OspreyCam Update: A Chick Has Hatched!

We received a pleasant surprise this week when the OspreyCam at Badin Lake captured the arrival of a new chick. We'll be launching a naming contest in the coming weeks to give our newest osprey chick a proper name.

The chick's arrival followed weeks of anxious waiting. Osprey chicks typically hatch in late April or early May, but this one was a late arriver. 

Stay tuned to the OspreyCam over the next two months to watch the parents feed and care for the new chick as it grows and prepares to take flight. Osprey chicks usually fledge — or leave the nest for their first flight — after 6 to 8 weeks. For this chick, that will likely take place in late July. 

Visitors can follow updates through the website and join in the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #AlcoaOspreyCam.

Alcoa Hosts Water Safety Event, Life Jacket Giveaway at Badin and High Rock lakes on Saturday, June 7

Alcoa is kicking off the summer with events at Badin and High Rock lakes on Saturday, June 7 to promote water safety. The events will be held at the Flat Swamp / Pebble Beach Swim Area on High Rock Lake and at the Badin Swim Area on Badin Lake from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm.

Alcoa will be providing free life jackets to 100 children at lake. You can enjoy free snow cones, play family-friendly games and meet some popular children’s characters. Representatives from NC Wildlife Resources Commission, the US Coast Guard Auxiliary and local law enforcement officials will be there to discuss water safety tips and show off the boats used to patrol the lakes and rescue those in need.

“This is a great opportunity for families to learn the simple things they can do to stay safe when they visit the lakes, and pick up a free life jacket if they don’t have one,” said Karen Baldwin, a natural resources manager for APGI who spearheads the company’s water safety efforts. “But staying safe requires much more than simply having a life jacket in your boat. You have to put it on.” 

Representatives from NC Wildlife Resources Commission, the US Coast Guard Auxiliary and local law enforcement officials will be there to discuss water safety tips and show off the boats used to patrol the lakes and rescue those in need. 


Providing free life jackets is one of several ways that Alcoa works with law enforcement agencies to promote water safety. The company also provides financial support to local sheriff departments for increased patrols of the lakes and sponsors an advertising campaign to remind people to “Put It On.” 

This is the 10th consecutive year that Alcoa Power Generating Inc. has sponsored a water safety campaign at the lakes.

An Inside Look at Osprey on the Yadkin River: Alcoa Webcam Provides Live View of Birds, Baby Chicks

People from across North Carolina and around the world once again have a front-row seat to watch a pair of osprey nesting atop the Narrows Dam at Badin Lake. Alcoa’s popular OspreyCam returns for the third year to provide live coverage of osprey preparing for the arrival of new chicks. The OspreyCam can be viewed online at www.alcoa.com/ospreycam.  

A new pair of osprey claimed the Badin Lake nest this year. For the past several years, it had been home to a pair of osprey named Oscar and Oliveea by Alcoa employees who grew fond of the birds. Last year, Oscar and Oliveea produced three osprey chicks that hatched in late April and took flight in June.

The Osprey Cam is now following a new pair of birds who have been busy sprucing up their nest in recent weeks and laid two eggs in the past week. Viewers will be able to watch as the chicks hatch, get accustomed to their new surroundings and learn to fly.  

“It’s quite a sight. We’re blessed to have such an intimate look at these birds and how they prepare for the arrival of their new chicks. It's like a reality show based in our own backyard,” said Mark Gross, technical manager for Alcoa Power Generating Inc., which operates four dams along the Yadkin River.

Since launching the webcam in 2012, it has attracted viewers from 87 countries.

Visitors can follow updates on the bird in a blog on the Alcoa site and can join in the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #AlcoaOspreyCam.

Ospreys are large birds — with a wingspan of 5-6 feet — that resemble bald eagles. The birds live along rivers, lakes and other large bodies of water where they can feed on fish. The open water and large tracts of undeveloped shoreline at the Yadkin Project provide the perfect setting for wildlife such as bald eagles, ospreys, great blue herons and great egrets. 

“We’re surrounded by nature and are committed to preserving the habitat around the Yadkin Project. We spotted a record number of bald eagle nests on our property this year and are proud that wildlife is thriving here,” Gross said. 

Alcoa also operates an EagleCam that provides a live look at two bald eagle chicks in Davenport, Iowa. The site, www.alcoa.com/eaglecam, has received nearly 20 million visitors. 

The Positive Impact of Alcoa’s Water Quality Investments: Water Leaving Yadkin Project Hits Mark 100% of the Time

Water leaving the Yadkin Project meets state standards for water quality 100% of the time, according to a report on dissolved oxygen that was submitted to the NC Division of Water Resources in March.

Dissolved oxygen levels are a key indicator of water quality and are often used by state agencies as a benchmark. Alcoa Power Generating (APGI) has been closely monitoring dissolved oxygen levels at the Yadkin Project since 2007 and provides an annual report to the state. The Yadkin Project is not currently subjected to state standards for dissolved oxygen, but it will be once a new federal license is issued.

The report shows that turbine upgrades and other enhancements made several years ago have continued to improve water quality at the Yadkin Project.

“The investments we’ve made at Narrows Dam continue to enhance water quality,” said Ray Barham, APGI’s Yadkin Relicensing Manager. “We’ve spent more than $5 million in new technology at the Narrows Dam and it has been very effective at improving downstream water quality.”

Quality Improves As Water Flows Through the Yadkin Project
Water enters the Yadkin Project at High Rock Lake with relatively low concentrations of dissolved oxygen. After traveling 38 miles down the Yadkin River and passing through four dams operated by APGI, the water quality improves significantly before it is discharged at the Falls Dam.

In 2013, water discharged from High Rock Dam met the state standard for dissolved oxygen 78% of the time (based on daily average measurements). It met those same standards 100% when discharged from Narrows Dam and Falls Dam.

$80 Million in Additional Investments Planned by Alcoa
APGI has committed to investing up to $80 million to continue improving water quality at the Yadkin Project, beginning with a $40 million investment at High Rock Lake. APGI will install three “through-the-blade” aerating turbines at High Rock once the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issues a new license for the Yadkin Project. The engineering, planning, and model testing of the new turbines has already been completed.

“We will begin work at High Rock Dam as soon as we receive a new license,” Barham said.

# # #

Summary of 2013 Dissolved Oxygen Report Findings
The state measures dissolved oxygen concentrations in two different ways: through instantaneous measurements recorded every 15 minutes, and with a daily average of all measurements in a given day. Here is how the four Yadkin dams performed in 2013 versus a state standard that will take effect when a new federal license is issued:

High Rock Dam (Water enters the Yadkin Project at High Rock)
77.8% compliance with new standard - Daily Average Measurement (Up 39% over 2012)
93.4% compliance with new standard - Instantaneous Measurement (Up 34.2% over 2012)

Tuckertown Dam   
70.1% compliance with new standard - Daily Average Measurement (Up 36.9% over 2012)
87.4% compliance with new standard - Instantaneous Measurement (Up 36.6% over 2012)

Narrows Dam (New technology installed in 2001 and 2007)
100% compliance with new standard - Daily Average Measurement (Up 0.5% over 2012)
99.9% compliance with new standard - Instantaneous Measurement (Same as 2012)

Falls Dam (Water exits the Yadkin Project at Falls) 
100% compliance with new standard - Daily Average Measurement (Up 13.7% over 2012)
100% compliance with new standard - Instantaneous Measurement (Up 3.4% over 2012)

Additional Notes
1. The state standards for dissolved oxygen do not currently apply to the Yadkin Project, but the rule will be applicable under a new federal license.
2. Differences in hydrologic, meteorological and/or other natural conditions or tailwater aquatic vegetation can effect dissolved oxygen levels from one year to the next.

The Final Barrier

The Stanly News & Press published on Tuesday a column I wrote regarding the latest developments regarding the Yadkin Project relicensing. Here's a copy of the column, titled "The Final Barrier":

When you stand atop the Narrows Dam, you can see for miles in every direction. There’s the Uwharrie National Forest and Morrow Mountain State Park, both remarkable for their pristine, undisturbed beauty. Between them flows the water of the Yadkin River.

That water – and four dams constructed along the river by Alcoa – has been the topic of much debate in Stanly County for more than a decade.

Dams, by definition, are a barrier. They capture the water flowing down the river and put it to good use – reservoirs like Badin Lake provide drinking water to local communities, generate clean and renewable energy, create recreational opportunities for people who love to swim, boat and fish, and spur economic development in the surrounding communities.

Alcoa has operated its dams along the Yadkin River for nearly 100 years. But when the company sought a new federal license for its dams, a new set of barriers emerged.

Many people in Stanly County were concerned about the jobs that were eliminated when the Badin plant closed. So shortly after the Badin plant was formally closed in 2010, we immediately began working to redevelop the property. We invested more than $10 million to transform the site into the Badin Business Park, which now ranks among the best industrial sites in North Carolina.

In 2011, Alcoa recruited the nation’s largest electronic waste recycler to Badin. ERI opened a regional recycling center that continues to grow.

Our commitment to jobs helped us reach an agreement with Stanly County last spring. The agreement includes significant investments to support economic development and provides the county with long-term access to clean, affordable water to support the county’s growth. We are now working in partnership with the county to recruit new jobs to the Badin Business Park.

In addition, we continue working to make Stanly County a better place to live. Alcoa awarded scholarships to local high school valedictorians, donated land for a Habitat for Humanity home in West Badin, and donated $20,000 to promote science and technology courses in Stanly County schools.

Only one barrier to a new license remained: obtaining a water quality certificate (known as a 401) from the NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources that recognized Alcoa’s commitment to meet state water quality standards.

In August, the agency was prepared to issue a 401 certificate for the Yadkin Project.

Our investment in new technology at Badin Lake had resulted in significant water quality improvements. In fact, our annual monitoring now shows that water leaving the Yadkin Project was meeting key water quality standards that will take affect once a new license is issued for the Yadkin Project.

With a proven technology in place and a commitment to spend an additional $80 million to fund further improvements upstream, Alcoa had successfully demonstrated its commitment to water quality.

After months of public hearings and careful evaluation by water quality professionals, DENR was ready to act. It prepared a copy of the 401 certificate and notified us about the impending announcement.

But a new, unexpected barrier emerged.

Gov. McCrory claimed the state owned the land under our dams and filed a lawsuit against Alcoa. His administration inserted itself into the regulatory process and insisted that DENR deny our 401 application.

So, once again, we find ourselves in a familiar place: fighting for the right to run the dams we built on the property we own. It’s a clear threat to our property rights – and the rights of anyone who owns property along a waterway in North Carolina.

For Stanly County, the lawsuit has unfortunate consequences.

It will further delay benefits such as the expansion of Morrow Mountain State Park, the development of a new waterfront park in Badin, the donation of land for a new water treatment plant, the funding of future economic development initiatives, and a host of other benefits for those who live or play on the lakes.

But our commitment to this community remains steadfast.

We will continue working to improve water quality and protect the beautiful natural resources along the river. We will continue providing time and money to support worthwhile causes in the community. And we will continue paying property taxes on the land we are fighting to protect.

We didn’t pick this legal fight, but we are prepared to defend our property rights in court. No matter how long it takes.