SAVANNAH, Ga. – In response to the pool elevation at Hartwell and J. Strom Thurmond Lakes dropping, the three reservoirs on the Upper Savannah River operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah District, have triggered the first drought trigger level Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, and transitioned to drought releases at Thurmond over the weekend.
The pool elevations today are 654.26 feet above mean sea level (ft-msl) at Hartwell Lake and Dm, and 324.28 ft-msl at J. Strom Thurmond Lake and Dam. Under the current drought plan, the District limits outflow from Thurmond Dam to a daily average of 4,200 cubic feet per second (cfs), when in Drought Trigger Level 1.
Entering Drought Trigger Level 1 activates the Corps of Engineers’ Drought Management Plan, which conserves water in the reservoirs by reducing the outflows from the Thurmond Dam. Water managers also adjust Hartwell releases, as needed, to stay in balance with Thurmond Lake. Reducing outflow decreases the amount of hydropower generated through the dams but conserves more water in the reservoirs.
The drought management plan was developed based on scientific data and in coordination with various state, federal, local agencies and public input. To view the chart for trigger action levels, visit Drought Trigger Action Levels. To view the plan, click Drought Plan
In addition, if the 28-day average stream flow falls below 10% of normal at the Broad River gauge near Bell, Georgia, managers will further reduce the flow from Thurmond to a daily average of 4,000 cfs. Currently, it’s at 23%. The Corps of Engineers expects the pools to stay in Level 1, continuing a gradual decline into January.
From January through December 2025, rainfall totaled about 87% of the average for Hartwell and 98% for Thurmond. Hartwell Inflows have averaged 70% for the year, and 55% of average for the last four months. The reservoirs experienced slightly higher inflows in 2024. The National Weather Service is predicting below normal rainfall and temperatures across the basin for the next three months.
“Much of the latter half of this year’s inflows have fallen well below normal.” said Stan Simpson, senior water manager for the Savannah District. “Since September, it has just been a matter of time before we hit the drought triggers.”
The congressionally authorized purposes of the reservoirs include water supply, water quality, recreation, flood risk management, navigation, hydropower production, and fish and wildlife management.
More than 10 public water systems and industrial users draw water directly from the reservoirs and even more draw from the Savannah River downstream of Thurmond Dam.
Collectively, water from the three reservoirs is used or withdrawn by municipalities intakes (not released through the dam) at an average of 51.1 million gallons per day (MGD).
Downstream users include the cities of Augusta and Savannah, in Georgia, and North Augusta and Jasper County, in South Carolina. Additionally, threatened and endangered species, as well as the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge, depend on the river.
For more information on current lake levels and projections, visit the District’s lake-level website at Savannah District Water Management.
For information about boat ramp closures, visit Thurmond Boat Ramp Status and Hartwell Boat Ramp Status. Many campgrounds and day use areas are seasonally closed this time of year, however, Petersburg Campground sites 1-27 are open at Thurmond Lake and Twin Lakes Campgroud and Watsadler Campgroud are open on Hartwell Lake. Reservations can be made through the www.recreation.gov website, or by calling 877-833-6777.
As always, safety officials urge all visitor to wear a life jacket when on the water boating and fishing and use caution with declining reservoir levels, as underwater obstructions will be closer to the surface.
To submit questions about the Drought Plan and Trigger Levels, go to our Balancing the Basin Blog by clicking HERE or scanning the QR code below, and create an account.
– 30 –