Thurmond Outflows Lowering

After a very wet summer, the Savannah River Basin recorded below average rainfall for the month of September; however, soils are moderately saturated and overall basin conditions remain wet.

The Hartwell sub-basin received 2.7 inches of rain this September, which was 56 percent of normal compared to the September average. The Thurmond sub-basin received 1.5 inches (43 percent of normal); and the Russell sub-basin received 2.3 inches (61.2 percent of normal).

Today water managers released the weekly declaration and 10-week projection for the Savannah River reservoirs; and in response to lower September rainfall, they have planned reduced outflows next week at the Thurmond Dam.

Starting Saturday Oct. 5, the daily average outflow rate at the Thurmond Dam will decrease to 4,030 cubic feet per second (cfs). Starting Monday Oct. 7, outflows from the Hartwell Dam are scheduled to increase to a rate of 5,640 cfs, and outflows from the Russell Dam will decrease to a rate of 8,360 cfs.

As of this writing, Hartwell Lake is 660.1 feet per mean sea level (ft-msl); Russell Lake is 474.96 ft-msl; and Thurmond Lake is 328.92 ft-msl.

– by Balancing the Basin