20080915 Ver 3_Basin Advisory Commission Comments_20161104

IMED.-T-4-0
Serving as administrative support for the Catawba/Wateree River Basin Advisory
Commission, please accept the enclosed letter being sent through my office on
their behalf. Please let me know if you have any questions.
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Cataw6a-WatereeRiver Basin Advisory Commission
Barry Gullet, Chairman
42Z2Westmont Drive
Charlotte, INC 28317
October 27, 2016
Ms. Karen Higgins
4O1&Buffer Permitting Branch Supervisor
Division mfWater Resources
Department ofEnvironmental Quality
512N.Salisbury Street, Suite 942-E
Raleigh, WC376O4
Ms. Heather S.Preston, Director
South Carolina Department ofHealth and Environmental Control
Water Quality Division
Bureau ofWater
26DOBull St.
Columbia, SC 29201-1708
Subject� Water Quality Certification Amendments
Catavvbu/VVmtmreeHydroelectric Project
Dear Ms. Higgins and Ms. Preston:
The Catawba-Wateree River Basin Advisory Commission is writing in support of the request filed by
Duke Energy to amend Water Quality Certifications associated with the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission (FERC) License issued for the operation of the Catawba-Wateree Hydroelectric Project
(FERC Project No. 2232).
Duke Energy has presented and the Advisory Commission has reviewed information about changes to
the Comprehensive Relicensing Agreemient (CRAi and proposed amendments to their FERC license. The
CRA changes havebeenapp/ovedbyaUnftheparties1otheCRA. The CRA changes and other proposed
modifications listed below affect portions of the CRA incorporated by reference as conditions of the
original Water Quality Certifications,
Specifically, the proposed changes related to the Water Quality Certification include:
Improving regional drought resiliency by raising reservoir summer target elevations on Lake
James, Norman, and Wylie by an additional 6 inches from May I — October I and improving
public safety by modifying the 6,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) recreation flow release frorn the
VVy|}e Development to 3,000ds.

2. Modifications tothe Low Inflow Protocol (LIP) and the Maintenance and Emergency Protocol
(KHEP)based onexperience gained during voluntary implementation of1heseprotoco|smince
2006 and consistent with recommendations from the Water Supply Master Plan prepared by the
Catawbo-VVateeeWater Management Group,
3. Charges to the Water Quality Monitoring Plan (WQMP)and Flow and Water Quality
Implementation Plan (FWQIP) provisions to reflect changes in status and implementation
schedule since they were originally developed in 2006,
The Commission believes the requests made by Duke Energy are appropriate and beneficial and
requests your timely approval.
Sincerely,