Drought Contingency Plan Update
Members of the Drought Management Team (DMT) and others met via conference call on August 28, 2008 to continue discussing the severity of the drought in the Yadkin Pee Dee River Basin (Basin). The following is a summary of the call.
Alcoa-Yadkin noted that conditions at the Yadkin Project had improved considerably as a result of the recent, fairly large rain event. As of August 1, 2008, the Basin was in a Low Inflow Protocol (LIP) Stage 1 and that with the recent rain this position had been solidified (rather than moving into an LIP Stage 2 as was anticipated).
Alcoa-Yadkin will continue to run a minimum of 900 cfs weekly average from the Project and reported that High Rock and Narrows reservoirs had gained 4.38-ft and 2.72-ft in elevation respectively since the morning of August 27. Alcoa-Yadkin estimated that by August 28, High Rock would be less than 1-foot below full pool reservoir elevation and Narrows would be about 2.2-ft below full pool and increasing. Alcoa-Yadkin described the challenge of managing the large inflows into the Project reservoirs. Alcoa-Yadkin is currently generating 100 percent at both High Rock (3 units) and Tuckertown (2 units) and indicated it would probably have to pass 1,200 cfs at Narrows for the weekly average. Based on an average inflow into High Rock of 1,800 cfs, Alcoa-Yadkin anticipated stabilizing High Rock and Narrows at about 1-ft below full pool by September 5 and discharging an average of 2,000 cfs from Narrows over the same period.
In response to a question about the increase in the discharge from Narrows, Alcoa-Yadkin responded that it did not want to fill Narrows full because of the tropical storm (Gustav) in the Gulf. The High Rock Lake Association representative did not object to the proposed operations, but noted that river flows are falling off quickly and encouraged Alcoa-Yadkin to continue to operate conservatively.
Duke reported that the Buck Steam Station is in good shape.
The NCDWQ reported that it had recently, before the rain event, put out several Hydrolab Multiprobes to measure water quality and it will redeploy the probes if dry conditions return.
Based on an August 28, 2008 email, the NCWRC offered an update on the US Army Corps of Engineers' (USACE) operations at W. Kerr Scott. As of August 28, the USACE increased releases from W. Kerr Scott Dam from 127 cfs to about 650 cfs. The releases will increase to about 1,200 cfs by noon on August 28. The USACE expects to increase releases again, up to about 2,000 cfs, which it will then hold for a couple of days. W. Kerr Scott is expected to peak near 1,035-ft on August 28 and be near 1,031-ft at the end of the Labor Day weekend.
The USFWS reminded the group that the long-term drought remains and encouraged everyone to remain cautious about flow releases and water conservation.
Progress Energy reported status quo at its project.
1Membership of the DMT includes representatives from the NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources, South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Progress Energy, Duke Power Company, and the High Rock Lake Association.
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North Carolina Drought Monitoring Council
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