RESOURCES
Claytor Lake is unique in its abundance of natural resources. Its adjacent shorelines are graced with sheer rock walls and upland forests that not only provide terrestrial habitat but also filter pollutants, protecting and enhancing water quality for residents and visitors to recreate and enjoy. Benefits extend well beyond the limits of the reservoir, as the clean water is utilized by Pulaski County as a source of drinking water. Additionally, Claytor Lake supports a diverse assemblage of fish species, as well as many varied species of aquatic and land animals. A recent aquatic resources report lists 30 different fish species, including black bass, catfish, walleye, and striped bass.
Numerous management plans serve to protect the abundant natural resources found at Claytor Lake including
- Shoreline Management Plan to guide land use and protect environmental resources
- Erosion Monitoring Plan to monitor and assess erosion along the shoreline
- Sedimentation Monitoring Plan to monitor and assess sedimentation in areas of concern
- Water Management Plan that includes operational and recreational provisions covering lake levels and downstream water releases
- Water Quality Monitoring Plan to monitor and assess dissolved oxygen (DO) and temperature at the project and implement DO enhancement measures
- Freshwater Mussel Adaptive Management Plan to provide for long-term monitoring of freshwater mussels downstream of the dam
- Aquatic Vegetation Management Plan to monitor and control non-native, invasive vegetation at the project
- Habitat Management Plan to protect and enhance valuable shoreline and riparian habitat at the project
- Fringed Mountain Snail Management Plan to protect this federally listed species.
HABITAT
MANAGEMENT
Appalachian Power Company, the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF), the Virginia Deparment of Conservation and Recreation (VDCR), the Friends of Claytor Lake (FOCL), and the BASS FEDERATION NATION encourages retention and enhancement of habitat along the shoreline. Providing structure in the water can provide valuable fish habitat, increase fish populations or attract fish to your shoreline depending upon the type of structure and water depths in which they are placed ...
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DEBRIS
MANAGEMENT
Any large body of water, whether constructed or free-flowing, is subject to the accumulation of floating or suspended debris, particularly after heavy inflows, slow-moving storms or unrestricted run-off. Much of this is natural, but there is a growing amount of man-made debris that flows into the project due to upstream carelessness, poor environmental mitigation or lakeside littering. As part of its operating license, Appalachian Power is required, first and foremost, to maintain safe ...
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AQUATIC
VEGETATION
During the past decade, several non-native, invasive species of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) have spread aggressively throughout Claytor Lake, restricting access to parts of the lake and limiting some recreational uses. These aggressively invasive species are able to grow in conditions of lower light and higher nutrient concentrations than the native species. The invasive species have thrived in areas of Claytor Lake that were not previously vegetated, outcompeted native varieties of SAV for habitat, and become prolific to the point ...
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EROSION
MONITORING
Appalachian is required, under its new license, to monitor the erosion along the shoreline of the reservoir and the riverbanks downstream of the dam. See the Erosion Monitoring Plan for more details.
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WATER
MANAGEMENT
Appalachian Power operates the Claytor Project in a “levelized flow” operation at an elevation between 1845 and 1846 feet above mean sea level from April 1 to November 30 each year and in a “peaking” operation at an elevation between 1844 and 1846 feet above mean sea level from December 1 to March 31. Claytor Lake is not a flood control project, meaning that water flowing into the reservoir is passed through the dam. In other words, water in equals water out. However, when flooding conditions are forecasted, Appalachian may lower the reservoir to an elevation of 1841 feet above mean sea level to provide additional inflow storage and release this flow downstream over a longer period of time. During such periods of high inflow, the reservoir may exceed an elevation of 1846 feet above mean sea level.
Upon request from established stakeholders to the project, Appalachian Power may also draw the reservoir down periodically to allow shoreline residents the opportunity to maintain/repair dock structures and improve their shorelines with vegetation plantings and/or erosion control structures. Such non-emergency drawdowns must be approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and residents are notified 45 days in advance of the actual drawdown. For additional information, refer to the Water Management Plan.
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Drawdown
Plan
On December 27, 2011, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) issued Order Issuing New License (License) authorizing Appalachian Power Company (Appalachian) to continue to maintain and operate the Claytor Hydroelectric Project, on the New River in Pulaski County, Virginia. License Article 405, Water Management Plan (Final - June 2009) allows for non-emergency drawdowns. Specifically, Article 405 of the license requires the licensee to file, for Commission approval, a reservoir drawdown plan at least three months prior to implementing a non-emergency reservoir drawdown. The purpose of the plan is to minimize the impact of any project maintenance activity requiring a reservoir drawdown on aquatic resources in the project reservoir and downstream of the project, and to allow shoreline property owners sufficient time to plan shoreline maintenance activities.
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