Claytor Hydroelectric Project Water Quality Study

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Claytor Hydroelectric ProjectWater Quality Study
Mark Hutchins, Project Manager January 25, 2007
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About Normandeau Associates, Inc.

• New Hampshire-based natural resources consulting
  firm founded in 1970
• Employee-owned since 2001
• 13 fully-staffed offices nationwide
• Known for managing complex field and impact
  assessment projects
• Recognized as one of the largest natural resource
  management companies in the U.S. (EBJ)

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Hydro Relicensing Services

• FERC Relicensing and Compliance
• Fish Passage
• Wetlands, Endangered Species Wildlife
• Water Quality Monitoring and Mitigation
• Instream Flow Studies

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Representative HydroPower Projects

• Dozens of Hydro projects throughout the U.S.
• Yadkin Relicensing (NC)
• Tapoco Relicensing (NC/TN)
• Santee Cooper Relicensing (SC)
• TVA Reservoir Operations Study EIS (35 dams, 6
  states)

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Claytor Lake Water Quality Study

• Study Goals
• Evaluate WQ within and downstream of Claytor Lake
• Determine how hydroelectric operations affect WQ
• Determine how hydroelectric operations could be
  modified to improve WQ, if necessary
• Study Methods
• Collect existing WQ data
• Collect new WQ data
• Characterize existing WQ conditions
• Recommend measures to enhance WQ, as appropriate

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Specific Study Objectives

• Objective 1 Assemble and Review Existing Data
• All recent (last 15 years) data immediately
  upstream, within and downstream of Claytor Lake
  will be retrieved.
• Know data sources are state agencies, colleges
  and universities and non-governmental agencies
• QA/QC data
• VDEQ will determine data acceptability

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Specific Study Objectives

• Objective 8 Assess Adequacy of Existing Upriver
  and Downriver Temperature Data
• Evaluate existing VDGIF continuous temp data to
  determine completeness, deficiencies and
  additional data needs.
• Modify field collection study plan, if
  appropriate, to fill data gaps

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Specific Study Objectives

• Objective 4 Collect Additional WQ Data
• Sampling period generally, once weekly, June 15
  to September 15
• Four locations inflow to Claytor Lake, lower
  Claytor Lake, Claytor Dam tailrace and select
  downriver locations
• At an upriver mussel bed
• Temperature only
• Within Claytor Lake at three transects (forebay,
  1km, 2km)
• Sampling will occur at 4 equi-spaced locations
  per transect
• DO, temp, pH and conductivity by 1-meter vertical
  profile
• Chlorophyll a by field meter at one center
  location per transect by 1-meter vertical profile
• In Project tailrace continuous monitoring
• Sampling will occur at one well-mixed location
• DO, temp, pH and conductivity
• 3 downriver transects (Rt 11 bridge, upriver of
  Plum Creek, Pembroke area)
• Sampling will occur at each quarter point on each
  transect in pre-dawn/early dawn hours
• DO, temp, pH and conductivity by 1-meter profile,
  if appropriate

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Specific Study Objectives

• Objective 2 Characterize Existing Study Area WQ
• Use existing and new collected WQ data
• Focus will be DO/temp, but other WQ parameters
  will be included
• Characterization will be 4 dimensional
  longitudinal (Allisonia to Glen Lyn), horizontal,
  vertical and temporal
• Temporal focus will be spring, summer, early fall

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Specific Study Objectives

• Objective 7 Identify Impact of Project
  Operations on Claytor Lake and Downriver WQ
• Identify, where possible how peaking operations,
  water level fluctuations, water residence times
  and turbine intake zones affect reservoir and New
  River WQ

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Specific Study Objectives

• Objective 3 Identify Measures that could Enhance
  Downriver DO under Normal and Drought River Flow
  Conditions
• Determine the magnitude, frequency and duration
  of low DO events downriver of the Project
• Conduct a literature survey of methods used to
  improve DO at hydroelectric facilities
• Assess applicability to Claytor Lake

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Specific Study Objectives

• Objective 6 Determine Effects of Sediments on
  Claytor Lake WQ
• Conduct a literature review of activities that
  may affect sediment/water/fish interactions
• Review VDEQ fish tissue and sediment analyses
  data
• Assess relevance to Claytor Lake

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Specific Study Objectives

• Objective 5 Develop Protocols for Future WQ
  Monitoring, as Appropriate
• Identify remaining WQ data deficiencies
• Detail how future sampling efforts should be
  undertaken, spatially and temporally, to
  eliminate these deficiencies

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Project Deliverables

• Periodic Progress Reports
• Draft Information Report
• Final Information Report
• Weekly spreadsheets of new data to VDEQ
• Draft Final Report
• Final Report

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Schedule

• Progress Reports May, August and November 2007
• Draft Informational Report May 2007
• Final Informational Report June 2007
• Stakeholders Meeting May 2007
• WQ Sampling Program June 15-September 15, 2007
• Draft Final Report January 2008
• Stakeholders Meeting February 2008
• Final Report by May 30, 2008