Project 516, the Saluda Hydro
Re-licensing determining operation and management of Lake Murray, is
coming to a critical stage. Generally, the process has moved along
fairly smoothly and many of the areas of concern have been resolved.
LMA however, has several objections to the procedure and the manner in
which a key issue, the Low Inflow Protocol or LIP, has been developed.
LIP is a tool that will be used by SCE&G
to control the outflow from the lake when inflow into the lake is
reduced due to drought, dry conditions, etc. Much time has been
spent on trying to develop an LIP that will satisfy all of the
interested parties or stakeholders (the public, lake, river and
homeowner organizations, state and federal agencies and SCE& G).
There have been two primary points of view: the lake side and the
downstream side. The lake groups want to insure that the lake will
follow the guide curve (358') by March 1st so we have the
opportunity for a productive spring and summer (recreation and
commercial). The downstream groups are concerned about striped
bass spawning (in the Congaree River), seasonal DO (dissolved oxygen)
issues and river navigation LMA is concerned about aquatic habitat
on the lake and in the river.
LMA’s issues are these:
In December after much deliberation over
the constantly evolving proposed LIP, a Technical Working Committee (TWC)
presented a revised LIP version which included a request for
additional flows to enhance Striped Bass spawning in the
Congaree River.
This proposal interjects a requirement in the license that is
outside of the project boundary. LMA is opposed to the
inclusion of this in the license.
Further, according to the agreed upon
rules of the relicense, the Resource Conservation Groups (RCG) were to
receive the recommendations of their TWC’s, review them and try to
obtain consensus among the various parties. SCE&G presented a draft LIP
proposal to two Technical Working Committees but has not presented it to
the Fish and Wildlife Management RCGs for consideration and input.
This RCG, as do all of the other RCGs, has representation from lake
groups.
Under this additional flow proposal, the
lake could be required to provide 35% of the flow of the Broad River
during the spring season. Under this scenario the lake could experience
lower levels than in previous low flow years. It is also a time when it
is crucial for the lake to reach 358’ el to avoid extremely low
midsummer levels that adversely affect commercial entities and
recreational use of the lake. This also could be detrimental to
the fishing tournaments on South Carolina’s # 1 bass fishing lake.
When the lake reaches 354’ el, 48% of the 40,000 residents lose the use
of their docks.
LMA finds it unacceptable that the plan
to improve the spawning of the Congaree striped bass flow proposal was
presented at the last minute. We feel this proposal should have
been discussed with stakeholders earlier. This would have allowed
them to be studied and the pros and cons debated instead of an eleventh
hour effort by SCDNR to slip them into the license. The Striped Bass
Flow Proposal still has not been before an RCG for approval.
SCE&G has developed a LIP that is less
restrictive than SCDNR but still incorporates the Striped Bass Flow
Regime which is the request of the downstream advocates. If DNR’s
proposal had been followed during 2008, the lake would have dipped below
354 the third week in July. Under SCE&G’s proposal, the lake would have
dropped to 354’ the last week of August. Under LMA’s
proposal the lake would not have reached 354’ until September or later.
LMA’s position remains:
A required minimum winter
lake level of no less than 354' whenever possible.
Support of SCE&G's new
proposed Guide Curve which:
·
Maintains lake level at 358' March 1 - August 31.
·
Lowers lake level from 358' to 356' September 1 - November 30,
·
Lowers lake level from 356' to no lower than 354' December 1 -31, and
·
Increases the lake level from 354' to 358’ January 1 - February 28.
A LIP proposal (when we
are under drought conditions) that:
·
Uses a 6" lake level trigger (when the lake falls 6” below the guide
curve and the average 14 day inflow is less than
the scheduled outflow),
·
Reduces outflow to 700cfs if the lake goes below 357.5’ between March 1
-August 31,
·
Reduces outflow to 500cfs if lake level goes below 356' between March 1
- August 31, and
·
Reduces outflow to minimum/no flow
if lake level goes below 355' March 1- August 31.
We have never changed our
position that the lake should never go below a 354’ winter
level unless the circumstances are dire.
Our concerns have been submitted to SCE&G
and copies have gone to the FERC.
See you on the lake,
Dave Landis
