Relicensing of the Nantahala Area Hydroelectric Project

Client: U.S. Forest Service

Location: Six-County Area of Western NC

Summary: Under a five-year national contract with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), Cardno ENTRIX, Inc. is provided technical assistance and strategic consultation to support the USFS?s role as a consulting agency in the traditional relicensing process for Duke Power?s six Nantahala Area Hydroelectric Projects (FERC Nos. 2601, 22603, 2619, 2686, 2692, and 2698). The projects are located in the Tuckasegee and Nantahala watersheds of North Carolina and affect lands within the Nantahala National Forest.

Cardno ENTRIX reviewed and commented on applicant submittals, which included Initial Information Packages, study plans, and proposed sampling programs, during the scoping phase of the projects and regularly participated in technical subgroup and relicensing meetings on behalf of the USFS. Cardno ENTRIX provided technical review and supplemental analysis of instream flow study results and related biological and hydrologic studies conducted in bypass reaches bordering USFS lands. Cardno ENTRIX also conducted habitat mapping and analyses using the USFS?s Basinwide Visual Estimation Technique (BVET) to assess the transferability of the results of a previously conducted instream flow study to a remote and downstream bypass reach. Additionally, Cardno ENTRIX developed two interactive hydrologic and decision-support models to 1) characterize the historic high flow regime of the bypass reaches, and 2) evaluate alternative base flow and high flow regime combinations.

Cardno ENTRIX?s involvement during the scoping phase of the projects ensured that the studies and their results would supply the USFS and other participating resource agencies with an adequate basis for their decision-making process regarding resource protection and enhancement. The modeling and supplemental analyses conducted by Cardno ENTRIX were used to support development of USFS and other resource agency stream flow recommendations that balanced the competing water demands of aquatic habitat enhancement, recreational fisheries management, white water boating, and hydropower generation.