U. S.

Fish and Wildlife Service

Removed from the Tuckasegee River

Mark A. Cantrell US Department of Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Asheville Field Office 160 Zillicoa Street Asheville, North Carolina 28801 828/258-3939 mark_a_cantrell@fws.gov

Dillsboro Dam

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service

FERC relicensing of Duke Energys Nantahala Area Projects

Most expired at about the same time Dillsboro was the smallest 225 kW
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Dillsboro Hydroelectric Project

The Dillsboro Project was located in Jackson County, North Carolina, on the Tuckasegee River near the town of Dillsboro. Constructed in 1913 by C.J. Harris to provide electricity for Blue Ridge Locust Pin Factory.

1. The Project consists of a concrete masonry dam approximately 12-feet high and 310-feet long, 2. a powerhouse containing two generating units with a total installed capacity of 0.225 MW, related electric power production components and facilities, and 3. a reservoir approximately 0.9 miles in length. The Project had limited storage.

U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Tuckasegee Cooperative Stakeholders Agreement

2005 - Many agreements for river enhancement Proposed removal of Dillsboro Dam FERC approved and Ordered the surrender and demolition

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Why remove the dam?

Potential benefits
Restore 1 mile of habitat Reconnect 2 subpopulations
Mussels Fish hosts

Increase genetic interchange Larger, more stable population

Restore river continuum of all species Improved river recreation

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Fish Assemblages
Total number of fish species collected at sampling stations on the Tuckasegee River, upstream of Barkers Creek, during May 2001, July 2001, September 2001, and March 2002. Stations T-1, T-2, and T-3 were downstream of the Dillsboro Dam. Station DR was a sample site in the Dillsboro Reservoir. Stations T-4 and T-5 were on the Tuckasegee River, upstream of the Dillsboro Dam and Reservoir (Duke Power 2002). Sample Site Total Fish Species Introduced Species T-1 32 4 T-2 28 3 T-3 38 5 DR 11 3 T-4 24 5 T-5 24 3

Total Native Species

Assemblage Resistance Ratio

28
0.88

27
0.9

33
0.87

8
0.73

19
0.79

21
0.88

Assemblage Resilience Ratio

0.76

0.73

0.89

0.22

0.51

0.57

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Formal Removal Plans Developed

1. Planning
Mussel surveys Mussel Relocation Bat boxes

2. Dredging in 2009 3. Demolition in January 2010 4. Post-removal monitoring

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Paperwork
FERC Order USFWS Biological Opinion Clean Water Act
Section NC DWQ 401 Certificate U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 404 permits

NC DLQ Mining Permit

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Endangered Species
USFWS issued a Biological Opinion
Project demolition has the potential to result in sedimentation in the Tuckasegee River. To minimize the potential for sedimentation, Duke Power has developed specific erosion-control measures, including a detailed construction sequence, phased drawdown, turbidity monitoring, and bank stabilization for the Project that are designed to protect environmentally sensitive areas. Sediment inputs from demolition activities should be of relatively short duration.
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Mussel Relocation

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Monitoring Plans
During demolition
Turbidity Mussel

Long-term
Physical response Vegetation Fish Mussel
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Dillsboro Dam timeline

2005 2007 2010 Jan 11 15 January 18-21 January 25-29 January 25-29 Feb 3 February 16 March 3 May 11 July 15, 2010 Settlement Agreement FERC Order, then
7 court cases, appeals, etc

Asbestos and hazardous materials removal from the powerhouse Powerhouse removal of superstructure Shoreline stabilization for sewer line and fiber optic cable Construction of access road for removal of dam debris Notching of Dillsboro Dam to begin dewatering Completion of dam demolition Completion of powerhouse removal Recycled spillway stone to remaining south dam abutment Demolition & Restoration Complete!

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Dillsboro Dam Gone!

Currently Revegetation continues all native species River access area completed in February Fish, mussel, bat surveys and monitoring continue for 3 years

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Monitoring
Visual/photographic Sediment
before/after upstream/downstream

Biological
Fish Macroinvertebrates Mussels
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Dillsboro Dam Gone!

January 2010 July 2010

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Jan 2010

Dec 2010

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Tuckasegee River Again!

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Bat removal
Little brown bats readily accepted boxes

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Example sediment particle size

D80 from silt to sand/gravel
Particle Size Distribution T-14
Pre-Removal Max Pre-Removal Min 2nd Quarter 2010

100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 100 10 1 Grain Size (mm) 0.1 0.01

Percent Finer (%)

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Of note
Appalachian elktoes have already recolonized the former pond area Native fishes have recolonized River recreation has been booming
Angling Boating

Significant public acceptance

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Sicklefin Redhorse

Great expectations for extension of this Candidate to an additional 9.5 miles to base of Cullowhee Dam(n)
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Summary
FERC hydroelectric project surrender Detailed planning Swift removal Biological response has been swift

Many detailed reports available Duke Energy Carolinas LLC and their contractors did a great job
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service

QUESTIONS? MANY DETAILED REPORTS AVAILABLE

Contact:
mark_a_cantrell@fws.gov
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service