Tag Archives: Savannah River Basin

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.

Posted in Rainfall Update | 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 →

Posted in Drought in the News, Flood Risk Management, Water Safety | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , |

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 →

Posted in Rainfall Update, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , |

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 →

Posted in Flood Risk Management, Hydropower, Recreation, Water Management | Tagged , , , , , , , , |

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 →

Posted in Rainfall Update, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , |

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 →

Posted in Hydropower, Videos, Water Management | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Living on borrowed rain

Posted on July 8, 2016 by US Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District

Now that it’s officially summer, the heat is on in more ways than one. Namely, if the trend of sub-par precipitation doesn’t improve, the basin could enter drought level 1 before August. That same trajectory would bring us to drought … Continue reading →

Posted in Declaration/Projection, Drought in the News, Drought Response, Rainfall Update, Water Management | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Listening to the pulse of the Savannah River

Posted on June 30, 2016 by US Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District

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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , |