By SARAH PLUMMER
The Register-Herald
BECKLEY, W.Va. — As the public comment period for the Hawks Nest Hydroelectric Project’s license renewal ends, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission must now make a decision that will significantly impact the future of tourism in the Upper Kanawha Valley for the next 30 years.
(Photo by Christ Jackson)
The Hawks Nest dam on New River currently produces an annual average of 544,253 megawatt-hours for a nearby Alloy smelting plant.
Industry stakeholders have filed an application to renew its 30-year license, which is set to expire in December 2017.
The hydroelectric license held by Brookfield Renewable Energy Group requires a minimum flow of 100 cubic feet per second to be released on a 5.5-mile stretch known as “The Dries” of New River. It is the longest stretch of dewatered river in the United States.
American Whitewater, the largest river rights group in the world, submitted a proposal Wednesday that National Director Kevin Colburn says will support river recreation, power generation, industrial power customers and river ecology.
The group’s proposal calls for 41 days of recreational releases, which would result in around 32 days of paddle-worthy depths on the section during the summer season.
It also suggests reserving 1,600 cubic feet per second for power generation at all times.
Bobby Bower, executive director of West Virginia Professional River Outfitters, said local rafting companies support the proposal, which he deems a compromise.
“We are talking about a decision that will affect the area for the next 30 years,” he said. “Times have changed since the 1930s when it was built. Millions come here for tourism, but The Dries are forgotten although they are next door to a national park.”
Bower said tourism industry representatives don’t want to see jobs at the Alloy plant harmed, and he believes the proposal protects industry workers.
“The Alloy plant is critical to southern West Virginia, and the American Whitewater proposal guarantees them enough water to maintain operation. It would be great to see industry and tourism work together for a better southern West Virginia,” he said.
Bower said runs on The Dries portion of the New would be family-friendly Class III. This would be the only short and accessible run of its kind in the area and could open up West Virginia to a new family-oriented whitewater market.
“Tourism is one of the fastest growing industries in West Virginia. We need to embrace sustainable industries, and if we give our resources away to out-of-state companies, we are ultimately hurting our future,” he added.
Bower said water in The Dries can become stagnant when it is extremely low, and scheduled releases would help improve fishing.
An increase of tourism along The Dries could impact communities like Montgomery, Smithers and Ansted.
But the small town of Gauley Bridge, which sits on a hill above where the Kanawha and New rivers combine, stands to gain the most.
“Right now companies watch the public gauges along the river to see if it rises enough for runs, but being able to schedule runs would bring commerce into the community,” said Gauley Bridge Mayor Jonathan Grose. “When you talk about Gauley Season and see how that partnership (with the Army Corps of Engineers at Summersville Dam) impacts the community, it does make you think about having the river resource and not having control over it.”
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