Way back in February, I gave my “Groundhog Day” reservoir predictions for Memorial Day, the beginning of the summer recreation season. Let’s see how I did this year:

That month started with the reservoirs slightly below winter guide curve but slowly climbing, as was the guide curve. Actual observed reservoir levels chased the guide curve until the curve reached “full summer pool” of 660 feet above mean sea level at Hartwell Lake and 330 ft-msl at Thurmond Lake.

The levels, however, didn’t stop when the guide curve stopped rising. Hartwell and Thurmond lakes moved slightly into flood storage – levels above full summer pool early in May.

It helped when our contractor completed gate repairs a little early at Thurmond Dam. This allowed water managers to keep filling the reservoir above 329 ft-msl.

Although Thurmond Lake today has a level a few inches below full pool, inflows and rains continue to feed the reservoir. Hartwell Lake remains slightly above full pool.

One reservoir slightly above full, one slightly below on Memorial Day – In effect, that makes for a full system to begin the recreation season.

I think this good start came about because I saw my shadow on Feb. 2 – or maybe because I didn’t see it.

I’m approaching retirement age and my memory sometimes fails me. (Just ask my boss, Mr. uh, uh, bossman.) All in all, my predictions in February turned out well. I’ll count that as one more in the “win” column.

On a serious note, I watch with deep concern for my friends in Texas, including my college towns of San Marcos and Austin, where flash floods continue to devastate communities and take lives.

While the Corps of Engineers can never eliminate flooding, the Corps works hard to reduce the risks all across America. Reducing the risk of flooding in the Savannah River basin remains a top priority for the Savannah District.

Our water managers, dam operators and emergency managers continue their vigilance to keep the residents of this basin safe.

Remember Texas today.

– Billy Birdwell, Corporate Communications Office

This summer, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District is giving the public another reason to be safe while enjoying the great outdoors.

As part of its ‘Wear It to Win It’ campaign, the Corps will award prizes each week to individuals who demonstrate creativity and class while wearing their life jackets.

Entering the contest is simple: Post a photo of yourself, family members or friends wearing a life vest on the Savannah District’s Facebook page or tweet it to @SavannahCorps with the hashtag #WearIt.

Each Wednesday from June 1 through July 10, the Savannah District’s Corporate Communications Office will choose one winning photo from those submitted during the previous calendar week.

Prizes include a choice of either a two-night camping stay or a picnic shelter reservation and day-use pass to Corps-managed facilities at Hartwell Lake and J. Strom Thurmond Lake.

Additionally, winners will receive a Coast Guard-approved Type IV personal floatation device and a distress whistle courtesy of Sea Tow Clarks Hill/Thurmond Lake. Winners will be announced and notified via the social media site on which they submitted the photo.

Photos will be judged based on subject matter, creativity and overall emphasis on water safety.

Note: Savannah District employees and their immediate family members are not eligible to enter the contest.

For questions about the Wear It to Win It campaign, contact Jeremy Buddemeier at 912-652-5450 or email Jeremy.S.Buddemeier@usace.army.mil.

– See more at: http://balancingthebasin.armylive.dodlive.mil/2015/05/14/wear-it-to-win-it-2015/#more-2005

The rain event that occurred Sunday, April 19, caused both Hartwell and Thurmond to exceed the limits of conservation storage (almost simultaneously) as water levels rose into flood storage territory. As of this writing, Hartwell’s elevation has climbed more than six inches above the conservation threshold (660.51 feet above mean sea level) and Thurmond follows close behind.

Although it was a moderate rain event, the ground was already saturated from a slow but steady drizzle of (almost) daily precipitation for the past two weeks. The saturated conditions resulted in fairly high rainfall-to-runoff ratio, making the reservoir levels more responsive to rain.

The timing of the rain event was noteworthy considering the last time both Hartwell and Thurmond recorded levels in the flood storage range was April 19, 2014 – exactly one year ago from Sunday’s showers.

We plan to slowly evacuate the flood-storage water over the next few weeks to accommodate fish spawning, which should end in early May. If we get more rain within the next week or so, we may need to increase releases a bit to prevent using any more flood storage reserve.

~Russell Wicke, Chief of Corporate Communication COE