20120900 Ver 2_Mtg_Notes_7-16-2018_20180724

Strickland, Bev
From: Jody Smet <[e-mail]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 24, 2018 8:38 AM
To: [e-mail]; Eli Hopson - CHP; Mark Gross;
[e-mail]; [e-mail]; Mcdaniel, Chonticha; Cook,
Clinton; Higgins, Karen; Jim Behmer; Bill Remington; Griffin, III, Thomas N.; John
Collins - CHP; Goudreau, Chris J.;[e-mail]
Cc: Graham Corriher
Subject: [External] Yadkin Project (FERC No. 2197) - Meeting w/Stakeholders 401 WQC
Condition No 9 City of Salisbury Sedimentation and Flood Protection Plan
Attachments: Mtg_Notes_7-16-2018.pdf
All,
I have attached DRAFT meeting notes for your review. I will send a Doodle poll for the site visit separately, as discussed.
Thanks,
Jody J. Smet, AICP
Cube Hydro Carolinas
(0) 804-739-0654
(C) 804-382-1764
CUBE HYDRO
CAROLINAS
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Yadkin Hydroelectric Project (FERC No. 2197)
Salisbury Sedimentation and Flood Protection Plan
Consultation Meeting
July 16, 2018
DRAFT Meeting Notes
Meeting Participants - see attached list.
Presentation slides - see attached.
Background
On May 14, 2018, Cube Yadkin Generation LLC (Cube Yadkin) distributed a draft of the
Salisbury Sedimentation and Flood Protection Plan (required by the Project license and 401
Water Quality Certificate (401 WQC)) to the City of Salisbury, Rowan County, the North
Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ), and the North Carolina Wildlife
Resources Commission (NCWRC) (collectively "Stakeholders") for review and comment.
NCDEQ and the City of Salisbury responded with comments. The purpose of the meeting was
to continue to consult with the Stakeholders about a safe, effective, practical engineering solution
to sedimentation and flooding at the water intakes and pump station.
The discussion was focused in three areas:
1. Sedimentation and flooding at the intake structures;
2. Pump station flood protection plan; and
3. Pump station access during flood events.
Sedimentation and Flooding at the Intake Structures
Cube Yadkin's recommended alternative proposes an initial topographic and bathymetric survey
(in 2019) to understand the sediment elevations and load at the intakes. Sediment monitoring
points would be determined as part of survey work. Sediment removal would occur in 2020
(area and quantity to be based on surveys). Annual sediment monitoring will help determine
removal frequency. Surveys, monitoring, and removal will be conducted in consultation with
Salisbury Rowan Utilities and NCDEQ. Cube Yadkin will keep the intakes clear of sediment
and operational as required by the 401 WQC. Cube Yadkin acknowledged this as a requirement
regardless of whether there is an opportunity for a third party to mine and market the sand,
noting that the scope and scale may periodically increase beyond the 401 WQC requirement if
the economics support it.
Black and Veatch (B&V), on behalf of the City of Salisbury, commented on the importance of
not only keeping the intakes clear of sediment, but also keeping the intakes operational during
times of low flow and drought. Consideration should be given to channeling the water from the
river to the intakes during times of extreme low inflow/drought. It was agreed that the proposed
bathymetric survey will help better define the scope and scale of the sediment removal (to
include sediment removal to create a channel that allows for the free flow of water from the river
to the intakes during drought conditions). The most recent bathymetric data that is available is

from 1997. Salisbury shared a photo that showed sediment buildup (11 to 12 -ft thick) at the
intakes circa 1988. Sediment mining occurred to remove the 1988 sandbar, and the most recent
mining was in 2009 by Carolina Sand Inc. (CSI). The sandbar was not present during the 2002
drought.
ACTION: Cube Yadkin to revise the plan to clarify its requirements to keep the intakes free of
sediment, and operational, under all conditions (severe drought to 100 -year flood level).
Salisbury added that while flooding may not impact intake operations, the intakes (and
associated equipment) are subject to damage from floating debris and large downed trees during
high flows/floods (e.g., a gate shaft gets hit by a large floating tree and is bent). Cube Yadkin
would like to better understand these concerns.
ACTION: City of Salisbury will provide Cube Yadkin a list of equipment at the intakes subject
to damage during flood events.
Pump Station Flood Protection Plan
Cube Yadkin is proposing to physically modify (rehabilitate) the pump station to elevate the
pump motors and all electrical equipment (PLCs, switchgear, flow meters, transmitters, etc.) to
elevation 652 -ft. Kleinschmidt, on behalf of Cube Yadkin, explained that it had been confirmed
with the pump manufacturers that 5 -ft column sections could be used to raise the pump motors.
The modifications would meet all North Carolina building codes and the requirement for
essential structures to be 2 to 3 -ft above the base flood elevation. The proposed improvements
would be implemented one pump at a time, so that the other two pumps remain operational with
minimal to no interruption to operations and service. Cube Yadkin provided an example of the
ongoing upgrades to the units at High Rock (Unit 1 is currently out of service, but the remaining
units continue to operate). Additionally, Cube Yadkin estimates the environmental impact of its
recommended alternative to be materially less than other proposed alternatives.
B&V asked if the existing electrical equipment would be relocated or if Cube Yadkin is
proposing new electrical equipment. These types of details would be decided based on need (by
an electrical engineer) during final engineering and design, but new equipment or bus work is not
a show stopper for Cube Yadkin. B&V asked if the station would stay in service while the pump
room roof is off to facilitate the raising the bridge crane supports. The answer is yes. B&V
commented that allowing the pump room floor to flood seems like the wrong approach; B&V
asked about the possibility of raising the floor.
ACTION: Cube Yadkin will evaluate options to raise the pump room floor level.
B&V and Salisbury asked questions about the ability of the existing brick and masonry structure
and foundation to support the proposed modifications. Cube Yadkin requested information on
the structural details of the building (i.e., original, engineered, as -built drawings).
ACTION: Salisbury to share original pump station drawings including structural, mechanical,
and electrical record drawings. Cube Yadkin to conduct preliminary condition assessment or
2

"fatal flaw analysis" to ensure that the proposed modifications are viable for advancement to
final design.
The following additional concerns about the proposed rehab alternative were also identified and
discussed:
• Electrical evaluation (discussed above).
• Whether station valves are submersible and work in water, and can be operated remotely.
Valves, valve actuators, and other mechanical instrumentation will be given additional
consideration during engineering and design.
• During construction, any down time or outage greater than 8 hours is impactful based on
available storage and pump station operations. Cube Yadkin understands how important
the water is to the system. Contingencies (e.g., diesel pumps) would be an important part
of the overall plan.
• After a flood event, cleanup of the pump station is a significant effort.
• If the rehab option is constructible, the concern is for operational reliability of the facility
because of aging equipment (there have been issues with pump starts, relays and other
equipment).
• Anticipating future sedimentation and flood levels. Cube Yadkin noted that, in lieu of
attempting to model conditions 50 years into the future; Cube Yadkin would evaluate the
project using a Base Flood Elevation of 652.3 feet.
• Hydrodynamic pressure of flood water on existing brick structure walls.
• Maintenance, access, and worker safety.
• Can the alterative be permitted?
In summary, B&V asked if it is reasonable to ask the City of Salisbury to operate this way. Cube
Yadkin responded that it would not propose anything for the City that it would not do at its own
hydro plants. To take it a step further, Cube Yadkin noted that it has expressed a willingness to
partner with the City of Salisbury, not only to design and construct the station but also to operate
it. Cube Hydro is proposing a design as if it were responsible for operational reliability, worker
safety, etc.
ACTION: Schedule a site visit to the pump station for Salisbury and Cube Yadkin, and invite
the necessary engineering expertise (electrical, mechanical, structural) to address stated
concerns, as well as long-term worker safety.
Pump Station Access
Cube Yadkin's goal is to eliminate the need for access to the pump station during flood events
through remote operation and monitoring of equipment with a Supervisory Control and Data
Acquisition (SCADA) system, redundant pumping systems, and a contingency plan. Salisbury
explained that the issue of access comes up more frequently as a result of flows at the Yadkin
College USGS gage of 20,000 cfs or more. At this flow, the access road to the pump station
goes under water regularly (i.e., once a quarter, every couple of months). Over a 10 -year period
(2008-2018), there have been about 40 incidences of this for a total of 80 days when the access
road (-0.5 mile from the bridge to the pump station) has been impassable. A majority of these

times the water is only a couple of feet deep so boat access is difficult. Salisbury explained that
there are occasions when staff must intervene, for example, a pump fails to start. There was
discussion about breakdown maintenance v. preventative maintenance; preventative maintenance
ensures more reliable equipment. Cube Yadkin acknowledged facing similar challenges at its
own plants, for example, the need to operate flood gates to prevent dam failure and loss of life.
The gates must work at the worst possible time. Testing and replacement of pump relays and
other starting equipment could provide greater reliability. Salisbury observed that it may have a
different view of maintenance/economics, in that lesser pump start reliability can be tolerated so
long as staff are able to access the pump station.
Next Steps
Cube Yadkin will distribute draft meeting notes for review and comment, and will set-up a
Doodle poll to aid in scheduling a site visit. After the site visit, a draft "fatal flaw analysis" will
be developed, and Cube Yadkin and Salisbury will decide whether it is prudent to request a third
extension of time from FERC to submit the required plan. Cube Yadkin would like to partner
with the City of Salisbury to identify and implement a mutually agreeable solution. Process
steps after the preliminary fatal flaw analysis may include addressing comments on the analysis
and/or supplementing the draft plan and submitting the plan to FERC for review and approval.
4

Participants:
Bill Remington, Kleinschmidt
Eli Hopson, Cube Hydro
Graham Corriher, City of Salisbury
Jeff Coggins, Black and Veatch
Jeff Jones, City of Salisbury
Jim Behmer, City of Salisbury
Jody Smet, Cube Hydro
Karen Higgins, NCDEQ, Division of Water Resources
Lane Bailey, City of Salisbury
Mark Gross, Cube Hydro
Neal Simmons, Cube Hydro
Randy Tinsley, Brooks Pierce (for the City of Salisbury)
Tom Griffin, Parker Poe (for Cube Hydro)

Salisbury Sedimentation and Flood
Protection Plan
CONSULTATION MEETING
JULY 161 2018

Topics for Discussion
Sedimentation and flooding at the intake structures
Pump station flood protection plan
Pump station access

Intakes —Sedimentation &Flooding
Requirement to manage sedimentation at the intakes to
maintain them in an operable condition
Topographic and bathymetric surveys in 2019 to establish
baseline
Sediment removal based on surveys and annual monitoring;
removal will occur as needed to maintain intake operations
Begin as early as 2020
Surveys and sediment removal in consultation with SRU and
NCDEQ

Pump Station Flood Protection Plan
Physical modification to pump station
Due diligence on pumps and other equipment to support
recommendations
Redundancy and reliability
Project design will include review of structural concerns
Design will meet or exceed NC building codes and requirements
Engineering and permitting
Evaluation of environmental impact

Pump Station Access
Eliminate need for access during flood events
Remote SCADA operation of all required equipment
Remote monitoring of equipment to confirm normal
operations Redundant systems
Pumpsand electrical equipment proposed to be
raised 3 -ft above 100 -year flood levels
Any equipment impacted by flooding will be rated
for submersible service