The Low Inflow Protocol (LIP) establishes procedures for adjusting operations during periods of low inflow to Yadkin Hydroelectric Project and the Yadkin-Pee Dee River Hydroelectric Project, owned and operated by Duke Energy. In accordance with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) license Cube Yadkin Generation, LLC provides required minimum instream flows from the Yadkin Project’s reservoir storage. During periods of normal inflow into the Project, reservoir water elevations will be maintained within the normal reservoir operating ranges. During times when inflow into the Yadkin Project is not adequate to provide required minimum instream flows and maintain reservoir water elevations within normal reservoir operating ranges, Cube will reduce releases for hydroelectric generation. If hydrologic conditions continue to worsen and reservoir storage continues to drop, Cube will meet with designated agencies and water users to discuss the need to implement the progressive stages of the LIP.
Low Inflow Protocol Yadkin and Yadkin-Pee Dee River Hydroelectric Projects Feb 2007
The Yadkin-Pee Dee River Basin Drought Management Advisory Group (YPD-DMAG) facilitates the implementation of the LIP. The NC Division of Water Resources and the SC Department of Natural Resources share responsibility to coordinate with the YPD-DMAG including notifying, setting agendas, leading discussions, and providing summaries of meetings or calls. Regardless of the low inflow condition, the YPD-DMAG will be convened annually by the NC Division of Water Resources in April to discuss issues relevant to the LIP.
The YPD-DMAG 2024 Annual Meeting was held on Thursday, April 25, 2024, at 11:00 am. Cube Yadkin’s Presentation Slides
Cube and Duke Energy share responsibility to calculate the LIP Stage and to notify the NC Division of Water Resources of a low inflow condition. Implementation of the LIP and movement between the various stages are based on measurements of Stream Gage Three-Month Rolling Average Flow, US Drought Monitor Three-Month Numeric Average, and the High Rock Reservoir water elevation. The initiation of the LIP is based on analysis of the trigger conditions on the first day of each month. LIP stage information is available below:
Additional information may be available on the NC Drought Management Advisory Council website: http://www.ncdrought.org/
As required by the LIP, Yadkin Project lake level information is available at: https://cubecarolinas.com/lake-levels/
Yadkin River Basin stream flow information is available from the following U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) stream gauges:
02111500 Reddies River at North Wilkesboro
02113850 Ararat River at Ararat
02116500 Yadkin River at Yadkin College
02118000 South Yadkin River Mocksville
02118500 Hunting Creek near Harmony
02120780 Second Creek near Barber
021211500 Abbotts Creek at Lexington
0212414900 Mallard Creek below Stony Creek
02126000 Rocky River near Norwood
02128000 Little River near Star, NC
Weather Forecast in Badin, NC
The Yadkin Hydro Project Maintenance and Emergency Protocol (HPMEP) outlines the general approach Cube will take under certain maintenance, emergency, equipment failure and other situations to continue practical and safe operation of the Project. Under this plan, temporary modifications to required minimum instream flow releases and normal reservoir operating ranges are allowed. Lowering the Project’s reservoir elevation under the HPMEP will not invoke implementation of the LIP. Additionally, under these circumstances, if the LIP has already been implemented Cube may suspend implementation of the LIP until the maintenance or emergency situation has been resolved.