Duke Energy’s Toxaway River Bridge Replacement Wins 2020 Outstanding Stewards of America’s Waters Award
Toxaway River Bridge Maintains Original Design
Atlanta, GA (October 22, 2021) – The National Hydropower Association (NHA) today announced Duke Energy’s Toxaway River Bridge Replacement received the 2020 Outstanding Stewards of America’s Waters (OSAW) Award in the category of Recreational, Environmental & Historical Enhancement.
The category of Recreational, Environmental & Historical Enhancement recognizes hydropower projects that provide enhanced recreational opportunities for the general public, offer measurable benefits that mitigate, conserve, preserve, or enhance the natural resources, or conserve historical aspects of hydropower facilities and their integration with the surrounding community.
When a routine maintenance inspection showed that the largest, most remote and iconic engineering feature along the Foothills Trail, the Toxaway River Bridge, needed significant repairs, Duke Energy started planning for an engineering overhaul. Repairing the Toxaway River Bridge was a challenging achievement, given its limited vehicular access, and fluctuating lake levels for delivery of heavy equipment, Duke Energy successfully maintained the original aesthetics of this iconic bridge, minimized environmental impacts in a sensitive mountainous area, and kept the bridge open for through-hikers during construction.
Maintaining safe access for hikers was a priority during the construction process because the Toxaway Bridge is the only safe crossing of the Toxaway River in the mountain gorge area. Duke Energy engaged several key stakeholders prior to construction and collaborated with them to develop a comprehensive communications plan. Duke Energy employed a simple yet innovative solution of using air horns to alert the construction crew that hikers were waiting to cross the bridge during construction hours.
“NHA is thrilled to present Duke Energy with the OSAW Award for Recreational, Environmental & Historical Enhancement,” said LeRoy Coleman, Director of Communications, NHA. “As a result of Duke’s efforts and dedication, visitors to the Foothills Trail have a safe crossing over the Toxaway River and have a chance to appreciate the original design of this suspension bridge. By employing innovative tactics and engaging stakeholders to be successful in this project, Duke has proven to be an outstanding steward of the Toxaway trail.”
“We’re pleased that the Toxaway River bridge replacement project has been recognized by the National Hydropower Association,” said Randy Herrin, vice president of Carolinas Regulated Renewables. “Our team overcame many construction challenges to ensure the safety of construction crews and trail hikers, minimize environmental impacts and honor the historical significance of the bridge.”
As part of its Bad Creek Pumped Storage Project, in the 1980s Duke Energy constructed thirty-five miles of the Foothills Trail for recreation. The Duke Energy segment of the Foothills Trail hosts over 6,000 visitors a year and is located in northern Oconee County, South Carolina.
About the Outstanding Stewards of America’s Waters Awards
In 1994, the National Hydropower Association (NHA) created the Hydro Achievement Awards to recognize organizations and projects committed to excellence in the development and operation of hydropower. In 1999, NHA added the Outstanding Stewardship of America’s Rivers (OSAR) Report to profile the best examples of hydropower’s ability to generate clean, renewable, reliable and affordable electricity while protecting the riverine ecosystem. Beginning in 2007, these two recognition programs were merged to more effectively provide recognition to deserving organizations and to reflect the changing nature of the hydropower industry, particularly the fact that hydropower can be used in various waterways. The new award program is called the Outstanding Stewards of America’s Waters (OSAW).
OSAW Awards are given out in three distinct categories:
- Operational Excellence: projects that add value to the hydropower industry through technical contributions, innovation, engineering, upgrades and improvements or technology breakthroughs for new hydropower technologies
- Recreational, Environmental & Historical Enhancement: projects that provide enhanced recreational opportunities for the general public, offer measurable benefits that mitigate, conserve, preserve, or enhance the natural resources, or conserve historical aspects of hydropower facilities and their integration with the surrounding community.
- Public Education: programs that effectively communicate and promote the benefits of hydropower through mediums such as curriculum, learning centers, videos or outreach programs.
NHA invites you to learn more about these outstanding endeavors, both past and present, at www.hydro.org/osaw.
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