PRE-APPLICATION DOCUMENT R.L. HARRIS HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT FERC PROJECT NO. 2628 Prepared by: Birmingham, Alabama Birmingham, Alabama www.KleinschmidtGroup.com June 2018 PRE-APPLICATION DOCUMENT R.L. HARRIS HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT FERC PROJECT NO. 2628 ALABAMA POWER COMPANY BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Contents ...................................................................................................................... i List of Appendices ................................................................................................................... v List of Tables ........................................................................................................................... v List of Figures ........................................................................................................................ vii Acronyms and Abbreviations ................................................................................................. ix 1.0 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 1-1 Pre-Application Document and Notice of Intent .................................................. 1-2 FERC Tribal Meeting, Public Scoping Meetings, and Site Visit ......................... 1-3 Agents for Alabama Power ................................................................................... 1-4 Document Purpose and Content............................................................................ 1-4 2.0 Integrated Licensing Process .................................................................................... 2-1 Document Control and Website ............................................................................ 2-4 Distribution List ................................................................................................ 2-4 Website ............................................................................................................. 2-4 Public Reference File and eLibrary .................................................................. 2-4 Restricted Documents ....................................................................................... 2-5 Communication Plan ............................................................................................. 2-5 Document Distribution...................................................................................... 2-6 Providing Documents to Alabama Power Company ........................................ 2-6 Meetings ............................................................................................................ 2-7 Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Scoping Meeting.............................. 2-7 General Communications.................................................................................. 2-7 Study Requests ...................................................................................................... 2-8 3.0 General Basin Descriptions....................................................................................... 3-1 Tallapoosa River Basin ......................................................................................... 3-1 i June 2018 Major Land and Water Uses ............................................................................. 3-4 Other Diversion Structures ............................................................................... 3-5 Tributaries ......................................................................................................... 3-5 Climate .............................................................................................................. 3-7 Tennessee River Basin .......................................................................................... 3-7 Major Land and Water Uses ............................................................................. 3-9 Other Diversion Structures ............................................................................... 3-9 Tributaries ....................................................................................................... 3-10 Climate ............................................................................................................ 3-10 4.0 Project Introduction, Location, Facilities and Operations ........................................ 4-1 Project Boundary and Facilities ............................................................................ 4-1 Reservoir ........................................................................................................... 4-4 Dam ................................................................................................................... 4-4 Powerhouse ....................................................................................................... 4-4 Transmission ..................................................................................................... 4-5 The Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa Basin................................................................. 4-5 USACE Water Control Manual ........................................................................ 4-8 Current Project Operations ................................................................................... 4-8 Flood Control Operations ................................................................................. 4-9 Navigation ....................................................................................................... 4-10 Drought Management ..................................................................................... 4-10 Green Plan Flows ............................................................................................ 4-11 Current License Requirements ............................................................................ 4-12 Current Net Investment ....................................................................................... 4-12 Compliance History of the Harris Project ........................................................... 4-12 Safety Requirements ....................................................................................... 4-12 Summary of Harris Project Generation and Outflow Records ....................... 4-13 Delivery of Water for Non-Power Uses .......................................................... 4-14 Flow Statistics ................................................................................................. 4-14 Proposed Operation ............................................................................................. 4-15 5.0 Description of Existing Environment ....................................................................... 5-1 Geology and Soils ................................................................................................. 5-2 Lake Harris........................................................................................................ 5-2 ii June 2018 Skyline ............................................................................................................ 5-15 Water Resources ................................................................................................. 5-25 Lake Harris...................................................................................................... 5-25 Skyline ............................................................................................................ 5-40 Fish and Aquatic Resources ................................................................................ 5-43 Lake Harris...................................................................................................... 5-43 Skyline ............................................................................................................ 5-60 Wildlife Resources .............................................................................................. 5-61 Lake Harris...................................................................................................... 5-61 Skyline ............................................................................................................ 5-64 Botanical Resources ............................................................................................ 5-66 Lake Harris...................................................................................................... 5-66 Skyline ............................................................................................................ 5-72 Riparian, Wetland, and Littoral Habitat .............................................................. 5-76 Lake Harris...................................................................................................... 5-76 Skyline ............................................................................................................ 5-80 Rare, Threatened, Endangered and Special Status Wildlife Species .................. 5-83 Lake Harris...................................................................................................... 5-83 Skyline ............................................................................................................ 5-86 Federally Threatened and Endangered Botanical Species .................................. 5-93 Lake Harris...................................................................................................... 5-93 Skyline ............................................................................................................ 5-95 Botanical Species of