Hartwell Spillway Gates Opened
Workers at the Hartwell Dam have opened the spillway gates on the dam to help lower the reservoir’s water level following significant rainfall today.
The gates will remain open through the weekend.
Officials with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers say that water managers and Hartwell Dam officials opened the 12 spillway gates 1 foot.
This allows up to 13,400 cubic feet per second of water to pass through the gates.
In addition, 23,000 cubic feet per second of water continues to pass through the dam’s turbines generating clean, renewable electricity.
The level at Hartwell Lake today was 662.18 feet above mean sea level and rising.
The desired level for today is 656.92 feet and full summer pool is 660 feet.
So far today more than 2 inches of rain has fallen on the Hartwell watershed with an additional inch or more predicted in the coming days.
Corps officials say that under the current conditions of saturated soils and cold temperatures, each inch of rainfall equals approximately a 1 foot rise in reservoir levels.
Also, officials say that privately owned reservoirs upstream of Hartwell Lake have released water that accounts for additional inflow into Hartwell.
For staff safety, officials say they ordered the gates opened before the reservoir levels reached a critical level because opening gates during daylight hours allows workers to operate and monitor the gates before predicted freezing temperatures.
That avoids gate operation during dangerous conditions such as slippery surfaces and limited visibility.
Water from Hartwell Lake will be captured downstream at the Savannah District’s Russell Dam and Lake Project where the water can be stored then used to generate additional electricity.
Due to icy weather conditions and full river flows near the dam, officials urge the public to avoid the area, while those who insist on visiting should exercise extreme caution when driving or walking in the area and boaters should avoid all areas immediately downstream of the Hartwell Dam.