Category Archives: Flood Risk Management

Savannah District teams up to keep commerce flowing

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.

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Upper Savannah River reservoirs enter Drought Level 2

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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J. Strom Thurmond Dam, then and now

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

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Richard B. Russell – not your average hydropower plant

(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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Listening to the pulse of the Savannah River

A soft breeze rustled the marsh grasses as James “Jim” Rothnie carefully placed a fresh canvas on his easel. Morning light sparkled on the waters of the ACE Basin nearby. Quietly, he crept closer to the dozen lounging birds, their … Continue reading

Posted in Drought Response, Fish and Wildlife, Flood Risk Management, Guest Author, Savannah Harbor, Studies, Water Management, Water Quality/Water Supply | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Savannah River Comprehensive Study moves forward

Researchers working on the Savannah River Comprehensive Study reached another milestone recently when they completed modeling for the first four drought operation plan alternatives. The multiagency study seeks to provide a better understanding for the impacts and risks associated with … Continue reading

Posted in Declaration/Projection, Drought Response, Flood Risk Management, Hydropower, Savannah Harbor, Studies |

Status update for ongoing Corps studies

In December, we asked for feedback on topics you’d like to read more about on Balancing the Basin. Several readers responded, so throughout 2016 we’ll be incorporating those questions and comments into posts. Excerpt from Ferris’ comments: “… I would … Continue reading

Posted in Fish and Wildlife, Flood Risk Management, Savannah Harbor, Studies, Water Management |

Progress Report: Flood Storage Study results are near

Since our last progress report on the flood storage study published November 2014, we received a few inquiries on when the results would be released. In the above linked post we estimated the study would take approximately six more months … Continue reading

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Reservoirs maxed out: Flood storage captures excess rainfall

The rain event that occurred Sunday, April 19, caused both Hartwell and Thurmond to exceed the limits of conservation storage (almost simultaneously) as water levels rose into flood storage territory. As of this writing, Hartwell’s elevation has climbed more than … Continue reading

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As Thurmond gate repairs end, water managers can target full summer pool

Drivers crossing the Thurmond Dam may have noticed two-way traffic resumed this week. That means workers finished the gate repairs on the dam. The one-way traffic ensured safety for workers. One-way began in February 2010, ended in the summer of … Continue reading

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