U.S. Corps of Engineers Begins Reservoir Draw Down

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is beginning its winter draw down of lake levels along the Upper Savannah River Basin.

Last week, water managers released the weekly declaration and 10-week projection for the Savannah River reservoirs, calling for this week’s outflows to remain at similar levels compared to last week.

Corps spokesman Billy Birdwell said the goal is to keep the lake levels at guide curve.

We always try to keep everything at guide curve. That’s always the target,” said Birdwell. ” We know that doesn’t always happen, but that’s the target.  Guide curve comes down this week and will gradually start to come down until mid-December then levels out. Then, in January, it starts to come back up.”

Guide curve right now for Hartwell Lake is 660.65 ft per mean sea level.  Birdwell said that’s about six inches above where the Corps would like it to be.

On Saturday, the daily average outflow rate at the Thurmond Dam dropped slightly to 3,920 cubic feet per second (cfs). No generation took place over the weekend at the Hartwell and Russell Dams.

Starting today, the daily average outflow rate at the Hartwell Dam will be 5,630 cubic feet per second in an effort to bring the lake down to guide curve.  Outflows at the Russell Dam will be 8,480 cfs.