Because of abundant rains in the upper Savannah River Basin , including significant rain in the Stevens Creek sub-basin immediately below the J. Strom Thurmond Dam, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has stopped all outflows from the Thurmond Dam for 24-48 hours beginning late Saturday. No releases are currently scheduled from Hartwell at least through Friday 3/13.

With the natural flows exceeding minimum requirements, Col. Ed Kertis, the commander of the Savannah District, in consultation with Corps of Engineers water managers, decided to suspend discharges from the reservoir, according to the release. Water managers will evaluate the river flow early today to determine when outflows from Thurmond Lake must resume.

Mike Massey, chairman of the Legislative Committee for the Lake Hartwell Association said the whole key is what happens down below the Thurmond dam and certain flow needs that need to be met.

Massey said that lately more work is being done to better understand the process.

“Adaptive management is something to look at to make this system work,” Massey said. “The Savannah Basin has so many that impact it from wildlife, pollutants, flood control, oxygen levels, business. While we understand it there are a number of things the Corps can do to keep more water up here.”

Massey said stakeholders from throughout basin could work together and all agree on what ought to happen, what ought to be done and take the pressure off legislators and the Corps. 

Inflows to the Savannah River below Thurmond Dam reached as high as 5,000 cubic feet per second, according to a Corps news release. The required minimum outflow from Thurmond Dam now is 3,600 cubic feet per second to meet downstream needs. The outflow from Hartwell is similar to Thurmond to maintain balance.

Corps officials will evaluate each rainstorm for the ability to retain more water in the three Savannah River reservoirs it controls. Not all storms will provide the needed downstream flow for long enough to make suspending discharges practical, according to the release.

The three reservoirs, lakes Hartwell, Russell and Thurmond, along with the Savannah River below Thurmond Dam, provide water for cities, industries, utilities, and waste treatment for cities from Greenville to Savannah , Ga The reservoirs provide recreational opportunities to tens of millions of visitors each year, according to the release.    .

Massey said as part of the attempt to monitor and impact the water in Hartwell Lake , the Lake Hartwell Association has joined with a number of groups all up and down the basin to take advantage of conditions affecting one part of the basin that may impact other parts.

“We have been working hard to get the Corps and all water managers more aware of “Adaptive Management” techniques and use them when conditions are favorable,” Massey said. “If one part of the Savannah River water system has enough water – upstream flows can be reduced or even shut off temporarily. The current situation is one of them. There is substantial rainfall all along the basin. Since there is plenty of flows below Thurmond – drainage out of the dam has been stopped by Colonel Kurtis. 

“The basin must be treated as a “system” and all aspects of that system must be considered when managing it,” Massey said.