Duke Energy has initiated a Recreation Use and Needs Study (RUNS) across the 11 lakes of the Catawba-Wateree River basin, inviting public feedback on recreational and water access facilities. This decennial study, mandated every ten years, commenced on March 18 and will continue through October 30, 2025.
The study encompasses all Duke Energy-owned public recreation sites, including Lake James, Lake Rhodhiss, Lake Hickory, Lookout Shoals Lake, Lake Norman, Mountain Island Lake, Lake Wylie, Fishing Creek Reservoir, Great Falls Reservoir, Cedar Creek Reservoir, and Lake Wateree.
To facilitate comprehensive data collection, Duke Energy has installed traffic and trail counters at each site. Additionally, clerks will be present on select days to interview visitors about their experiences. QR codes linked to online surveys have been posted at access areas to encourage public participation. Each QR code and survey are unique to each location.
Christy Churchill, recreation manager for Duke Energy’s Hydro and Lake Services team, emphasized the importance of community involvement, stating, “We want the public to engage with us, so we want to make this easy.” She added that the company values user feedback and encourages all visitors to provide input during the study.
The findings from this study will be publicly available and submitted to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in 2026.
Duke Energy Carolinas, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, operates with an energy capacity of 20,700 megawatts, serving 2.9 million residential, commercial, and industrial customers across a 24,000-square-mile area in North Carolina and South Carolina.
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