20070812 Ver 2_Alcoa tailwater monitoring letter to FERC_20080714

O
AI.COA
July 11, 2008
ELECTRONIC FILING
Alcoa Power Generating Inc.
Yadkin Division
PO Box 576
Badin, North Carolina 28009-0576
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
www.alcoa.com/yadkin
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JUL 1 4 2008
Ms. Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary DENR - WATER QUAUTY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission WETLANDS AND STORMWATER BRANCH
888 First Street, N.E.
Washington, DC 20426
Re: Alcoa Power Generating Inc. Yadkin Project (FERC No. 2197) Tailwater Dissolved
Oxygen Monitoring
Dear Secretary Bose:
Alcoa Power Generating Inc. (APGI) is currently operating the Yadkin Project (FERC No. 2197)
in accordance with an annual license issued by the Federal Energy Commission (Commission)
on May 2, 2008 under the terms and conditions of its prior license. Consistent with the Yadkin
Project Dissolved Oxygen Plan required under Article 39 of the prior license and approved by
the Commission in 2001, APGI is voluntarily conducting continuous tailwater dissolved oxygen
monitoring in the tailwaters of the High Rock, Tuckertown and Falls tailwaters, in addition to the
Narrows tailwater from May 1 through November 30.
Due to the ongoing drought in the Yadkin Pee Dee River basin, the water level in Narrows
Reservoir (which significantly influences the water levels in the Tuckertown tailwater) has
dropped approximately five feet below full pool. Due to these extreme low water conditions,
which have made it unsafe to service the monitor and may damage the monitor probe, APGI has
temporarily removed the continuous dissolved oxygen monitor in the Tuckertown tailrace.
APGI will make every effort to reinstall the Tuckertown tailrace monitor when the water levels
in the Narrows Reservoir (Tuckertown tailrace) have come up sufficiently. APGI will inform
you when the monitor has been reinstalled.
Due to the continued drought and worsening low water conditions, similar situations may arise in
the other Yadkin Project tailwaters and it is possible that APGI may need to temporarily remove
monitors in one or more of the other tailwaters prior to the end of the monitoring season. We
will notify the Commission and the North Carolina Division of Water Quality (NCDWQ) if this
occurs.
By copy of this letter, APGI is also notifying NCDWQ of this situation. Please do not hesitate to
contact me at [phone] or gene.ellis(u?alcoaxom if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Gene Ellis
Licensing and Property Manager
cc: John Dorney, NCDWQ
Dianne Reid, NCDWQ
Dave Toms, NCDWQ
Steve Reed, NC Division of Water Resources
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
I hereby certify that I have this day served the foregoing document upon each
person designated on the official service list in this proceeding in accordance with the
requirements of Rule 2010 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure.
Dated at Aylett, Virginia this 1 Ith day of July 2008.
j 11 L'YLe G L7
Joyce Brooks
Long View Associates, Inc.
179 Clarks Lane
Aylett, VA 23009
804-769-1667