Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Approves Santee River Flow Adaptive Management Plan

Strategic Insights -

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has approved the Santee River Flow Adaptive Management Plan filed by the South Carolina Public Service Authority, the licensee for the Santee Cooper Hydroelectric Project No. 199. This plan aims to establish a program for evaluating the biological response and effectiveness of required instream flows in the 37-mile-long Santee River bypassed reach. The plan is a result of collaboration with various resource agencies, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Marine Fisheries Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Santee River Flow Adaptive Management Plan is designed to improve habitat for diadromous species of fish, especially the endangered sturgeon species, by establishing a new flow regime in the 37-mile-long bypassed reach of the Santee River.
  • The plan requires the implementation of increased minimum flows, which will be monitored for at least 10 years, to assess the effectiveness of the flow regime on the environmental objectives identified.
  • The plan includes a framework for monitoring performance and decision-making, as well as the formation of a Resource Management Team (RMT) to coordinate activities and provide reviews of the plan.
  • The licensee will compile an annual report documenting minimum flow compliance and submit it to the Commission by March 31 of the following year.
  • The plan proposes an adaptive management approach, with periodic reviews to assimilate new monitoring data and make adjustments to the flows and monitoring as necessary to achieve plan objectives.
  • The Commission has approved the plan, with modifications, and requires the licensee to file annual reports by June 1 following the respective monitoring year.

Statistics:

  • The plan requires the implementation of increased minimum flows, not exceeding 5,000 cubic feet per second (cfs).
  • The plan proposes a schedule for implementation of the increased flows and monitoring, with an anticipated implementation starting date of January 20, 2025.
  • The plan requires annual monitoring reports to document the results of monitoring and recommendations for changes to the plan and/or project operation, facilities, or flows.
  • The RMT will review the plan annually, with summaries of annual meetings to be completed by the licensee and distributed to the RMT and Commission.

Sources:

  • Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Order Modifying and Approving Santee River Flow Adaptive Management Plan Pursuant to Article 408 (182 FERC P 61,025) (2023)
  • Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Santee River Flow Adaptive Management Plan (P-199-259) (2024)