Tag Archives: water quality

Upper Savannah reservoirs enter Drought Level 1

SAVANNAH, Ga. – The three reservoirs on the Savannah River operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers entered the first drought level today when pool elevation at Thurmond Lake dipped below 326 feet above mean sea level (ft-msl). Entering … Continue reading

Posted in Declaration/Projection, Drought in the News, Drought Response, Studies, Water Quality/Water Supply | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Commander: Persistent, below normal rainfall expected to impact lake levels

Since I took command of the Savannah District in June 2015 we’ve been fortunate to have adequate, and sometimes abundant, rainfall and inflows to maintain full reservoir levels. Beginning in January we observed below-average rainfall throughout the basin, yet were … Continue reading

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Living on borrowed rain

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

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

Workers prepare site for dissolved oxygen system

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Just like a nurse who swabs an arm before injecting vaccine into a patient, workers began clearing debris and underbrush from land set to house dissolved oxygen injection equipment for the Savannah River.

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Corps awards $40.2M contract to build raw water storage for Savannah harbor expansion

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Construction should begin by this summer on a $40.2 million, raw water storage impoundment for the City of Savannah as part of environmental mitigation for the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah … 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

Posted in Flood Risk Management, Hydropower, Water Management, Water Quality/Water Supply, Water Safety | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , |

Phinizy researchers to study Savannah River oxbow lakes

Editor’s Note: This article is authored by Oscar P. Flite III, Ph.D., CEO and senior scientist at Phinizy Center for Water Sciences. Flite and his organization are involved in scientific research on the Savannah River that provides critical information needed … Continue reading

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Plant Vogtle water permit follows current basin water manual

Over the past several months the occasional fan of Balancing the Basin has voiced concern about the expansion of Plant Vogtle on the Savannah River. Most of the concern focused on the increased water needs (and impacts on reservoir levels) … Continue reading

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SHEP and the Savannah River – a Wrap-up

Editor’s note: Beginning in July 2013 this blog has posted a series of stories on the environmental monitoring of the Savannah River as part of the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project (SHEP). The monitoring program continues and some will be expanded … Continue reading

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