2011 IBT Annual Report

Aug. 30,2012
Mr. Tom Reeder
N.C. Division of Water Resources
1611 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1611
Subject: IBT Report for 2011
Dear Tom:
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We are sending our calendar year 2011 IBT Annual Report. We are also transmitting this report
to you electronically. The report follows the format of earlier reports and includes a narrative
section with background and program progress reports along with spreadsheets detailing the IBT
amount calculation.
For calendar year 2011, we experienced an actual maximum day IBT of 18.82 mgd based on
September billing data. As of December 31, 2011, there were additional outstanding IBT
commitments of 2.08 mgd. The total amount of IBT for 2011 was 20.9 mgd, approximately 64%
of the authorized amount.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
CHARLOTTE-MECKLENBURG UTILITIES
/d4~
David W. Czerr, PE
Program Manager -Planning Section
CC: Toya Ogallo r-vi~J
SEP 24 2012
INTRODUCTION
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Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utilities Department
Annual Report on Interbasin Transfer
Calendar Year 2011
The North Carolina Environmental Management Commission (EMC) approved Charlotte-
Mecklenburg Utilities Department's (CMUD's) petition to increase the amount of water
transferred from the Catawba basin to the Rocky River basin and an interbasin transfer (IBT)
Certificate was issued on March 14, 2002. The Certificate authorizes CMUD to transfer up to 33
million gallons per day (mgd) from thE;! Catawba River basin to the Rocky River basin.
The IBT Certificate requires CMUD to report maximum daily IBT amounts annually to the North
Carolina Division of Water Resources (NC DWR) until such time as the transfer amount exceeds
80% of the authorized amount. Once that amount is exceeded, CMUD is required to report
monthly. To date, The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utilities Department has not exceeded 80%, of
the authorized IBT amount.
SYSTEM OVERVIEW
CMUD operates the water and wastewater systems that serve Charlotte, Cornelius, Davidson,
Huntersville, Mint Hill, Matthews, Pineville, and much of the unincorporated areas of
Mecklenburg County. This system is divided between two river basins designated by NC
General Statutes for regulation of IBT water. The western portion of the system is within the
Catawba River basin and the eastern portion is within the Rocky River basin. Water transferred
from the Catawba River basin to the Rocky River basin that is not returned to the Catawba river
basin is regulated IBT.
Water for distribution to CMUD's customers is withdrawn from the Catawba River basin at two
locations. An intake at Lake Norman sends water to the LeeS. Dukes Water Treatment Plant. A
second intake at Mountain Island Lake sends water to the Walter M. Franklin Water Treatment
Plant and to the Vest Water Treatment Plant. Potable water from these three plants is
delivered through an interconnected distribution system to retail customers throughout
CMUD's service area in Mecklenburg County and in small areas of Iredell, Cabarrus, and Union
Counties. CMUD also provides wholesale water to municipal systems for Resale including: City
of Concord (NC), Town of Harrisburg (NC), Union County (NC), York County Wat~r & Sewer
Authority (SC), and Lancaster County WJter and Sewer District (SC).
CMUD treats wastewater at five advanced wastewater treatment plants (WWTP's} that
discharge into small streams in Mecklenburg County. Four of the streams are tributary to the
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CIWII.OTTE.M!CKI.EliaURG
UTIUTlliS
Catawba River basin and one (Mallard Creek) is tributary to the Rocky River basin. CMUD also
conveys wastewater generated in portions of Mecklenburg County to the Rocky River Regional
Wastewater Treatment Plant (RRRWWTP) operated by the Water and Sewer Authority of
Cabarrus County (WSACC). The RRRWWTP discharges treated effluent to the Rocky River.
IBT MONITORING
Water supplied to CMUD's retail customers in the Rocky River Basin, that is not returned to the
Catawba basin, is included in the reported IBT amounts. Water provided to municipalities with
service areas in the Rocky River basin includes the City of Concord and the Town of Harrisburg.
CMUD can transfer treated potable water to the City of Concord through three metered
connections to their water system. All of Concord's service area is within the Rocky River basin,
so any water purchased by them becomes an IBT. Water service is only provided as an
emergency back-up to Concord's routine supply which is Lake Howell and several smaller
reservoirs. All of these reservoirs are within the Rocky River basin. Wastewater from Concord
is treated at the RRRWWTP. CMUD's agreement with Concord is that water will be supplied to
them subject to availability and subject to regulatory constraints including IBT and Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) limitations.
Concord received an IBT Certificate in January 2007, for the transfer of up to 10 mgd from the
Catawba River basin to the Rocky River basin. NC DWR advised CMUD that water sold to
Concord should not be applied to CMUD's IBT amount. Concord did not purchase any potable
water from CMUD in calendar year 2011, so the IBT amounts reported do not include sales to
Concord.
CMUD can transfer treated potable water to the Town of Harrisburg through two metered
connections to their water system. All of Harrisburg's service area is within the Rocky River
basin and is included in CMUD's IBT amounts.
Table 1 summarizes actual IBT amounts for calendar years 2002 through 2011 (all calculated
using the methodology approved by NC DWR in June of 2006). The table considers the daily
amounts of water transferred from the Catawba basin to customers within the Rocky River
basin that is not returned to the Catawba basin.
The maximum monthly IBT for calendar year 2011 was 18.82 mgd in September, which was
approximately 57% of the authorized IBT of 33 mgd. The average IBT for 2011 was 13.11 mgd,
approximately 40% of the authorized IBT. In addition to the actual amount of IBT reported in
Table 1, CMUD has committed to provide IBT to development that has been proposed but has
not yet been activated in the Rocky River basin. As of December 31, 2011, 1.15 mgd was
committed to permitted donated projects (subdivisions) that had not been activated and 0.93
mgd was committed to master meter connections (generally commercial or multi-family
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developments} that had not been activated, both based on maximum day estimates. The
combined actual plus promised IBT for 2011 was 20.9 mgd, approximately 64% of the
authorized IBT.
Table 1. Actua/IBT Summary
Calendar Year Avg. AnnuaiiBT (mgd) Max. Day IBT (mgd)
2002 6.74 11.97
2003 6.91 9.82
2004 7.79 12.56
2005 8.66 13.79
2006 9.56 14.35
2007 9.96 17.22
2008 11.39 17.42
2009 12.04 16.00
2010 13.33 18.33
2011 13.11 18.82
COMPLIANCE WITH CERTIFICATE CONDITIONS
Condition 1: S. W.J.M. Program Summary
Mecklenburg County is required to annually summarize progress in implementation of
watershed management approaches of the Surface Water Improvement and Management
Program (S.W.I.M. program}. The Division of Water Resources shall have the authority to
approve modifications to and need for continued reporting as necessary.
Surface Water Improvement and Management (S.W.I.M.) Program watershed management
approaches continued to be implemented during calendar year 2011. Efforts continued to
focus on McDowell and Goose Creeks, as initiated in 2007, as well as on the South Prong
and West Branch of the Rocky River in Davidson that began in 2009. During calendar year
2011, the following work was completed in the three (3) watersheds:
McDowell Creek Onc/udinq the Torrence Creek Tributary to McDowell Creek)
1. Initiated construction on the restoration of 1,000 feet of stream and the retrofit of 5
rain gardens and 2 water quality swales on the North Mecklenburg Park property in
Huntersville. In addition to the water quality benefits of the project, it will act as an
educational destination for property owners potentially affected by future stream
restoration and BMP retrofit projects.
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2. Awarded a Clean Water Management Trust Fund Grant in the amount of $400,000 to
restore approximately 2 miles of stream along Torrence Creek. The total cost of the
project is estimated at $2,000,000. Design is underway and construction will begin in
2012.
3. Applied for a Clean Water Management Trust Fund Grant to restore approximately 1
mile of stream in The Park Huntersville Phase I, which is located in the upper portion of
Torrence Creek.
4. Initiated planning for the restoration of approximately 2 miles of stream along
McDowell Creek upstream ofthe confluence with Torrence Creek.
5. Initiated planning for a 2nd phase of The Park Huntersville project, including the
restoration of approximately 1 mile of stream along Torrence Creek.
6. Identified a stream restoration project in the McDowell Creek Watershed Management
Plan and worked with a private mitigation bank to move the project forward, which
includes BMP retrofits, the stream restoration along a 1 mile tributary of Torrence Creek
and wetland restoration within Monteith Park. Design is currently underway.
7. Identified a stream restoration project in the McDowell Creek Watershed Management
Plan and worked with a private mitigation bank to move the project forward, which
includes the stream restoration of approximately 2 miles along a tributary of McDowell
Creek and wetland restoration along Bud Henderson Road. Design is currently
underway.
Goose Creek (including the Stevens Creek Tributary to Goose Creek)
1. Initiated planning for the restoration of 2 miles of stream along Stevens Creek.
Rocky River
1. Coordinated with the U.S. Corps of l::ngmeers In an applicdliUII lu obtain 20G Program
Funding for the restoration of the Rocky River.
Condition 2: Stakeholder Process {Completed)
A stakeholder process is required to investigate, develop, adopt, and implement storm water
ordinanc~s that cunlrul wiltcr quantity from sinelc family dAvelopment ;Jnrl wr~ter quality for all
development until (;Ompleted. Thl"' rPquirPments of Condition 2 were completed in 2007.
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Condition 3: Goose Creek Subbasin
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cHARLOTTE-MECKLENIIIJRG UTilmes
The IBT Certificate removes the Goose Creek subbasin from the area to be served by the IBT,
and imposes a moratorium on the installation of new IBT water lines (water lines crossing the
ridgeline) into Goose Creek subbasin until the impacts of additional growth on the endangered
species are fully evaluated.
CMUD submitted an Environmental Assessment of new development in the Goose Creek
basin (Mint Hill area) to the NC Division of Water Resources (DWR} on December 5,
2011. Subsequent comments by DWR were received by CMUD on February 17, 2012.
The revised report is anticipated to be completed by May 11, 2012 and submitted to
DWR thereafter.
Condition 4: Environmental Management Commission
The IBT Certificate provides that the Environmental Management Commission may reopen the
Certificate under certain circumstances. This did not occur in 2011.
Condition 5: Compliance and Monitoring Plan
The IBT Certificate requires CMUD to develop a compliance and monitoring plan for reporting
maximum daily transfer amounts, compliance with certificate conditions, and progress on
mitigation measures, and drought management activities. CMUD's monitoring plan and
reporting format were approved in June of 2006 by NC DWR and continue to be used for 2011.
Charlotte Mecklenburg Utilities monitored water treatment plant pump rates,
streamflow and lake storage indicators, the US Drought Monitor, and other factors in
accordance with the CMUD Water Shortage Response Plan. Measurements were
assessed monthly to identify designated triggers that could indicate developing drought
conditions. All appropriate planning, communication and preparation were in place to
respond as needed to changing conditions.
In coordination with 17 other utilities in the Catawba-Wateree river basin, Charlotte-
Mecklenburg participated in regional drought response planning and response activities
as directed by the FERC-approved Low Inflow Protocol.
SUMMARY
The actual maximum day amount of water transferred from the Catawba River basin to the
Rocky River basin was 18.82 mgd, less than 57% of the authorized maximum day value of 33
mgd. The total of actual and· outstanding IBT was 20.9 mgd, less than 64% of the authorized
maximum day value. CMUD is in full compliance with IBT authorizations and compliance
conditions for calendar year 2011.
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