for flows to be released from the
Project at the Falls Development, in accordance with the terms of the 401 Certification and
License Article The flow gauges and monitoring equipment to be used at both locations
will be developed in close consultation with the USGS. Any details of flow monitoring and
recording methods not yet available for inclusion in this draft plan will be added to the final plan
that will be submitted to NCDWQ and FERC in accordance with the terms of the 401
Certification and the new FERC license.
2.1 High Rock Flow Monitoring
APGI is working with the USGS to identify and evaluate potential sites to install a permanent
flow monitoring device below High Rock dam. The first step in determining an appropriate
monitoring location and gauging equipment to be used was an evaluation of the site conditions in
the High Rock tailwater area by the USGS. In , 2007, the USGS gathered field data
utilizing a boat equipped with an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler, GPS, and depth finder. A
visual survey was made of the area to locate transects where it appeared the flow of water was
not significantly influenced by large rocks. Due to the rocky nature of the tailwater area, the
potential gauging sites are limited. Velocity measurements and bottom profile data were
gathered on transects upstream and downstream of the Bringle Ferry Road Bridge and in the
vicinity of the town of Denton water intake.
Based on the evaluation of the data that was gathered by the USGS, it is anticipated that the
USGS will recommend installing a permanent flow monitoring device near the town of Denton
water intake. There is good water depth in this area and the rocks have limited influence on
velocity. The flow monitoring device will measure velocity using Acoustic Doppler technology.
To calibrate the flow monitoring device, the USGS will perform field measurements to develop
the relationship between measured velocities and total stream flow. The accuracy of the flow
monitoring device is expected to be +/-5%. The flow monitoring device will be solar powered
with a battery backup. Maintenance will be performed by the USGS annually or as deemed
necessary.
Communications for the flow monitoring device will be via satellite. Hourly data will be
available on the USGS National Water Information System website. Hourly data will be stored
in the USGS database which is accessible from the USGS website.
Yadkin Project 4 Draft Flow and Reservoir Elevation Monitoring Plan
FERC No. 2197 Apri12007

Yadkin Project 5 Draft Flow and Reservoir Elevation Monitoring Plan
FERC No. 2197 Apri12007

2.2 Narrows Flow Monitoring
APGI is also working with the USGS to identify and evaluate potential sites for a permanent
flow monitoring device below Narrows dam in the Falls Reservoir. A visual survey was
performed by the USGS on the Falls Reservoir to identify transects to collect velocity data. Two
transects were selected. Both transects are downstream of the two islands that divide flow just
downstream of the Narrows bypass spillway. The first site is approximately 1000 feet
downstream of the islands and the second site is approximately 3000 feet downstream of the
islands.
Based on the evaluation of the data that has been gathered, it is anticipated that the USGS will
propose installing a permanent flow monitoring device at the site approximately 3000 feet
downstream of the islands. There is good water depth in this area that will allow the device to
gather velocity data across the reservoir. The flow monitoring device will be installed on the
Stanly County side of the reservoir and measure velocity using Acoustic Doppler technology.
To calibrate the flow monitoring device, the USGS will perform field measurements to develop
the relationship between measured velocities and total stream flow. The accuracy of the flow
monitoring device is expected to be +/- 5%. The flow monitoring device will be solar powered
with a battery backup. Maintenance will be performed annually or as necessary by the USGS.
Communications for the flow monitoring device will be via satellite. Hourly data will be
available on the USGS National Water Information System website. Hourly data will be stored
in the USGS database which is accessible from the USGS website.
Yadkin Project 6 Draft Flow and Reservoir Elevation Monitoring Plan
FERC No. 2197 Apri12007

Yadkin Project 7 Draft Flow and Reservoir Elevation Monitoring Plan
FERC No. 2197 Apri12007

3 Reservoir Elevation Monitoring
Equipment that is currently installed will be utilized by APGI to monitor reservoir elevations.
Each dam has an elevation monitoring device on the upstream face of the dam. The data from
these devices is transmitted hourly to the APGI Operating Center computers and logged in a
database.
The accuracy of the elevation monitoring devices is +/- 0.10 foot compared to the staff gauge
that is permanently installed at each dam. The calibration of the elevation monitoring devices vs.
the staff gauges is checked weekly by APGI. All maintenance of the elevation monitoring
devices is performed by APGI.
4 Flow and Reservoir Elevation Monitoring Records
APGI will log and store in a database the hourly flow data for High Rock and Narrows and the
hourly reservoir elevation data for each of the four reservoirs. APGI will post on its website the
most recent hourly flow data, the previous 24 hourly flow data points, the average of the hourly
flow data for the previous day, and the average of hourly flow data for the previous week.
APGI will continue to post on its website the most recent hourly reservoir elevation and the
previous 24 hourly elevation data points for all four reservoirs.
All flow data and reservoir elevation data will be maintained in the APGI database for the term
of the license. The APGI database is backed up daily in two separate server locations.
5 Schedule
APGI shall install and have the flow and reservoir elevation monitoring equipment operational
within six (6) months of approval by NCDWQ and FERC of the final Plan.
6 References
[add references if necessary]
Yadkin Project 8 Draft Flow and Reservoir Elevation Monitoring Plan
FERC No. 2197 Apri12007