PENSACOLA PROJECT FERC No. 1494 SHORELINE MANAGEMENT PLAN As Approved by the Board of Directors on June 11, 2008 GRAND RIVER DAM AUTHORITY VINITA, OKLAHOMA PENSACOLA PROJECT FERC No. 1494 SHORELINE MANAGEMENT PLAN June 11, 2008 GRAND RIVER DAM AUTHORITY VINITA, OKLAHOMA PENSACOLA PROJECT FERC NO. 1494 SHORELINE MANAGEMENT PLAN Executive Summary The Pensacola Project (FERC No. 1494) (Project) is an existing, federally licensed hydroelectric project located in northeastern Oklahoma that is owned and operated by the Grand River Dam Authority (GRDA), an agency of the State of Oklahoma. Completed in 1940, the Project’s Pensacola Dam is the longest multi-arched dam in the world. The Pensacola Dam impounds the waters of the Grand River to form the Grand Lake O’ The Cherokees (Grand Lake). Grand Lake encompasses approximately 46,500 surface acres of water and 1,300 miles of shoreline. The Project boundary is located in close proximity to the shoreline and privately owned land is generally found mere feet from the water’s edge. Since its creation, Grand Lake has been a popular recreational and residential destination. During its history, Grand Lake has hosted the National Governor’s Conference and several nationally recognized fishing tournaments. It is the home of the nation’s oldest long distance regatta on an inland lake and the oldest yacht club in Oklahoma. Current uses of the shoreline include residential and commercial development, agriculture, and wildlife management areas. Grand Lake also has considerable value as an environmental resource. It contains significant aquatic and terrestrial habitat for a host of species. Additionally, the shoreline serves an important function in the local ecology. Increasing development and competing uses for resources around the lake point to the need for a clearly defined, comprehensive and consistent management strategy for the Project’s shoreline. This Shoreline Management Plan (SMP or Plan) provides a comprehensive plan for Grand Lake that considers GRDA’s enabling legislation, the FERC license, historical and current - ES-1 - June 11, 2008 Pensacola Project Shoreline Management Plan public use, and the need to accommodate future growth and changing use patterns; all while maintaining stewardship for the environmental and socioeconomic resources entrusted to GRDA. This document draws the resulting management strategies, policies, and practices from GRDA’s existing practices, FERC directives and guidance, and information gained from interested stakeholders, resource agencies, and other public comments. The management vision for Grand Lake is defined by the Plan’s distinct Shoreline Management Classifications (SMC) and Allowable Use Categories (AUC). The multi-tiered SMC system, which includes Responsible Growth Areas, Stewardship Areas, and Wildlife Management Areas, identifies clear management objectives for Project land. The Allowable Use Categories define the use types that will be permitted in those areas. To implement these goals, objective standards and procedures are detailed in other parts of the Plan. Taken as a whole, the SMP protects Grand Lake’s valued resources by providing clear guidance for determining whether a proposed use is appropriate in an area. This SMP is the product of extensive consultation with stakeholders, including the public and resource agencies. No less than twenty-seven meetings, open to the public, have been held during the plan’s development and thousands of written comments have been received. Additionally, resource agencies have had the opportunity to be actively involved during all stages of the plan’s development. In 2005, GRDA began the process of developing an SMP by having discussions with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or Commission), state and federal resource agencies, and interested stakeholders. To aid in the development of the SMP, GRDA hired Kleinschmidt Associates, an energy and water resource consulting firm. Three public meetings held in October of 2005, led to the development of the Stakeholder Working Group (SWG), an advisory committee comprised of interested individuals, representatives of non-governmental organizations, informal citizen groups, commercial interests, as well as state and federal agencies. The Stakeholder Working Group provided advice and opinions regarding key components of the SMP including the designation of land use - ES-2 - June 11, 2008 Pensacola Project Shoreline Management Plan classifications for shoreline property, definitions of allowable uses within these areas, and suggestions for permitting policies. In December 2006, Kleinschmidt Associates prepared a working draft of the SMP (December 2006 Working Draft), taking into account input from the Stakeholder Working Group, the public, and state and federal resource agencies. In February and March 2007, GRDA held five public hearings to provide stakeholders throughout Oklahoma with the opportunity to comment on the December 2006 Working Draft. Approximately 724 people attended these sessions, which were held in several communities around Grand Lake, and in Tulsa and Oklahoma City, the state’s major population centers. The hearings were moderated by Mr. John D. Rothman, an experienced mediator and attorney, who was hired by GRDA to conduct the hearings and to prepare an independent report summarizing the public’s opinions. In addition to the comments made at hearings, GRDA received 345 written comments, and petitions with a total of 2,713 signatures. In his summary, Mr. Rothman stated that the public was overwhelmingly opposed to the December 2006 Working Draft, with the Vegetation Management Plan (VMP) and the Shoreline Management Classifications (SMC) being the two greatest areas of concern. The VMP was criticized for its extensive permitting requirements, especially for routine maintenance and debris removal, while the SMC were seen as leaving too little shoreline available for future commercial development. On September 12, 2007, GRDA staff presented a revised draft of the SMP (Revised Draft) to the GRDA Board of Directors for review. Stakeholders were given an opportunity to submit written comments on the SMP and to voice their opinions at public hearings held in October, 2007. Public support for the Revised Draft was widespread. As part of this consultation process, GRDA solicited comments from twenty-seven resource agencies. Further, it delayed final approval of the SMP to engage in a meaningful dialog with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. - ES-3 - June 11, 2008 Pensacola Project Shoreline Management Plan GRDA made several changes to the SMP as a result of discussions with the resource agencies. These changes include: • Creation of a distinct SMC for wildlife management; • Consolidation and relocation of areas designated as Stewardship Areas to maximize the benefits of resource management efforts; • Clear identification of factors to be considered prior to permitting new uses; and, • Requirements for pubic hearings prior to permitting new uses. - ES-4 - June 11, 2008 Pensacola Project Shoreline Management Plan GRAND RIVER DAM AUTHORITY VINITA, OKLAHOMA PENSACOLA PROJECT FERC NO. 1494 SHORELINE MANAGEMENT PLAN TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 Introduction......................................................................................................................... 1 2.0 Purpose and Scope of the Shoreline Management Plan...................................................... 4 2.1 Introduction............................................................................................................. 4 2.2 Territorial Jurisdiction............................................................................................ 5 2.3 Structure of the SMP............................................................................................... 5 3.0 Goals and Objectives .......................................................................................................... 8 4.0 Public Participation and Consultation................................................................................. 9 4.1 Kleinschmidt Associates......................................................................................... 9 4.2 Public Information Sessions ................................................................................... 9 4.3 Stakeholder Working Group Meetings ................................................................... 9 4.4 Agency Consultation............................................................................................. 10 4.5 Public Comment on the SMP Drafts..................................................................... 13 5.0 Inventory of existing resources and uses .......................................................................... 15 5.1 Grand River Basin................................................................................................. 15 5.2 Pensacola Project .................................................................................................. 16 5.3 Geology and Soils................................................................................................. 17 5.4 Water Quality........................................................................................................ 18 5.4.1 Temperature and Dissolved Oxygen......................................................... 19 5.4.2 pH.............................................................................................................. 20