Alcoa Power Generating Inc.

Yadkin Hydroelectric Project (FERC No. 2197)

Recreation Facility Inventory and Condition Assessment

Final Study Plan

October 2003

Background

Alcoa Power Generating Inc. (APGI) is the licensee for the Yadkin Hydroelectric Project. The Yadkin Project is currently licensed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) as Project No. 2197. This license expires in 2008 and APGI must file a new license application with FERC on or before April 30, 2006 to continue operation of the Project.

The Yadkin Project consists of four reservoirs, dams, and powerhouses (High Rock, Tuckertown, Narrows , and Falls) located on a 38-mile stretch of the Yadkin River in central North Carolina . The Project generates electricity to support the power needs of Alcoa’s Badin Works, to support its other aluminum operations, or is sold on the open market.

As part of the relicensing process, APGI prepared and distributed, in September 2002, an Initial Consultation Document (ICD), which provides a general overview of the Project. Agencies, municipalities, non-governmental organizations and members of the public were given an opportunity to review the ICD and identify information and studies that are needed to address relicensing issues. To further assist in the identification of issues and data/study needs, APGI has formed several Issue Advisory Groups (IAGs) to advise APGI on resource issues throughout the relicensing process. IAGs will also have the opportunity to review and comment on Draft Study Plans. This Final Study Plan has been developed in response to comments on the ICD and through discussions with the Recreation, Aesthetics, and Shoreline Management IAG, to provide additional necessary information for consideration in the relicensing process.

Study Objectives

The objective of this study is to inventory existing public recreation areas that provide direct access to Yadkin Project lands and/or waters. The inventory will describe the available recreation facilities, the condition of the recreation facilities, and identify any operational, maintenance, or safety issues at each recreation area. Additionally, to assess the present adequacies and future accessibility needs for people with disabilities to recreation facilities at public recreation areas, the study will include an assessment of disabled access.

Relationship of Study to Other Recreation Studies

The information collected as part of this facility inventory will be used alone and in combination with other information collected during the Recreation Use Assessment to evaluate the adequacy of existing Project public recreation areas to accommodate current use and future demand.

Methodology

For the purposes of this study, recreation areas to be included in the inventory are those areas that are open for public use that provide direct access to Project lands and/or waters. These recreation areas will be divided into three groups: 1) public recreation areas operated and maintained by Yadkin, state or federal agencies, and/or municipalities; 2) privately owned commercial facilities that are open for public use, and 3) unimproved or informal recreation areas on public or private lands that are routinely used for recreation or access to the Project (see Attachment 1). Long View Associates (LVA) will conduct a detailed facility inventory (to include a disabled access assessment) and facility condition assessment at Yadkin , North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC), and U.S. Forest Service (USFS) public recreation areas at High Rock Reservoir, Tuckertown Reservoir, Narrows Reservoir ( Badin Lake ), and Falls Reservoir. A less detailed inventory and condition assessment will be conducted at commercial facilities (marinas, campgrounds etc.) and the unimproved or informal public/private dispersed recreation areas (including islands). Shoreline trails and dispersed use areas in the Uwharrie National Forest will be included in the facility inventory and condition assessment, as informal recreation areas. Recreational access for the disabled will generally not be addressed at the private commercial or unimproved/informal recreation areas.

Recreation Facility Inventory

The recreation facilities available at each public recreation area will be inventoried. The inventory will include a review of existing information, consultation with recreation area managers and/or private operators, and field investigations. Yadkin inventoried its public recreation areas in the fall/winter of 2000. This information will be updated by verifying the current facilities and condition of those facilities at each recreation area.

Information will be collected for each of the public recreation areas listed in Attachment 1 using a Facilities Inventory and Condition Form (see Attachment 2). Inventory data and photo documentation will be collected on facilities such as, boat ramps, boat docks, fishing piers, bank fishing areas, picnic tables, camping areas, trail or road access, parking areas, sanitary facilities, and utilities. Any plans to upgrade, expand, or build new facilities will be noted.

Facility Accessibility

LVA will assess the present adequacies and future accessibility needs for people with disabilities to recreation facilities at public recreation areas. The disabled access assessment will focus on identifying major areas of concern related to Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance. During field investigations, a Recreation Facility Disabled Access Form (see Attachment 3) will be used to evaluate the accessibility of boating ramps and docks, pier and bank fishing facilities, campsites, swimming and picnic areas, trails, and other associated facilities (parking, access pathways, trash receptacles, restrooms etc.) at the Yadkin Project. These evaluations will be based on guidance for barrier-free recreation provided by the ADA itself, the ADA Accessibility Guidelines for Buildings and Facilities; Recreation Facilities and A Summary of Accessibility Guidelines for Recreation Facilities (Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board, September 2002 and June 2003).

Recreation Facility Condition Assessment

LVA will evaluate the existing physical condition of Project recreation facilities at public recreation areas and identify any ongoing (persistent) operations, maintenance, and/or safety issues and determine consistency with Yadkin Project, NCWRC, and USFS management standards.

Using the Facilities Inventory and Condition Form (Attachment 2), the recreation facilities available at each access area will be rated using specific criteria: (N) Needs replacement (broken or missing components, or non-functional); (R) Needs repair (structural damage or otherwise in obvious disrepair); (M) Needs maintenance (ongoing maintenance issue, primarily cleaning); and (G) Good condition (functional and well-maintained). If a facility is given a rating of “N”, “R”, or “M”, a detailed explanation for the rating will be provided. The age of the facilities, as well as any potentially unsafe conditions and signs of overuse will also be noted.

At recreation areas cooperatively managed with the NCWRC and/or USFS, consideration will be given to the respective management standards of the managing agency. The USFS uses a Meaningful Measures process to inventory the infrastructure, establish standards of quality, estimate costs, and prioritize work at its recreation areas. The USFS will be consulted regarding its Meaningful Measures for the USFS recreation areas included in this study.

Operations, Maintenance, and Safety

The operations and maintenance of each recreation area will be reviewed and any potentially unsafe conditions and signs of overuse will be noted. Yadkin’s ongoing inspection and maintenance program for its public recreation areas will be evaluated. During field investigations, any safety or health issues at the recreation areas (e.g. vehicular and pedestrian access and interactions, lighting, sanitation etc.) will be noted. In addition, local law enforcement officials will be consulted to understand any enforcement or safety concerns at the recreation areas. Other concerns, as noted in the Resident and Visitor Use Surveys (collected during the Recreation Use Assessment) will also be noted and discussed.

Reporting

Both a draft and final study report will be prepared. The draft study report will be revised and finalized based on comments on the draft study report received from Yadkin, the Recreation, Aesthetics, and Shoreline Management IAG, and other stakeholders. Generally, the report will list the recreation facilities, describe the conditions of those facilities, summarize disabled access recreation opportunities, and identify any operations, maintenance, or safety issues at each recreation area in Attachment 1. The results of this study and the Recreation Use Assessment will be used to make recommendations for facilities improvements (upgrades or expansion) or new facility construction.

Schedule

This study will take approximately 12 months to complete. Field investigations will begin in September 2003.

Attachment 1 – Public Access Recreation Areas

Site Description	Reservoir
Public Recreation Areas
Highway 601 Access Area	High Rock
Rowan County Pump Station	High Rock
York Hill Boat Access	High Rock
Crane Creek Fishing Access Pull-off	High Rock
Little Crane Creek Fishing Access	High Rock
Southmont Boat Access Area	High Rock
Highway 47 Fishing Pull-off	High Rock
Buddle Creek Boat Access Area	High Rock
Abbotts Creek/NC 8 Bridge Pull-off	High Rock
Dutch Second Creek Boat Access	High Rock
Flat Swamp Boat Access	High Rock
High Rock Dam Canoe Portage	High Rock
High Rock Dam Tailrace Access	Tuckertown
High Rock Dam Tailrace Access	Tuckertown
Bringle Ferry Boat Access	Tuckertown
Cedar Creek Fishing Pull-off	Tuckertown
Lick Creek Fishing Pull-off	Tuckertown
Flat Creek Boat Access Area	Tuckertown
Flat Creek Fishing Access Area	Tuckertown
Newsome Road Access	Tuckertown
Riles Creek Recreation Area	Tuckertown
Highway 49 Boat Access Area	Tuckertown
Tuckertown Pull-off Fishing Access	Tuckertown
Tuckertown Dam Canoe Portage	Tuckertown
Tuckertown Dam Tailrace Access	Narrows
Garr Creek Access Area	Narrows
Old Whitney NCWRC Fishing Pier	Narrows
Old Whitney Boat Access Area	Narrows
Circle Drive Boat Access Area	Narrows
Lakemont Access Area	Narrows
UNF Holt’s Cabin Picnic Area	Narrows
UNF Walk-in Fishing Pier	Narrows
UNF Arrowhead Campground	Narrows
UNF Badin Lake Campground	Narrows
UNF Cove Boat Landing	Narrows
Palmerville Access Area	Narrows
Badin Lake Swim/Picnic Area	Narrows
Badin Boat Access	Narrows
Badin Lake Group Camp	Narrows
Narrows Dam Canoe Portage	Narrows
UNF Deep Water Trail Access	Falls
Falls Boat Access	Falls
Falls Dam Canoe Portage	Falls

Attachment 2

Facilities Inventory and Condition Form

Reservoir:				Date:
Site Name:
Location:				Photos Taken:
Property Owner:
Site Manager(s):
Primary Recreational Activities:
Inventory and Condition Assessment
Boating and Fishing	(P)	Description	Dimensions		Capacity	Condition
Boat ramp (# lanes)
Boat dock
Marina (# boat slips)
Boat Gas Services
Navigation/info buoy
Pier/dock fishing
Shoreline fishing access
Other _________________

Notes:

Camping	(P)	Description	Dimensions	Capacity	Condition
Pay station/self-serve
Group campsite
Developed campsite
Primitive campsite
Accessible campsite
RV hookup (Full or Partial)
Rental cabin
Tent Pads
Other _________________

Notes:

Day Use/Picnicking	(P)	Description	Dimensions	Capacity	Condition
Picnic table
Shelter/pavilion
Playground/activity area
Cooking grill/fire ring
Lantern Pole
Interpretive display
Bench
Shade trees/grass area
Other _________________

Notes:

Swimming	(P)	Description	Dimensions	Capacity	Condition
Designated swim area
Swimming beach
Safety equipment/signs
Other _________________

Notes:

Pedestrian Access	(P)	Description	Dimensions	Capacity	Condition
Path to facilities
Multi-use trail
Trail parking
Trail sign
Other _________________

Notes:

Vehicular Access	(P)	Description	Dimensions	Capacity	Condition
Main paved access road
Secondary gravel or dirt road
Single vehicle parking (# spaces)
Boat trailer parking (# spaces)
Other _________________

Notes:

Sanitary	(P)	Description	Dimensions	Capacity	Condition
Toilet pit (p), vault (v), flush (f), portable (p)
Toilet building
Disposal station (boat or RV)
Other _________________

Notes:

Utilities	(P)	Description	Dimensions	Capacity	Condition
Water faucet
Drinking fountain
Hot water
Shower
Trash receptacle
Trash dumpster
Telephone
Lighting
Signs
Other _________________

Notes:

Operations, Maintenance, and Safety Evaluation
Issue	Notes
Hours of Operation
Plans to upgrade, expand, or construct new facilities at this recreation area (including schedule)
Maintenance Schedule
Signs of Overuse
Sanitary maintenance
Vehicular/pedestrian access and interactions
Availability of parking
Location of recreation facilities
Landscaping and vegetation management
Lighting
Unauthorized uses
Other

Attachment 3

Recreation Facility Disabled Access Assessment

Date ____________________________

Site Name: __________________________________________________________________________

Site Manager: ________________________________________________________________________

Facility	Notes
Boating and Fishing
Boat ramp Total No.________________ Accessible No. ___________
Boat dock Total No. _______________ Accessible No. ___________
Pier/dock fishing Total No. _______________ Accessible No. ___________
Shoreline fishing access Total no. ________________ Accessible No. ___________
Camping
Campground (group, developed, primitive) Total No. _______________ Accessible No. ___________
Swimming
Designated Swim Area Total No. _______________ Accessible No. ___________
Sand Beach Total No. _______________ Accessible No. ___________
Picnicking
Picnic tables Total No. _______________ Accessible No. ___________

Access and Parking
Access to facilities
Parking Total No. _______________ Accessible No. ___________ Location:
Sanitary Facilities
Toilet and shower facilities Total No. _______________ Accessible No.____________
Other Features
Drinking Water
Trash receptacles
Information/interpretive displays
Signs
Other ___________________

Commercial Recreation Areas
High Rock Marina and Campground	High Rock
Tamarac Marina	High Rock
Lake Forest CG/Fish Tales Marina	Narrows

Alcoa Power Generating Inc.

Yadkin Hydroelectric Project (FERC No. 2197)

Recreation Facility Inventory and Condition Assessment

Final Study Plan

Study Objectives

Recreation Facility Inventory

Facility Accessibility

Recreation Facility Condition Assessment

Operations, Maintenance, and Safety

Facilities Inventory and Condition Form

Inventory and Condition Assessment

Operations, Maintenance, and Safety Evaluation

Attachment 3

Recreation Facility Disabled Access Assessment

Camping

Picnicking

Sanitary Facilities

Other Features