20100904 Ver 1_More Info Received_20110120

Mcmillan, Ian
From: Goudreau, Chris J.
Sent: Thursday, January 20, 2011 9:56 AM
To: McRacken Jr., James
Cc: Hugh Barwick; Mcmillan, Ian; Besler, Doug A.; Wood, Chris J.; Rash, Jacob M.
Subject: RE: Fish Monitoring Plan Linville Dam ESSI_Final Draft 1_17_10
Attachments: 2011-01-17 Fish Monitoring Plan - final draft - wrc comments.doc
James,
I talked with Hugh this morning about the plan. He agreed that some text about consultation should be explicitly
included. Also, with stream flows in the area consistently running below 30%, weekly monitoring of the Calvin gage will
not be sufficient to document maintenance of the target flows. I've altered that section giving two options -data
loggers or daily visual readings.
If the edits are acceptable, we are good with the plan. If not, we should talk again with you and Hugh.
Thanks,
Chris
From: McRacken Jr., James [mailto:James.McRacken(a)hdrinc.com]
Sent: Monday, January 17, 2011 12:49 PM
To: Goudreau, Chris J.
Subject: Fish Monitoring Plan Linville Dam ESSI_Final Draft 1_1710
Chris,
Here is the draft monitoring plan again for the Linville ESSI tie-in. It has been edited by Hugh Barwick per your
conversation with him. Please review and comment if necessary.
Thanks
James McRacken
Senior Scientist/Terrestrial Lead
HDR I DTA
400 South Tryon, Suite 2401 1 Charlotte, NCI 28285
Office: 704.377.4182 1 Direct: 704.342.7373 Fax: [phone]
A, Before printing, please consider the environment
Email correspondence to and from this sender is subject to the N.C. Public Records Law and may be disclosed to third parties.
LINVILLE DAM EMBANKMENT SEISMIC STABILITY
IMPROVEMENT PROJECT
FERC NO. 2232
Draft Bridgewater Powerhouse Penstock Tie-In
Temporary Fish Relocation and Water Quality and
Water Quantity Monitoring Plan
Prepared for:
DUKE ENERGY CAROLINAS, LLC
Charlotte, North Carolina
Prepared by:
HDR ENGINEERING, INC. OF THE CAROLINAS
Charlotte, North Carolina
JANUARY 2011
f ?Z DT1
LINVILLE DAM
EMBANKMENT SEISMIC STABILITY
IMPROVEMENT PROJECT
FERC NO. 2232
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section Title Pau No
TIE- IN PLAN .................................................................................................. 1
PLAN COMPONENTS ........................................................................................ 2
2.1 Notification ..............................................................................................................2
2.2 Initial Shutoff Monitoring .........................................................................................2
2.3 Water Quality and Quantity Monitoring ....................................................................3
Section 1
Draft Bridgewater Powerhouse Penstock Tie-In
Temporary Fish Relocation and Water Quality and
Water Quantity Monitoring Plan
As part of the Linville Dam Embankment Seismic Stability Improvement (ESSI) Project, a task
has to be completed prior to the placement of fill in association with the construction of the
stabilization berm. This task is the tying in of the existing Bridgewater hydro-penstock to the
penstock of the new Bridgewater powerhouse. The penstock is the pipe that carries water from
Lake James to the turbines inside the powerhouse. Due to this tying in of the penstock, two
outages (spring and late summer/early fall) of the hydroelectric plant are necessary. These
outages will result in a shutoff' of water coming out of the existing Bridgewater power plant,
from either generation or seepage. These temporary outages will result in approximately 4,846
linear feet (0.92 miles) of the Linville River Reach (Reach), upstream of the confluence of
Muddy Creek/Catawba River channel, being shut off from hydropower flows. The only flows
into the Reach will be from potential dam seepage and small tributaries along the Reach. These
outages are authorized by the North Carolina Division of Water Quality's, 401 Water Quality
Certification (Project # 20100904) dated October 27, 2010, and the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers (USACE) Action ID No. SAW-2008-2753 dated November 23, 2010.
As part of the 401/404 permit conditions, Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC (Duke Energy) is to
provide a Temporary Fish Relocation and Water Quality Monitoring Plan for North Carolina
Wildlife Resource Commission's (NCWRC) approval in order to provide best management
practices (BMP) to minimize the low flow and water quality impacts on downstream r anisms
especially fish. This plan will provide BMP components such as agency notification, initial
shutoff tasks and downstream outage monitoring.
Section 2
Draft Temporary Fish Relocation and Water Quality
and Water Quantity Monitoring Plan Components
The Temporary Fish Relocation and Water Quality and Water Quantity Monitoring Plan for the
Linville Dam ESSI Project consists of the following components:
2.1 Notification
During the outage planning process, Duke Energy representatives will stay in contact with
NCWRC staff to advise the agency of when the potential outages will occur so the NCWRC can
suspend their stocking efforts on the hatchery supported waters in the Reach just below the
powerhouse and, if necessary, notify the public of the impacts to fishing in the downstream
Linville and Catawba rivers. Duke Energy representatives will notify the NCWRC at least 30
days in advance of the outages. Prior to the outages, landowners adjacent to the Reach will be
contacted by Duke Energy representatives, if necessary, to gain access to the banks of the
Linville River Reach to enable the necessary equipment and personnel to work closer to the river
during the outages.
2.2 Initial Shutoff Monitoring
At the start of each of the two outages, Duke Energy will decrease flows in the Reach by
stepping down the amount of seepage/leakage from the powerhouse over an approximately 16-
hour time period. This will be completed by not generating for at least 8 hours which will
provide the Reach with normal minimum flows. The turbines in the existing powerhouse will
then be isolated from the penstock and the intake on the lake side will be closed. Once closed,
an 8- or 10-inch valve will be opened to allow the penstock to drain. This draining of the
penstock should take approximately 16 hours to complete. This step-down in flows is designed
to allow fish in the Reach to relocate downstream as the water level subsides. Beginning the
morning after penstock draining and for two consecutive days following thereafter during each
outage, crews will walk the length of the Reach to locate any fish that have become stranded and
remove them with dip nets, backpack electro shockers, and seines. Fish will be placed in buckets
or tanks and moved downstream of the Muddy Creek confluence. All collected fish that are
relocated will be enumerated by species and their range in total length estimated. In addition, on
2
the first two consecutive days following penstock draining, crews will check that-the reach of the
Catawba River from the confluence of Muddy Creek to the next downstream bridge for any
stressed or dead fish. If stressed or dead fish are noted, the Asheville Regional office of the
NCDWQ and the local NCWRC office will be notified immediately to determine what action
should be taken.
Photographs of the Reach will be taken during the relocation period to document low flow
conditions in the area during each of the outages.
2.3 Water Quality and Quantity Monitoring
Once the penstock is drained for each outage, there are several monitoring tasks that have to be
completed within and downstream of the outage Reach. These tasks include water temperature,
dissolved oxygen, and flow volume monitoring. An explanation of each of the tasks is provided
below.
During the duration of each outage, water temperature in the Reach and below the confluence of
Muddy Creek/Catawba River will be monitored using continuous instream data loggers to assess
the potential for stress on aquatic organisms. Data loggers will be installed just below the first
bridge downstream of the powerhouse, just downstream of the Muddy Creek confluence, and on
both sides of the river near the first downstream bridge below the Muddy Creek confluence. The
data loggers will be read once a week and the data forwarded by email weekly (within the first
two days of the following week) to the assigned NCWRC and NCDWQ personnel every week
during the outage. If the temperatures become a concern, the NCWRC will consult with Duke
Enemy and NCDWO to discuss options to minimize impacts to aquatic organisms.
Dissolved oxygen will be monitored weekly using an oxygen meter at the same locations as
temperature.
immediately. Theis
flow data will also be reported weekly along with the temperature data to the NCWRC and
NCDWQ personnel. If dissolved oxygen concentrations fall below 6 mg/l or saturation levels for
the observed temperatures, Duke Energy will notify the NCWRC and NCDWO immediately to
discuss options to minimize impacts to aquatic organisms.
For the duration of the outages, flow volumes at least equal to the 30'h percentile of the flow
measured at the former Calvin USGS gage on the Catawba River near Morganton, North
Carolina will be sustained. The monthly flows for the 30'h percentile flows of the Calvin gage
are noted below in Table 1. The flows at the Calvin gage will be monitored daily) by visually
reading the USGS staff gage and determining the flow from the USGS rating curve 6ti8?& ?YC?? Comment [CG2]: This frequency is insufficient.
Long periods of low water may occur between
by utilizing Femaining staff gage and a disrhafge eur-ve eFeated fi--em past data. Alternatively, a weekly measurements. The inflows to the lake
(Catawba at Pleasant Gardens gage) gives us a
continuous instream data logger can be placed at the Calvin gage site to record flows on an good idea to what we are likely to experience over
the next few months. Since early December 2010,
hourly basis with the data downloaded weekly. Theis flow data will also be reported weekly that gage has consistently been in the 20-25%
range.
along with the temperature and DO data to the NCWRC and NCDWQ personnel. If necessary,
Duke Energy will supplement the flows into the Catawba River by utilizing the newly installed
minimum flow valve installed within the Catawba Dam Spillway. The amount of water released
from the valve will be adjusted weekly depending upon the measurements at the Calvin gage.
TABLE 1. 30'-H PERCENTILE FLOWS AT THE USGS CALVIN GAGE
March April May June July Aug Sept Oct
159 cfs 154 cfs 120 cfs 100 cfs 96 cfs 78 cfs 90 cfs 87 cfs
cfs = cubic feet per second
At the conclusion of the each outage, the NCWRC will be notified when the water to the Reach
will be restored. A final report detailing the number of fish relocated by species, the number of
dead fish fieted-observed by species (including numbers of crayfish and mussels), and the
observed water quality measurements collected during the outages will be compiled and reported
to the NCWRC and NCDWQ.