# Presentation: 089104

## Improving Climate Information in Hydropower Dam Relicensing 

- Kirstin Dow1, Greg Carbone1, Hope Mizzell2,
- Dan Tufford1, Kirsten Lackstrom1,  and Jinyoung Rhee1
**Carolinas Integrated Sciences and Assessments**
- 1University of South Carolina, 2SC State Climatologist
- Supported by NOAA’s  RISA Program

## Significance of Relicensing Agreements

- Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) licenses
- more than 1,000 private and non-federal, public dams used for hydroelectric power generation
- Dams are located in 44 states and Puerto Rico
- 25% of licenses are up for renewal before 2020
- 30-50 year licenses terms that set management standards, *e.g.*
- Minimum flows for downstream water usage needs
- Low inflow protocols
- Emergency condition protocols
- Normal operating ranges for lake levels
- In-stream flows for wildlife habitats and water quality
- Public information systems
- Hydro Station operations
- Various management plans for cultural resources, public recreation, species protection, shoreline management, etc.
- Many existing licenses were granted before the major environmental laws of the 1970s came into full force and implementation *e.g.,*
- National Environmental Policy Act (1970); Endangered Species Act (1973); Clean Water Act (1977)

## In the Carolinas

- FERC dams control major river basins
- Economic and population growth are expected to place further pressures on water resource supplies and allocation
- A recent 4-year drought has heightened sensitivity to drought impacts
- Interstate water agreements do not yet exist, but policy makers are aware of the need

- Dams and basins managed under FERC licenses

## Slide 4

**Notes:**
Point out June 2002

## Agencies and Interests in the FERC Relicensing Process

- The Licensee

- Federal Agencies

- State Agencies

- Non-Agency Stakeholders

**Notes:**
Removed competing from the title

## FERC Relicensing

**Duke Power **
**and the Catawba/Wateree River**

**FERC Relicensing**

**Notes:**
Focus on CW although there are 3 ongoing processes in the carolinas

## Motivating Climate Adaptation through FERC Relicensing

- Water resources stakeholders
- Are very sensitive to drought impacts and committed to addressing management shortcomings
- Want better information on variability to anticipate and manage drought and low inflow periods
- Asked CISA and NC/SC State Climatologists to develop a climate-based low inflow management tool

## Existing Low Inflow Protocol Tools

- On the Catawba-Wateree, Duke Power uses set management triggers based on streamflow levels
- Streamflow measured at 4 gages with unregulated flow

*Some relicensing working*
*group participants are*
*aware of the U.S. Drought*
*Monitor from other*
*regulatory processes*

**Notes:**
3 in the basin ; one just south

## Creating the Next Generation Low Inflow Protocol Tools

- Stakeholder interests
- Better understanding of the range of variability and associated probabilities
- Increasing the spatial resolution of the drought monitor
- Providing the ability for stakeholders to investigate the way different drought indices represent the sensitivity of their systems – by management unit

## Dynamic Drought Indices Webpage

- Available for review at drought.dnr.sc.gov
- During development, CISA team has presented regular updates to the FERC working group
- Addresses stakeholder interests
- Regulatory use of this tool is still under discussion in the relicensing process

## Allows Comparison of Drought Indices, Blends, and Streamflow

**Drought indices**
- Palmer
- PDSI
- PHDI
- Z index
- At several time scales
- SPI
- Preciptation
- Streamflow

**Notes:**
An example is given here using hydrologic unit code (HUC) 01080204:01: region0108: sub-region010802: accounting unit01080204: cataloging unit

## Offers Increased Spatial Resolution

- Based on Climate Divisions

- Based on 8 digit Hydrologic Unit Codes

***Both figures represent June 2002, the height of the recent drought***

## Uses a Denser Monitoring Network

- Uses a Denser Monitoring Network

*The 4**th** streamflow gage is slightly south of the basin*

- Stream flow gages
- NWS stations

## Climate Awareness and Adaptation with Dynamic Drought Indices Tool

- Allows stakeholders to compare drought indices and blends
- Increased spatial resolution for multiple management units
- Based on a more robust monitoring network – improved spatial and temporal record to support streamflow gages

**Notes:**
Allows several scales of analysis for 

## Additional Options For Better Climate Integration and Adaptation

- More holistic view of the hydrologic cycle
- Relies on a continuously updated database in calculations
- Stakeholders all use the same climate record for management decision making
- Potential for percentile-based rather than fixed low inflow protocol triggers
- Depending on the index or blend, can provide an earlier warning signal

## Next Steps

- Catawba-Wateree stakeholders consider how to use tool
- Experimentation, evaluation, identification of uncertainties
- Debate and determine -- Which drought index blend?
- Consider -- Percentile-based versus fixed trigger points for management stages?
- Hydropower management protocols that anticipate climate variability and potential impacts
- Influence major river basins and downstream uses
- Integrated with major federal environmental regulations over 30-50 year license period
- Foundation for learning, adaptation, and adaptive management that integrates climate information
- Investigate potential uses in other sectors and other basins