GIS / GPS Tools
Yadkin-Pee Dee River Project
Progress Energy Carolinas, Inc. (Progress Energy), also known as Carolina Power & Light, a subsidiary of Progress Energy, owns and operates the Yadkin-Pee Dee River Project (Project), located on the Yadkin-Pee Dee River in North Carolina. The Project was constructed in the early 1900s and consists of the 84 MW Tillery Development and the 24.6 MW Blewett Falls Development.
The Project is located within a highly regulated stretch of the river in an area known as the Uwharrie Lakes region of the Yadkin-Pee Dee watershed. These lakes were created as a result of the construction of six hydroelectric developments. The Tillery and Blewett Falls Developments are the two most downstream of these six developments. The four developments located upstream of the Project are owned and operated by Alcoa Power Generation Inc. (APGI) including the High Rock Development which is the principal storage and water regulating facility for the Lower Yadkin-Pee Dee River.
Devine Tarbell & Associates, Inc.’s (DTA) staff coordinated preparation of the Initial Consultation Document (ICD). The ICD presents a description of the Project and its operations as well as the resources present in the Project.
Several Geographic Information System (GIS) map series were created as figures in the ICD. A base map was created from existing data and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) quadrangle map images. GIS technology was used to mosaic, clip, and adjust colors to provide useful, comprehensive project base maps. The base maps show the project boundary and the location of each development. Progress Energy scientists gathered detailed environmental information such as water quality data and fish and benthos survey station information. The sample locations and corresponding information were imported into a GIS and overlaid onto the USGS map base. Watershed maps were produced from USGS National Hydrography Dataset digital data, road coverages, USGS stream gauge data points, National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System discharge data points, and urban area coverages for North and South Carolina. National Wetland Inventory, significant habitat, land use, and recreation maps were developed from existing GIS data layers, field GPS locations, and by converting existing AutoCAD plans into GIS layers.