NC0024406_Authorization to Operate_20091022

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ALI
WDENR
North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural
Division of Water Quality
Beverly Eaves Perdue
Governor
Mr. Ronald E. Lewis
Duke Energy
Water Management
P. O. Box 1006
Charlotte, North Carolina 28201-1006
Dear Mr. Lewis:
Coleen H. Sullins
Director
October 22, 2009
Resources
Dee Freeman
Secretary
Subject: Authorization to Operate
Temporary Cooling Water Intake Structure
NPDES Permit NCO024406
Duke Energy / Belews Creek Steam Station
Stokes County
In response to your comments received October 14, 2009, this is a reissuance of the authorization to operate a temporary
cooling water intake structure to clarify the lake monitoring requirement. The letter you received, dated October 13,
2009, required monthly lake sampling, and you questioned if semi-annual monitoring was sufficient, as that was approved
in the last authorization to operate a temporary cooling water intake structure. This letter requires semi-annual lake
monitoring.
This letter authorizes the operation of a temporary cooling water intake structure at the existing steam electric plant. The
intake structure will pump water from the Dan River to Belews Lake, which provides condenser cooling water for the
subject facility. In a typical year, Belews Lake fills in the spring to 724.5 feet msl, then loses 2.—.4 feet over the summer
and fall. Due to exceptional drought conditions in previous years and the additional water demand associated with the.,
two flue gas desulfurization units installed in 2008, projections for 2009 — 2010 indicate Belews Lake may fall below the
minimum spring lake level necessary for continued intake pump operation through the summer period (i.e. 720 feet msl).
The plan proposes to pump the lake levels to a minimum of 720 feet msl, up to a maximum of 724.5 feet msl, by the end
of March 2010.
This pumping plan has been proposed to ensure uninterrupted power production at this base load facility, while
minimizing negative effects on the aquatic community and downstream users. This plan was reviewed in 2002 (when it
was first requested) by staff of the NC Division of Water Quality (DWQ), NC Division of Water Resources (DWR), NC
Wildlife Resources Commission (WRC), NC Division of Land Resources (DLR), and the US Army Corps of Engineers.
Pumping was authorized, but was terminated early due to rainfall. A second temporary request to pump from the Dan
River into Belews Lake was made in 2007, reviewed and approved by the Division of Water Quality, and Division of
Water Resources. Pumping occurred from January through March of 2008. A third temporary request to pump from the
Dan River into Belews Lake was made in 2008, reviewed and approved by the Division of Water Quality, and Division of
Water Resources. Pumping occurred from December 2008 through March 2009.
The temporary pumping plan is authorized to be implemented with the following operation and design conditions to .
minimize biological impacts and downstream water supply concerns:
1617 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, North Carolina 27699.1617 011e 1. 1
Location: 512 N. SalisburySt. Raleigh, North Carolina 27604 N6fthCa.Tohna
Phone: [phone] \ Fax: [phone] \ Customer Service: 1-877-623-6748
Internet: www.ncwaterquality.org Naturally
An Equal Opportunity \ Affirmative Action Employer

t e 9
Mr. Ronald E. Lewis
NC0024406 „
October 22, 2009
Page 2 of 2
• Pumping is scheduled to begin in December 2009 and end in March 2010, which coincides with the historical
period of maximum flow in the Dan River, and avoids the April — May fish spawning period. If water levels in
Belews Lake are still below 720 feet msl after this period, Duke Power must request authorization to continue
temporary pumping beyond this date.
• Pumping must not lower the flow in Dan River below 110 cfs, which is the Division of Water Resources target
flow recommendation for this site. River flow at the pumping location must be checked at a newly installed
USGS Gage Station near the old USGS Pine Hall gage station prior to each daily pumping event.
• The minimum pumping rate will be 10 cfs (6 MGD), and the maximum pumping rate will be 100 cfs (65 MGD).
• The Dan River pumps intake will be positioned above the river bottom and have an approach velocity less than or
equal to 0.5 feet/second across screening with mesh openings of less than 1 cm2 to minimize fish entrainment and
impingement.
• The withdrawal location will be near the confluence of the spillway channel below Belews lake Dam and the Dan
River. This is a scoured bottom area that does not provide suitable aquatic habitat.
• The facility will perform routine semi-annual lake monitoring to assess limnological conditions in Belews Lake.
You have also requested to install and operate a permanent pumping system. That request will be considered separately
from this request to operate a temporary cooling water intake structure. Please note that this authorization does not affect
the legal requirements to obtain other permits which may be required by the Division of Water Quality, the Division of
Land Resources, the Coastal Area Management Act, or any other federal or local government permits.
If you have any questions or need additional information, please do not hesitate to contact Karen Rust of my staff at (919)
807-6400.
Sincerely,
Matt Matthews
Surface Water Protection Section Chief
cc: Central Files
NPDES Files
Winston-Salem Regional Office — Surface Water Protection
NCDWR / Fred Tarver
1617 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1617 011e
Location: 512 N. Salisbury St. Raleigh, North Carolina 27604 N �11�6 tuCai Ol1IIar��C�
Phone: "919-607.6300 \Fax: [phone] \Customer Service: 1-877-623-6748
Internet: www.ncwaterquality.org L
An Fnual nnnnrMnity l Affirmnfive Antinn Fmnlnvar
t

Rust, Karen
From: Matthews, Matt
Sent: Thursday, October 15, 2009 6:43 AM
To: Rust, Karen
Cc: Poupart, Jeff; Vinzani, Gil
Subject: RE: Monthly monitoring during Temporary Pumping
Let's reissue the letter.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Matt Matthews v-[phone] NC DENR/Division of
Water Quality f-[phone] Surface Water Protection Section
[e-mail]
1617 Mail Service Center http://h2o.enr.state.nc.us/swps/ Raleigh,
North Carolina 27699-1617
Please note that my email address has changed.
E-mail correspondence to and from this address may be subject to the North Carolina Public
Records Law and may be disclosed to third parties.
-----Original Message -----
From: Rust, Karen
Sent: Wednesday, October 14, 2009 4:45 PM
To: Matthews, Matt
Cc: Poupart, Jeff; Vinzani, Gil
Subject: FW: Monthly monitoring during Temporary Pumping
Hi Matt,
You may recall, you just signed a letter authorizing Duke Energy to temporarily pump from the
Dan River to Belews lake this winter. Ron Lewis with Duke Energy sent the email below.. He
is asking if the lake monitoring can -,be reduced to semi-annually instead of -monthly::
Apparently this had been granted previously, but this information was not in the file, so,I
did not know that. Are you ok with the monitoring being semi-annually?. Do we need to
reissue the letter? Please advise.
Thanks,
Karen
Karen Rust, Environmental Specialist
NC DENR, Division of Water Quality
Surface Water Protection Section, Point Source Branch Eastern NPDES Permitting and Compliance
Program
1617 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1617
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email correspondence to and from this address may be subject to the North Carolina Public
Records Law and may be disclosed to third parties.
1

-----Original Message -----
From: Lewis, Ron [mailto:[e-mail]]
Sent: Wednesday, October 14, 2009 1:25 PM
To: Rust, Karen
Subject: Monthly monitoring during Temporary Pumping
Karen,
I'm forwarding you the notes between Jim McKay and me last year concerning routine monthly
monitoring during the temporary pumping period, as is included in a copy the approval letter
you forwarded dated October 13, 2009. As you will note, rather than monthly monitoring, the
NCDENR staff agreed that the existing water quality monitoring of Belews Lake semiannually
was adequate. These data are normally analyzed and reported every five years in conjunction
with the NPDES permit renewal for Belews Creek Steam Station. Please let me know, if monthly
monitoring during operation of the temporary pumps can be dropped in lieu of the existing
monitoring program.
Duke Energy
Mail Code: EC13K
526 S. Church Street
Charlotte, NC 28202
Office •980=373-5710.
,Mobile! ,704=607-8755
-----Original Message -----
From: Lewis, Ron
Sent: Friday, October 31, 2008 8:27 AM
To: James Mckay
Subject: RE: Draft of Duke Power Temporary Authorization to pump from Dan River to Belews
Lake
T.hanks.fo.r the update.
Ron,
.,:•Duke Ener.gY .,
Mail Code: EC13K
526 S. Church'Street
Charlotte, NC 28202
Office 980-373-5710
Mobile [phone]
-----Original Message -----
From: James Mckay [mailto:[e-mail]]
Sent: Friday, October 31, 2008 8:19 AM
To: Lewis, Ron
Subject: Re: Draft of Duke Power Temporary Authorization to pump from Dan River to Belews
Lake
Ron,
It was signed yesterday, and should be mailed out today.
Jim McKay
Lewis, Ron wrote:
> Jim,
> Thanks for your assistance.
2

> Ron ,
> Duke Energy
> Mail Code: EC13K
> 526 S. Church Street
> Charlotte, NC 28202
> Office 980-373-5710
> Mobile [phone]
> -----Original Message-----
> From: James Mckay [mailto:[e-mail]]
> Sent: Thursday, October 30, 2008 4:16 PM
> To: Lewis, Ron
> Cc: Fred Tarver
> Subject: Re: Draft of Duke Power Temporary Authorization to pump from
> Dan River to Belews Lake
> Ron,
> I have discussed your request with my supervisor and Trish MacPherson
> of the Environmental Science Section. We concur with your request to
> discontinue the monthly -monitoring. I will revise the.authorization:
> and'have it issued soon.
> Jim McKay
> Lewis, Ron wrote:
>> Jim,
>> The only comment is with respect to the additional lake monitoring that we've been doing
during the pumping. Since our repeated monitoring of Belews Lake water quality during prior
pumping activity has consistently demonstrated nil effects lake -wide, is�this' monitoring.
requirement still needed? The existing semiannual program (winter and summer)would:sti-11.
continue.
>> Thanks for your assistance and prompt response to our request, Ron
>> Duke Energy
>> Mail Code: EC13K
>> 526 S. Church Street
>> Charlotte, NC 28202
>> Office 980-373-5710
>> Mobile [phone]
>> -----Original Message-----
» From: James Mckay [mailto:[e-mail]]
>> Sent: Monday, October 27, 2008 10:51 AM
>> To: Lewis, Ron
>> Cc: Fred Tarver
>> Subject: Draft of Duke Power Temporary Authorization to pump from Dan
>> River to Belews Lake
>> Attached is a PDF of the subject letter. Please send any comments or
>> questions to me by Wednesday, 10/29/2008.
>> Jim McKay
3

r
R '
ANA,
NCDENR
North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural
Division of Water Quality
Beverly Eaves Perdue Coleen H. Sullins
Governor Director
October 13, 2009
Mr. Ronald E. Lewis
Duke Energy
Water Management
P. O. Box 1006
Charlotte, North Carolina 28201-1006
Resources
Subject: Authorization to Operate
Dee Freeman
Secretary
Temporary Cooling Water Intake Structure
NPDES Permit NCO024406
Duke Energy / Belews Creek Steam Station
Stokes County
Dear Mr. Lewis:
This letter authorizes the operation of a temporary cooling water intake structure at the existing steam electric plant. The
intake structure will pump water from the Dan River to Belews Lake, which provides condenser cooling water for the
subject facility. In a typical year, Belews Lake fills in the spring to 724.5 feet msl, then loses 2 — 4 feet over the summer
and fall. Due to exceptional drought conditions in previous years and the additional water demand associated with the
two flue gag desulfurization units installed in 2008, projections for 2009 — 2010 indicate Belews Lake may fall below the
minimum spring lake level necessary for continued intake pump operation through the summer period (i.e. 720 feet msl).
The plan proposes to pump the lake levels to a minimum of 720 feet msl, up to a maximum of 724.5 feet msl, by the end
of March 2010.
This pumping plan has been proposed to ensure uninterrupted power production at this base load facility, while
minimizing negative effects on the aquatic community and downstream users. This plan was reviewed in 2002 (when it
was first requested) by staff of the NC Division of Water Quality (DWQ), NC Division of Water Resources (DWR), NC
Wildlife Resources Commission (WRC), NC Division of Land Resources (DLR), and the US Army. Corps of Engineers.
Pumping was authorized, but was terminated early due to rainfall. A second temporary request to pump from the Dan
River into Belews Lake was made in 2007, reviewed and approved by the Division of Water Quality, and Division of
Water Resources. Pumping occurred from January through March of 2008. A third temporary request to pump from the
Dan River into Belews Lake was made in 2008, reviewed and approved by the Division of Water Quality, and Division of
Water Resources. Pumping occurred from December 2008 through March 2009.
The temporary pumping plan is authorized to be implemented with the following operation and design conditions to
minimize biological impacts and downstream water supply concerns:
Pumping is scheduled to begin in December 2009 and end in March 2010, which coincides with the historical
period of maximum flow in the Dan River, and avoids the April — May fish spawning period. If water levels in
Belews Lake are still below 720 feet msl after this period, Duke Power must request authorization to continue
temporary pumping beyond this date.
Pumping must not lower the flow in Dan River below 110 cfs, which is the Division of Water Resources target
flow recommendation for this site. River flow at the pumping location must be checked at a newly installed
USGS Gage Station near the old USGS Pine Hall gage station prior to each daily pumping event.
1617 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1617 One
Location: 512 N. Salisbury St. Raleigh, North Carolina 27604 NorthCarolina
Phone:: www.ncwaterquality.org 1 Fax: [phone] \ Customer Service: 1-877-623-6748
Internet: www.ncwaterquality.org 6
An Equal Opportunity1 Affirmative Action Employer

Mr. Ronald E. Lewis
NCO024406
October 13, 2009
Page 2 of 2
• The minimum pumping rate will be 10 cfs (6 MGD), and the maximum pumping rate will be 100 cfs (65 MGD).
• The Dan River pumps intake will be positioned above the river bottom and have an approach velocity less than or
equal to 0.5 feet/second across screening with mesh openings of less than 1 cm2 to minimize fish entrainment and
impingement.
• The withdrawal location will be near the confluence of the spillway channel below Belews lake Dam and the Dan
River. This is a scoured bottom area that does not provide suitable aquatic habitat.
• The facility will perform routine monthly lake monitoring during the period of pumping to assess limnological
conditions in Belews Lake.
You have also requested to install and operate a permanent pumping system. That request will be considered separately
from this request to operate a temporary cooling water intake structure. Please note that this authorization does not affect
the legal requirements to obtain other permits which may be required by the Division of Water Quality, the Division of
Land Resources, the Coastal Area Management Act, or any other federal or local government permits.
If you have any questions or need additional information, please do not hesitate to contact Karen Rust of my staff at (919)
807-6400.
Sincerely,
14 `; !'
Matt Matthews
Surface Water Protection Section Chief
cc: Central Files
NPDES Files
Winston-Salem Regional Office — Surface Water Protection
NCDWR / Fred Tarver
1617 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1617 One
Location: 512 N. Saliftry St. Raleigh, North Carolina 27604 NorthCarolina
Phone:: www.ncwaterquality.org 1 Fax: [phone] Customer Service: 1-877-623-6748
Internet: www.ncwaterquality.org
An Equal Opportunity \ Affirmative Action Employer

PDuke
Energyoo
October 5, 2009
Ms. Karen Rust
North Carolina Department of Environment
and Natural Resources
Division of Water Quality
1617 Mail Service Center
Raleigh NC 27699-1617
DUKE ENERGY CORPORATION
526 South Church Street
Charlotte, NC 28202
Mailing Address:
P 0 Box 1006
Charlotte, NC 28201-1006
RECEIVED
OCT - 8 2009
DENR . WATER OUAL17Y
POINT SOURCE BRANCH
Subject: Belews Creek Steam Station (BCSS) — Stokes County
Temporary and Permanent Pumping Systems
Withdrawal of Water from Dan River to Belews Lake
Per our phone conversation and initial review of the request for installation of temporary and
permanent pumping systems, installation of the permanent pumping system will be considered a
major modification of NPDES permit number NCO024406 for BCSS. Enclosed is payment of the
permitting fee of $1030.00 for review of the permanent pumping system request. As noted in
our previous request submitted September 4, 2009, approval to install and operate the temporary
system again this fall and winter is requested immediately. Approval for construction of the
permanent pumping system is needed as soon as possible in order to have the system available in
November 2010 for operation on as needed basis per available river flow.
Should you have questions regarding submittal of the previous information or wish to meet to
coordinate agency review, please call me at [phone].
Sincerely,
Ronald E. Lewis
Water Management
www. duke -energy. com

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