Frequently Asked Questions
Q.1 What is the purpose of the Water Control Plan?
Q.2 Who provides authorization for Water Control Operations?
Q.3 Why is a Water Control Plan necessary?
Q.4 What will the Water Control Plans consist of?
Q.5 Which laws mandate the updates of the Water Control Plans?
Q.6 How will the Corps involve the public in the Water Control Manual update?
Q.7 What are the communication goals for public involvement?
Q.8 How will the information be assimilated among interested public?
Q.9 What tools of communication will be used to keep the public and stakeholders informed?
Q.10 What team from the Corps will provide the Water Control Plan?
Q.11 How is Carters impacted by the PAA?
Q.12 Are there benefits for Fish and Wildlife?
Q.13 What impacts would occur at the APC projects ?
Q.14 What are the impacts to water supply?
Q.15 What is the timeline for publishing the updated Master Water Control Manual?
Q.16 Where will be public meetings be held?
Q.17 How can I obtain a copy of the DEIS?
Q.18 How can I comment on the DEIS?
Q.1 What is the purpose of the Water Control Manual (WCM)?A.1 The operations at each federal reservoir managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are described in water control plans and/or manuals.
These manuals typically outline the regulation schedules for each project, including operating criteria, guidelines and rule curves for varying conditions; and specifications for storage and releases from the reservoirs. The water control manuals also outline the coordination protocol and data collection, management and dissemination associated with routine and specific water management activities such as flood control operations or drought contingency operations.
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Q.2. Who provides authorization for Water Control Operations?A.2. The authority for Water Control Operations is provided by congressional authorization for federal reservoir projects.
“Blanket” congressional authorizations which apply to all federal reservoir projects.
- Flood Control Act of 1944 (P.L. 78-534)
- Water Supply Act of 1958 (P.L. 85-500)
- Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act of 1958 (P.L. 85-624)
- Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972 (P.L. 92-500)
- Endangered Species Act of 1973 (P.L. 93-205)
- Water Resource Development Acts
- Corps regulation in support of Flood Control and Navigation for non-federal projects (FERC license, MOAs, etc.)
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Q.3 What are the authorized purposes of the projects?
A.3. The following are authorized project purposes and commonly used methods to achieve them.
Project Purposes--
- Flood Risk Management
- Winter drawdown at several lakes
- Store water in lake during event
- Monitor downstream points
- Provide notification to Emergency Management Offices
- Evacuate water as quickly as practicable when downstream conditions allow
- Navigation
- Make releases to maintain a desired stage for navigators, seasonal navigation periods, and special releases during other periods.
- Hydropower
- Determine volume water available for generation on a weekly bases Southeastern Power Administration (SEPA) makes actual schedule within range specified by the water management adjustments as needed.
- Recreation
- Maintain reservoirs as full as possible according to the Water Control Plan while meeting downstream purposes.
- Environmental and Water Quality
- Support for fish spawning and other fish and wildlife conservation measures.
- Provide release to meet downstream targets
- Provide gradual step-down of river levels where necessary
- Provide minimum releases from reservoirs
- Water Supply
- Provide water supply for industries and municipalities.
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Q.4. What will the Water Control Manuals consist of?
A.4. Updated water control manuals will capture:
· Project/system operations refined over the years due to changes in basin hydrology and withdrawals/consumption that resulted from years of growth/development
· Drought contingency requirements to account for new data and operational changes
· Updated data reflecting current basin conditions
· New/rehabilitated project structural features
· Environmental requirements for water quality, endangered species and fish spawns
· Procedures for capturing/using real-time data provided by additional gages and monitoring devices installed since last manual updates
· Latest computer models and techniques to evaluate and establish guidelines for project operations.
· Improved and streamlined methods for data exchange between the Corps and other agencies
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Q.5. Which laws mandate the updates of the Water Control Manuals?
A.5. Updated Water Control Manuals (WCMs) are done in accordance with statutory (Flood Control Act of 1944) and regulatory requirements (Engineering Regulation ER 1110-2-240, ER 1110-2-241 and ER 1110-2-8156), and in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and account for demographic, hydrologic, environmental, and technological changes that have occurred within the basins. The Water Resources Development Acts of 1988 and 1990 also provide for public involvement of all interested stakeholders during the development of new or revised water control plans to reflect the current public interests within the basin.
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Q.6. What type of public involvement will be involved in the Water Control Manual update?
A.6. Public participation in the planning and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process promotes open communication between the public and the Corps and, consequently, better analysis and decision making. The public has been involved since the initial scoping process. A public review of the DEIS and Draft Water Control Manual is currently ongoing and another comment period will follow the issuance of the Final EIS.
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Q.7. What is the timeline for the Water Control Manual to be completed?
A.7. The timeline to complete the Water Control Manual – Fall 2013.
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Q.8. How is drought plan revised?
A.8. Rule curves at various projects were adjusted to provide the greatest benefit to the ACT basin during times of drought.
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Q.9. How is navigation and dredging impacted by the PAA?
A.9. The PAA will provide for seasonal navigation releases, coupled with seasonal maintenance dredging to support commercial navigation in the Alabama River for a 9.0ft or 7.5 ft channel depth as long as sufficient basin inflow above the APC projects is available.
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Q.10. How are guide curves and action zones at Allatoona impacted by the PAA?
A.10. The existing guide curve at Allatoona would be revised to implement a phased drawdown period from early September through December. Refined operations at Allatoona would include use of four action zones shaped to mimic the seasonal demands from hydropower.
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Q.11. How is Carters impacted by the PAA?
A.11. The current minimum flow requirement would remain 240 cfs from Carters Reregulation Dam. Refined operations at Carters would include the use of two action zones to manage downstream releases. The top of the new action zone 2 begins at elevation 1,066 ft in Jan., increasing to 1,075.5 ft in May, dropping to 1,070 ft by Oct., and returning to elevation 1,066 ft through Dec.
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Q.12. Are there benefits for Fish and Wildlife?
A.12. The Corps will continue migratory fish passage operations at Claiborne L/D and Millers L/D. The Corps will continue to manage fish spawning operations at Allatoona Lake. Changes in the flow releases from Carters will also benefit the fish and wildlife populations in the river.
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Q.13. What impacts would occur at the APC projects ?
A.13. APC projects would continue to operate under their current Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) licenses with specific operational requirements.
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Q.14. What are the impacts to water supply?
A.14. Existing water storage contracts would not be impacted. Water contracts are currently with the City of Cartersville, Cobb County Marietta Water Authority, and the City of Chatsworth.
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Q.15. What is the timeline for publishing the updated Master Water Control Manual?
A.15. The draft EIS (DEIS) was published on 28 February 2013. A 60-day comment period will follow publication of the DEIS. The public meetings will take place the last week of March (25-28) in Alabama and Georgia during the comment period. The final EIS (FEIS) is scheduled to be completed and filed with EPA in the summer of 2013. The Record of Decision (ROD), if appropriate, will be signed following the FEIS and the ACT Water Control Master Manual is scheduled to be approved in October 2013.
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Q.16. Where will be public meetings be held?
A.16. Public meetings will be held at the following locations:
Cobb Conference Center, 755 Cobb Place Blvd. NW, Kennesaw, GA on Monday March 25 beginning at 5 p.m.
The Forum Civic Center, 2 Government Plaza, Rome, GA on Tuesday, March 26 beginning at 5 p.m.
The Senior Activity Center, 623 Broad Street, Gadsden, AL on Wednesday, March 27 beginning at 4 p.m.
Auburn University-Montgomery Center for Lifelong Learning, 75 TechnaCenter Drive, Montgomery, AL on Thursday March 28 beginning at 5 p.m.
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Q.17. How can I obtain a copy of the DEIS?
A.17. Online by clicking here
CDs will also be available at the public meetings.
Written requests:
Written request can be submitted to:
Commander
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Mobile District
Attn: PD-EI (ACT-DEIS)
P.O. Box 2288
Mobile, AL 36628
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Q.18. How can I comment on the DEIS?
A.18. Comments may be submitted via any of the following methods:
Comment cards available at public meeting.
Court reporter at public meetings for verbal statements.
Laptop station at public meetings.
Online by clicking here
Emailing at act-wcm@usace.army.mil
By letter to Commander, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District, Attn: PD-EI (ACT-DEIS), P.O. Box 2288, Mobile, AL 36628
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