Author Archives: US Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District

About US Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District oversees a multi-million dollar military construction program at 11 Army and Air Force installations in Georgia and North Carolina. We also manage water resources across the Coastal Georgia region, including maintenance dredging of the Savannah and Brunswick harbors; operation of three hydroelectric dams and reservoirs along the upper Savannah River; and administration of an extensive stream and wetland permitting and mitigation program within the state of Georgia. Follow us on Twitter @SavannahCorps and on Facebook.com/SavannahCorps

Savannah District teams up to keep commerce flowing

Posted on October 20, 2016 by US Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District

SAVANNAH, Ga. – While many Savannah residents clogged roads returning home following Hurricane Matthew last week, a small group worked to ensure a major artery into the city — the Savannah River – remained clear.

Posted in Flood Risk Management, Navigation, Savannah Harbor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , |

A tale of 3 reservoirs

Posted on October 5, 2016 by US Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District

If August’s precipitation – the best of 2016 thus far – raised anyone’s hopes, September officially dashed them.

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SHEP mitigation projects trucking along

Posted on September 29, 2016 by US Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District

Nearly two decades in the making, the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project, or SHEP, continues to gain momentum with more contracts awarded and new ground broken. In addition to progress made on the Raw Water Storage Impoundment and Dissolved Oxygen Injection System, work … Continue reading →

Posted in CSS Georgia, Savannah Harbor, SHEP | Tagged , , , , , , , |

Upper Savannah River reservoirs enter Drought Level 2

Posted on September 19, 2016 by US Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District

SAVANNAH, Ga. – The three reservoirs operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the upper Savannah River entered Drought Level 2 as of 6 a.m. Sept. 19, when the level of the J. Strom Thurmond Lake dipped to … Continue reading →

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SHEP’s water impoundment nearly 30% complete

Posted on September 13, 2016 by US Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District

Now almost 30 percent complete, the raw-water storage impoundment dike walls are currently four feet above ground level. With a circumference of two-thirds of a mile, they will be 29 feet high, encircle 17 acres and hold 97 million gallons … Continue reading →

Posted in Savannah Harbor, SHEP, Videos, Water Management, Water Quality/Water Supply, Water Safety | Tagged , , , , , , , , |

Above average August rainfall keeps reservoirs steady

Posted on September 6, 2016 by US Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District

Rainfall in all three reservoir sub-basins exceeded normal in August. While no single event provided the basin with massive runoff, the steady and consistent small rain events kept the reservoirs at a relatively flat level. Leading the charge: Hartwell with … Continue reading →

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J. Strom Thurmond Dam, then and now

Posted on August 24, 2016 by US Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District

Eight years in the making, the J. Strom Thurmond Dam was a monumental task for engineers and construction workers in the 1940s and ‘50s. Archival footage in this video shows the steps they took to layer power plant fixtures as … Continue reading →

Posted in Flood Risk Management, Hydropower, Navigation, Recreation, Videos, Water Quality/Water Supply | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , |

Richard B. Russell – not your average hydropower plant

Posted on August 17, 2016 by US Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District

(A version of this article originally appeared on this blog May 29, 2013.) The youngest of Savannah District’s three multipurpose dam and lake projects, Richard B. Russell Dam differs from Hartwell and Thurmond, not just size and appearance, but also … Continue reading →

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Rain is coming, but will it be enough?

Posted on August 5, 2016 by US Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District

If the first three days in August are any indication, things could be looking up for the Savannah River Basin. Last month, on the other hand, the only reason to look up was in a fit of frustration. Russell’s take … Continue reading →

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Dams demand best of operator trainees

Posted on August 3, 2016 by US Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District

(Above: Les Rice guides visitors through a quick tour of the J. Strom Thurmond Dam.) AUGUSTA, Ga. – J. Strom Thurmond Dam currently operates at 98 percent proficiency but its operators are expected to perform above this percentage. Operator Trainee … Continue reading →

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