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George Annandale, president of Engineering and Hydrosystems Inc.,
will address some of the complex issues involved in dam removal
during a visit here Wednesday and Thursday, Jan. 21-22.
An open house is scheduled for him at the Dillsboro Inn from 1-6
p.m. on Jan. 21. Boat trips will be offered by the Dillsboro Inn
for those wishing to explore the pond habitat behind the dam.
Annandale will present a program on "Dam Removal: Sustaining
Your Water Resources" at the Justice Center at 6 p.m. Thursday.
George
Annandale
With 28 years experience as a water resource engineer, Annandale
is an international expert on reservoir sedimentation management
and co-developed the "Life Cycle Management Concept"
for the World Bank, which is a management approach that ensures
sustainable use of surface water resources and resource infrastructure.
He chaired the 2003 Reservoir Sedimentation Workshop at the 3rd
World Water Forum in Japan and is a contributing author to "Guidelines
for Retirement of Dams and Hydroelectric Facilities."
The proposed removal of the Dillsboro Dam remains the most controversial
part of agreements Duke Power will submit to the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission this month, according to sponsors of Annandale's
visit.
The federal operating licenses required for all of Duke hydro
projects in southwestern NC are up for renewal.
"As a result of the relicensing stakeholder agreements signed
Oct. 29, 2003, Duke Power has agreed to remove Dillsboro Dam within
three years of approval by a federal agency," said Duke's
Fred Alexander.
"Duke supports dam removal in this situation because of the
environmental benefits, reduced impact on electric customers,
and improved reliability of the water supply in its larger hydro
reservoirs," Alexander said.
The agreements on the Tuckesegee and Nantahala River projects
were based on a three year cooperative "stakeholders"
team process, involving 45 organizations.
Approximately one-third of those stakeholders did not sign the
final agreement. The Town of Dillsboro signed the agreement with
major reservations over removal of the historic dam.
Several organizations within Jackson County have decided to intervene
over the relicensing of the Dillsboro Dam. Jackson County Government
and Soil and Water Conservation, Western North Carolina Alliance,
Watershed Association for the Tucka–seigee River, and T.J.
Walker, owner of the Dillsboro Inn all seek intervenor status
with FERC.
Intervenor status allows them to become official participants
in the FERC relicensing process, which begins when Duke's license
application is accepted. It also establishes the authority to
challenge any decisions about the Dillsboro dam in federal courts.
Duke Power has submitted an Environmental Assessment for removal
of the Dillsboro Dam, but FERC is required under guidelines established
by the National Environmental Policy Act to conduct its own Environmental
Impact Statement for assessing cumulative impacts on the river
from dam removal, Walker said. Public comments are taken by FERC
throughout this NEPA process.
The intervening parties have cited several common issues and concerns
they say were inadequately addressed by Duke's environmental assessment:
downstream impacts on water quality and aquatic habitat from the
release of 102,000 cubic yards of sediment, the loss of a unique
.8-mile-pond habitat for multiple species, and inadequate compensation
to the Town of Dillsboro for the loss of a culturally significant
structure.
For more information, call Walker at 586-3898.
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