1. Savannah River Projects
Stan Simpson
Water Control Manager
Savannah District
10 March 2016

2. Duke Energy Projects
Georgia Power Projects
USACE Projects

5. Multi-Purpose Projects
Fish & Wildlife
Water Supply
Water Quality
Aquatic Plant
Control
Hydroelectric Power
We must consider all users and project purposes in this study and attempt to develop a sustainable water allocation for the future.
(Consulted with OC. These are covered by the legislation. Legislative wording is vague but cover all of these. Also covered in SAD water manual.)
No one purpose trumps the others. (Exception: during flooding, flood damage reduction jumps to the top. Obviously not an issue at this time.)
The river must be managed as a single system.
If there are better ways to manage and balance the water needs, then we must find them and provide the recommendations to implement.
We have new and more efficient tools, more data on the river, and more information on future demands.
Questions!!!
Navigation
Recreation
Flood Risk Management

6. Project Purposes

8. Hartwell Lake
3rd most-visited Corps project in Nation M Visitors
Constructed in 1962
56,000 acre water surface (660 msl) 962-mile shoreline
5 Turbines with a 422 MW Generating capacity
Largest shoreline management program in the Corps with 47,523 permitted activities
Built in the late 50’s and early 60’s, Hartwell Lake is only slightly smaller than its older sister, J. Strom Thurmond Lake, above Augusta, Georgia. The dam lies seven miles below the confluence of the Seneca and Tugaloo Rivers which join to form the Savannah.
At full summer pool, the lake has a shoreline of almost 1000 miles. The five turbines are housed in the Corps’ only outdoor power plant. At the completion of the current rehabilitation project, the project will be able to provide 422 megawatts of electricity.
Hartwell Lake has the Corps’ largest shoreline permitting program in the Corps of Engineers. Fifty percent of the public shoreline is allocated for limited private use.
Over 10,000 boat docks ring the lake and there are a total of 30, permitted activities.

9. Richard B. Russell Project
Largest Corps power plant east of Mississippi River
Completed in 1984
26,653 acre water surface (475 ft msl) 540-mile shoreline
Four conventional turbines 328 MW Generating Capacity
Four pump turbines 320 MW Generating Capacity
27 recreation sites
4 state parks

10. J. Strom Thurmond Project
8th most-visited Corps project in the Nation-6M Visitors/Yr
Completed in 1952
71,100 acre water surface (330 ft msl)
Seven turbines capable of generating 364 MW
1,200 miles of shoreline
76 recreation sites

11. Savannah River Basin Users
Lakes Region
J. Strom Thurmond - 2,300 Lake Permits
Hartwell – 11,737 Lake Permits
3 Lake Total – 25 Million Visitors – FY06
3 Lake Total Water Supply Users
* 13 Municipalities * 1 State Park
* 1 University * 5 Industries
20 Hydropower Units – 1,434 MW Capacity

12. Savannah River Basin Users
River Below Thurmond Dam
Water Supply Users
3 Cities * 2 Counties
1 Army Base * 12 Industries
Heavy Recreational Use
Coastal Zone Environmental Concerns
Augusta Shoals – Endangered Species
Salt Water Intrusion
Savannah River Fish & Wildlife Refuge

13. 210 miles length 124,850 acres 190,153 acres
J. Strom Thurmond Dam
Augusta Diversion Dam
Steven’s Creek Dam
Shoals
210 miles length
New Savannah Bluff Lock and Dam
Flood plain
124,850 acres
Through dam management and ecosystem flow restoration we are working to restore 3 major habitat types in the river:
Shoals – only 4% remains of what originally was there before the dams.
It is critical habitat for diadromous fish (including endangered short nose sturgeon) and state listed shoals spider lily
Over 120,000 acres of floodplain
Over 30,000 acres of estuarine habitat, including the largest percentage of tidal freshwater estuary anywhere in North America
8th most-visited Corps project in the Nation, Constructed in 1956,Annual hydropower revenue - $12.3M
1,200 miles of shoreline ( > coast of California)
76 Recreation sites
Estuary
190,153 acres

14. Collaboration of Partners
Savannah River Basin
Collaboration of Partners

15. Focus changes with time…

16. Ecologically Sustainable Water Management:
Protect the ecological integrity of affected ecosystems
Meet long-term human needs for water
Sustain the full array of other products and services provided by natural freshwater ecosystems.

17. Comprehensive Water Resources Study
Savannah River Basin
Comprehensive Water Resources Study
Utilize a “whole-basin” approach
to identify and provide recommendations
for meeting the various water demands
throughout the watershed.

18. Comprehensive Water Resources Study
Savannah River Basin
Comprehensive Water Resources Study
Study Partners
Corps of Engineers
Georgia DNR
South Carolina DNR
The Nature Conservancy