Category Archives: Declaration/Projection

New high-water mapping tool offers flooding estimates

Posted on February 21, 2020 by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District

In order to help keep Augusta area residents informed on water levels, we created a new online tool that estimates anticipated high-water inundation along the Savannah River through both Augusta, Georgia, and North Augusta, South Carolina. The interactive map provides … Continue reading →

Posted in Declaration/Projection, Flood Risk Management, Hydropower, Rainfall Update, Water Management | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Upper Savannah reservoirs enter Drought Level 1

Posted on October 3, 2019 by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District

SAVANNAH, Ga. – The three reservoirs on the Savannah River operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers declared the first drought level Tuesday in response to the pool elevation at J. Strom Thurmond Lake dipping below 326.0 feet above mean sea level (ft-msl). Entering … Continue reading →

Posted in Declaration/Projection, Drought in the News, Water Management | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The good, the bad, and the possible

Posted on February 20, 2018 by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District

Lake lovers got their Valentine’s Day gift last week from Mother Nature as Lake Hartwell pushed past its February rainfall average and the Savannah River Basin finally entered Drought Level 1.

Posted in Declaration/Projection, Rainfall Update | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

January’s Rainfall was better – but more is needed for recovery

Posted on February 2, 2017 by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District

The first month of 2017 brought a welcome change in rainfall; all three sub-basins exceeded average precipitation for the first time in almost five months. Hartwell received 104 percent of normal rainfall; Russell, 115 percent of normal; and Thurmond cashed … Continue reading →

Posted in Declaration/Projection, Drought Response, Rainfall Update, Water Management | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Forecasters see mixed signals leading into spring

Posted on January 26, 2017 by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District

In the first Water Resources Outlook of 2017, NOAA climatologists give their predictions for rainfall and the potential for drought recovery.

Posted in Declaration/Projection, Drought Response, Videos, WRO, WRO | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Crystal ball not so crystal clear – 2017

Posted on January 17, 2017 by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District

Once again Balancing the Basin called on its old sage to make a prediction on the summer conditions at the Corps’ Savannah River reservoirs. His editors told him to keep it serious this year. Writing the 2016 version of this … Continue reading →

Posted in Declaration/Projection, Drought in the News | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Upper Savannah reservoirs enter Drought Level 1

Posted on July 25, 2016 by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District

SAVANNAH, Ga. – The three reservoirs on the Savannah River operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers entered the first drought level today when pool elevation at Thurmond Lake dipped below 326 feet above mean sea level (ft-msl). Entering … Continue reading →

Posted in Declaration/Projection, Drought in the News, Drought Response, Studies, Water Quality/Water Supply | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

On watermelons and water levels

Posted on July 20, 2016 by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District

Summer in the Southeast means many things. Heat and humidity come to mind first, of course, but so do things like lazy Sunday afternoons, fishing trips, water skiing, firefly chasing and eating watermelon under a shade tree. In the upper … Continue reading →

Posted in Declaration/Projection, Drought in the News, Drought Response, From the Commander, Studies, Water Quality/Water Supply | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Commander: Persistent, below normal rainfall expected to impact lake levels

Posted on July 13, 2016 by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District

Since I took command of the Savannah District in June 2015 we’ve been fortunate to have adequate, and sometimes abundant, rainfall and inflows to maintain full reservoir levels. Beginning in January we observed below-average rainfall throughout the basin, yet were … Continue reading →

Posted in Declaration/Projection, Drought in the News, Drought Response, From the Commander, Studies, Water Management, Water Quality/Water Supply | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Living on borrowed rain

Posted on July 8, 2016 by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District

Now that it’s officially summer, the heat is on in more ways than one. Namely, if the trend of sub-par precipitation doesn’t improve, the basin could enter drought level 1 before August. That same trajectory would bring us to drought … Continue reading →

Posted in Declaration/Projection, Drought in the News, Drought Response, Rainfall Update, Water Management | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment