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 Trigger Level 1 activates the Corps’ drought management plan which limits the discharge rate from the Thurmond Dam.
Under the existing drought plan, the Corps limits outflow from Thurmond Dam to 4,200 cubic feet per second (cfs), averaged over the week. Reducing outflow conserves more water in the reservoirs but decreases the amount of hydropower generated through the dams. Continue reading