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Appalachian Power explains drought triggers at Smith Mountain Lake; residents press for limits on withdrawals
Summary
Appalachian Power told the Board that the Smith Mountain water management plan has moved to Trigger 2, lowering downstream releases while retaining mandated minimum flows; residents asked whether future industrial water withdrawals (for example for data centers) could be approved during droughts.
Appalachian Power officials briefed Franklin County supervisors on June 16 about ongoing drought conditions affecting Smith Mountain and Leesville lakes and explained how the company’s FERC‑approved Water Management Plan (WMP) uses inflow‑driven triggers rather than fixed elevation targets.
Rob (Appalachian Power) and the hydro team said the project hit WMP Trigger 1 on April 27 and Trigger 2 on May 11; both steps reduced outflows from Leesville Dam within the licensing limits and prioritized mandatory downstream releases to protect aquatic habitat. "We implement the triggers based on inflow versus outflow balance, not by maintaining a fixed lake elevation," the presenter said. He added that, since last July, Appalachain Power has limited releases to the minimum required by the license.
The presentation explained that the WMP is reviewed annually by a technical review committee that includes state and federal resource agencies, local lake associations and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Company staff outlined mitigation and communications steps — including real‑time lake level dashboards, outreach to local stakeholders and coordination with PJM and federal regulators — to minimize local impacts while meeting downstream ecological obligations.
Supervisors and residents asked how low lake levels might go and what would restore the levels. Engineers said significant rainfall — often sustained tropical moisture in the watershed — is required to restore levels quickly; localized storms may raise one reservoir but sustained regional precipitation is needed to rebuild storage. A technical answer given during Q&A: substantial rainfall (measured in multiple inches across the watershed) would be required to meaningfully raise Smith Mountain Lake, and early rains are largely absorbed by bone‑dry soils.
Residents pressed whether water could be withdrawn for large users such as data centers during droughts. Appalachain Power and technical staff said any third‑party proposal to withdraw water for industrial cooling would require a series of state and federal approvals (DEQ, DWR, FERC and others) and that drought conditions would be a material factor in those permitting decisions. "It could be a fatal flaw for that project to withdraw water in a drought," a AP hydro manager said.
What to watch: Lake elevations and WMP trigger levels, monthly updates from Appalachian Power, and any permit or withdrawal proposals by outside water users. County officials said they will continue meeting with AP and state agencies to coordinate public information and emergency planning.
