Our Mission:
In 1986 the United States Congress passed the
Electric Consumers Protection Act requiring the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission to give the same level of consideration to the environment,
recreation, fish and wildlife, and other nonpower values that it gives to power
and development objectives in making a licensing decision
We want to insure that every person who has a
stake in
High
Rock
Lake
and the
Upper
Yadkin
River Basin
is represented in all official relicensing meetings for FERC project
2197. Stakeholders
include interested environmentalists, recreational users, adjacent property
owners and anyone who may be impacted economically by the current management of
our natural resources
Our
Goals for relicensing:
After hundreds of hours
of participation in the Issue Advisory Groups and careful review of all of the
studies associated with the relicensing process, we have updated our original
goals to accurately reflect the combined goals of all of the High Rock Lake
Coalition members. We feel the scientific studies appropriately support
our goals as a reasonable "Equal Consideration" of power generation, the
environment, recreation, fish and wildlife, and other nonpower values. As an organization representing the interests of
over 8000 recreational users, SaveHighRockLake.org and the other organizations
included in the High Rock Lake Coalition would like to see the
following changes made during the relicensing of Project 2197.
-
Operate High Rock Reservoir at a
Target Level of 2.5 ft below “full pond” with authority to go to a 4 ft
drawdown (not below elevation 619.9‘), as needed in order to maintain the
minimum flows defined in item 6.
-
Operate Tuckertown Reservoir at a
target elevation of 2.5 ft. below “full pond”.
-
Operate Narrows Reservoir at a
Target Level of 2.5 ft. below “full pond” with authority to go to a 4 ft
drawdown (not below elevation 537.6‘), as needed in order to maintain the
minimum flows defined in item 6.
-
Operate Falls Reservoir with
reservoir fluctuations of 4 ft or less
-
The mode of operation for all lakes
will be modified run of river, implemented so as to maximize value of
generation during peak periods, and shutting down turbines depending upon
reservoir inflow so as to allow return to target elevation during any 24
hour period.
-
Operate the
project with the goal of providing a year round, daily average minimum flow
of not less than 900 cfs from the Project, as measured at the Falls
development. The proposed 900 cfs represents a 60% contribution from the
Yadkin Project to a target flow at Rockingham of 1500 cfs. The 60%
contribution of the target flow is based on the approximate drainage area of
the Yadkin Project (4,190 sq mi), as a portion of the total drainage area
above Rockingham (6,840 sq mi). If depletion of reservoir storage is
required to meet downstream minimum flow requirements, withdrawals will be
proportionally from High Rock (63%) and Tuckertown/Narrows (37%).
-
Operate the
project in accordance with the terms of a Low Inflow Protocol if Target
Level violations occur for five (5) consecutive days. Water needed
from storage during times of low inflow or drought should be drawn from High
Rock, Tuckertown, and Narrows reservoirs in a way that will prevent one
reservoir from being unduly burdened with all the environmental,
recreational, aesthetic and economic costs of unusual drawdown conditions.
-
Improve the
water quality IN High Rock Lake through better lake management practices,
not beginning below the dam. Include maintenance operations to remove
floating trees and other debris which is a hazard to navigation and
increases nutrient loads, stabilization of water levels to reduce bank
erosion, and active cleanup of shorelines of floating trash and debris.
-
Improve
existing Access Areas to provide compliance with federal and state ADA
regulations, dusk to dawn security lighting, and toilet facilities. Improve
the Second Creek Access Area to provide a more complete public recreation
site in Rowan County on High Rock Reservoir with ample parking, boat
launching, swimming facility, and lake viewing areas. Provide ADA accessible
public Fishing Piers on High Rock, one in Rowan County and one in Davidson
County.
-
Provide funding as required for the purpose of installing navigational aids
at High Rock Lake (channel markers, danger, no wake, etc.). These buoys
will be lighted, located both at bridges and main channels of the main body
of the lake and major creek branches. All bridges over reservoir
waters shall be equipped with fixed lights as prescribed by the U.S. Coast
Guard.
-
Modify the
Yadkin Shoreline Management Plan through a collaborative process of the
existing IAG that includes state and federal agencies, public recreation
users, non-governmental organizations and shoreline property owners.
Complete modifications to the SMP so as to be effective concurrent with a
new FERC license.
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