US Army Corps
of Engineers
Savannah District
Relationship with EPA Watershed Study
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Background: The Savannah District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, is accomplishing a number of management steps within their existing authority to be responsive to current pressures. Their present project operations represent a balance of storages and releases which provide maximum hydropower generation while maintaining conservation pool levels and providing releases which meet downstream needs. However, while given this operating mode, the District knows from various public forums there are additional concerns they must plan to meet. These include, among others, the need for additional water supply storage for upper basin and developing downstream users, providing storage to boost low flows during droughts, and providing storage to generate "flushing" flows for the lower river basin wetlands and bottomland hardwoods. With the recent redefining of the 100-year flood discharge level at Augusta, the District also knows that they need to reexamine how flood control storage is used in the projects.
Savannah District is working in partnership with various groups and agencies concerning the need for a comprehensive assessment of the water resources needs of the basin and the abilities of the Federal projects to help satisfy these needs. These include the states of Georgia and South Carolina, as well as various Federal agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), US Geological Survey, and the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Authorization: Water Resources Development Act of 1996 (PL 104-303) - Sec. 414. Savannah river basin comprehensive water resources study.
- " In General.--The Secretary shall conduct a comprehensive study to address the current and future needs for flood damage prevention and reduction, water supply, and other related water resources needs in the Savannah River Basin.
- Scope.--The scope of the study shall be limited to an analysis of water resources issues that fall within the traditional civil works mission of the Corps of Engineers.
- Coordination.--Notwithstanding subsection (b), the Secretary shall ensure that the study is coordinated with the Environmental Protection Agency and the ongoing watershed study of the Savannah River Basin by the Agency."
Relationship With EPA Watershed Study: In November 1993, EPA, Region IV, initiated a watershed project for the Savannah River Basin. This effort, still underway, set as its goal:
- "To manage the Savannah River basin using comprehensive management to conserve, restore, enhance, and protect its ecosystems, especially aquatic ecosystems, in a way that allows the balancing of multiple uses."
The Savannah District has been fully cooperative with the EPA effort. Savannah District participates on the study's Policy Committee. The District is also participating on the other committees of the study including the Management Committee, of which Savannah District co-chairs, and on all six Resource Management Committees - Water Quality, Fish & Wildlife, Recreation & Cultural Resources, Water Quantity/Navigation/Hydropower, Land Use & Wetlands, and Industry & Economic Development.
Each resource committee completed a baseline assessment of its resource area. These have been combined by the Management Committee into a report entitled Initial Assessment and Prioritization report for the Savannah River Basin. This report was made available with priority recommendations to the Policy Committee in December 1995. The Policy Committee is currently developing a "Watershed Strategy" to implement these recommendations. Implementation of several of these recommendations will directly depend on authorization and funding of the Comprehensive Study; which is also one of the priority recommendations of the Management Committee. Nine of the twenty-six priority recommendations/issues forwarded to the Policy Committee for inclusion in the Watershed Strategy are connected to accomplishment of the Comprehensive Study.
State Actions: Both the states of Georgia and South Carolina are supportive of both efforts. They are also collecting baseline water quality assessment data in 1996-97 as part of their basin management responsibilities. Conversations with resources staff indicate that initiation of a comprehensive water resources study is a valuable extension of their efforts.
Future Direction: The Savannah District is coordinating with the various state and Federal agencies to determine a suitable basin scope of studies. These efforts would include the collection of various baseline data sets such as an inventory of water use and availability, population trends and growth, and various physical parameters. The study itself will investigate the development of modeling techniques and tools to better predict and manage the water resources of the basin, such as the use of GIS and a water quantity optimization model. The study is similar in many respects to the current efforts in the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint, Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa River Basins Study, and the study team will accordingly adapt appropriate products for use in the Savannah River Basin, rather than reinvent them.
Funding: First year funds of $300,000 to initiate the reconnaissance phase of a comprehensive study for the Savannah River Basin were provided in the Fiscal Year 1998 Energy and Water Resources Development Appropriations Act (P.L. 105-62). An additional $300,000 to complete the reconnaissance phase was included in Fiscal Year 1999 Energy and Water Resources Development Appropriations Act. The funds for the feasibility level phase were provided to initiate feasibility studies in fiscal year 2000. Additional funds have been provided for the current year, combined with funds from the states of Georgia and South Carolina
Status: The Reconnaissance study phase of the comprehensive water resources management study for the Savannah River Basin was initiated in Feburary 1998 and completed in July of 1999. Feasibility study Cost-Sharing agreement to conduct feasibility studies was negotiated with the states of Georgia and South Carolina and signed by all parties 30 Jun 2000. Initial feasibility study efforts are underway.