Natural Resources: Connecting People with Public Lands and Waters Bucky Edmondson Director, Natural Resources Tennessee Valley Authority Natural Resources Connecting people with public lands and waters Bucky Edmondson March 16, 2017 TVA Mission Economic Energy Environment Development Provide affordable electric Act as a steward of the Serve as a catalyst for power throughout the Valley’s natural resources sustainable economic Tennessee Valley Region development Tennessee Valley Authority TVA Reservoir Lands – 293,000 Acres Challenges − Making the most of a limited land base in some areas − Providing for diverse uses while still protecting the resource − Managing violations and encroachments − Competing stakeholder demands across the Tennessee Valley − Distributing efforts across the Valley Overview of TVA Natural Resource Focus Areas Nuisance Public Land, Wildlife Cultural Aquatic Public Land Outreach and Habitat Resources Plant Protection and Management Stewardship Management Information Program 26a Reservoir Commercial Permitting Water Eco-Tourism Land and Public and Land Resources Planning Recreation Use Stewardship Agreements Natural Resources – Projects by Focus Area Public Outreach and Information Collaborate to increase awareness and appreciation of resources, and create opportunities for community involvement in resource stewardship Support partnerships throughout the Power Service Area and watershed –Support community cleanups with municipalities and non-governmental organizations –Provide environmental education programs with schools, state parks and others –Encourage clean water practices through the TN Valley Clean Marina program –Promote sustainable camping through the TN Valley Camp-Right program Water Resources Stewardship Collaborate to protect and improve aquatic habitat in the Tennessee River watershed Tennessee River watershed ~ 41,000 square miles, high in aquatic biodiversity −Improve aquatic habitat in Lower Copper Creek with stream barrier removals, riparian buffers, and in-stream habitat structures −Reintroduce selected mussel species to Bear Creek −Protect water quality and habitat through the Elk River buffer initiative Land, Wildlife and Habitat Management Collaborate to enhance wildlife habitat and resources conditions of public lands and waters 293,000 acres of reservoir lands to manage −Install artificial bat roosts to increase habitat −Establish native warm season grasses and pine forests to improve native habitats −Support waterfowl habitat through management and creation of water control structures and levees Nuisance Aquatic Plant Management Program Cooperative with stakeholders to identify and manage nuisance aquatic plants in targeted reservoirs 650,000 acres of reservoir surface area −Manage aquatic plants with Guntersville stakeholder group −Initiate public outreach efforts − Plant Camp, Aquatic Weeds mobile application and website, aquatic plant ID cards, and outreach events Cultural Resources Stewardship Collaborate to protect cultural resources and increase awareness of protection needs Over 11,500 identified cultural resource sites across the Valley − Restore the Warden’s Residence with Triana Historical Society − Work with the University of Alabama and University of Tennessee to improve the preservation of archaeological collections removed from TVA public lands − Host Hiwassee Island Field School to train federally recognized tribes on archaeological field techniques Section 26a Permitting and Land Use Agreements Facilitate and support reservoir community development and partnerships through Section 26a permitting and land use agreements − Supports public and commercial recreation through permits and land-use agreements − Enhances municipal recreational opportunities by granting use of TVA lands through leases or easements − Promotes and supports special events (ex. fishing tournaments) or small scale recreation activities through land agreements or short term license of TVA land Public Land Protection Collaborate with the public and partners to be good stewards of the public lands and natural resources entrusted to us to manage and protect − Program to encompass education and outreach, policies and regulations, prevention, enforcement and resolution of issues ranging from construction of houses or docks built without permission or in non-compliance with existing guidelines to destruction of public land (e.g. timber cutting, trash dumping) − Development of Board approved Public Land Protection Policy with input from key stakeholders Reservoir Lands Planning Reservoir land management plans guide TVA’s management decisions on natural resources and property administration and provide a clear statement of how TVA intends to manage its public lands. − Public input is sought during the planning process and completed Reservoir Land Management Plans are adopted as agency policy. − Demands on public lands will only increase into the future, and the planning process has demonstrated that it is a good tool to develop a balance between competing uses. Commercial and Public Recreation Collaborate to enhance recreational opportunities and accessibility on public lands − Enhance TVA Dam Reservations and reservoir lands including 8 TVA campgrounds, over 80 public recreation areas (boat ramps, picnic areas, beaches),over 80 stream access sites and approximately 150 miles of trails across the Tennessee Valley − Partner with Local, State, and Federal Partnerships to enhance and improve public recreation − Manage Commercial and Public recreation agreements (campgrounds, marinas, public parks) Eco-Tourism Collaborate to promote and enhance recreational opportunities to support tourism and local economies – Support regional planning efforts and tourism studies – Expand and promote the National Geographic Geo-tourism interactive MapGuide (www.tennesseerivervalleygeotourism.org/) – Created the Tennessee Valley Water Trails interactive web site to promote water- based recreation (www.tnvalleywatertrails.org) – Published TVA’s Adventure Guide and Trails books Tellico Dam and Reservoir − Construction began in 1967 and completed in 1979 − Stretches 33 miles along the Little Tennessee River from tailwater of Chilhowee − 357 miles of shoreline − Tellico Dam is not a hydroelectric facility − Multi-Purpose Reservoir − Flood control − Power production − enhance Fort Loudoun output − Commercial navigation 19 Tellico Recreation Areas Commercial • 3 Campgrounds: Notchy, Lauderdale, and Toqua • 3 Marinas: Sequoyah, Tellico Harbor, and WindRiver Public • Tellico Dam Reservation and Day Use Area • 17 Public Boat Ramps • 2 State Parks: Tellico Blockhouse and Fort Loudoun State Historic Park • Historically Significant Sites – Sequoyah Birthplace Museum – Chota Memorial Site – Tanasi Memorial Site • 2 local parks – Town of Vonore, Wildcat Rock • East Lakeshore Trail • Hall Bend Small Wild Area and Trail • Informal recreation areas – camping and bank fishing 20 Fort Loudoun Reservoir Lands Tellico Reservoir Lands Tellico Land and Recreation Improvements TVA and partners worked to improve public lands along Tellico Reservoir − Worked with Boy Scout Troop 354 to develop informal camping sites − Installed access barriers to protect public shoreline from vehicle abuse − Stabilized approximately 200 feet at Notchy Creek Boat Ramp partnering with TRDA to protect the access road − Maintained the riprap at the Coytee trailhead to protect bank fishing area Ongoing efforts include: − Wildlife habitat improvements with Quail Forever on Tellico Dam Reservation, Carson Woods, Jackson Cemetery, and Halfway Town areas − Thinning timber at Bacon bend to as part of an oak savannah project in cooperation with TWRA − Stabilizing several locations totaling approximately 500 feet to protect the East Lakeshore Trail − Maintain more than 20 access points that are used for bank fishing or informal camping with volunteers Tellico Hall Bend Area . Small Wild Area and Habitat Protection Area . 30 acres of TVA public land, set aside for resource management and low-impact recreation . Hall Bend Trail . 5-mile loop, moderate difficultly . Trailhead is past Tellico Dam on Hwy 444, on the Dam Reservation Tellico East Lakeshore Trail . Longest National Recreational Trail on TVA-managed land . Over 30 miles of trail . Constructed and maintained largely by WATeR (Watershed Association of the Tellico Reservoir) through an agreement with TVA . Outreach events hosted annually Tellico Water Trail . Cooperative effort with WATeR, Chota, TVA, and others . 11 mile flat water paddle . Primitive camping available on TVA public lands . Promoting on tnvalleywatertrails.org and other web pages Future TVA Supported Efforts − Support of East Tennessee Design Center for greenways development plans − Launch of the Tellico and Fort Loudoun Reservoirs Recreation and Tourism planning study − Ecotourism projects − Public outreach efforts − Trail improvements and maintenance − Wildlife habitat enhancements .