Water level

[Michael]

The water level on the Hootch just below the dam has been low the last two weekends. Is this because of the low rainfall or some other reason?

[Bill Couch]

Michael,
I checked with the USACE powerhouse operator. He noted no change in "LOW FLOW" releases recently (many months). They have been releasing approximately 600+/- cubic feet per second (cfs). Weekends and weekdays for many months. Just after 4:00pm today they were recording 612cfs. There have been less generations (high flow releases), and this will mean lower water downstream from the dam, but will not be noticable just below Buford Dam. Average daily flows from Buford Dam are avaialble at: http://water.sam.usace.army.mil/acfframe.htm. but they are AVERAGE low and high flows and won't really tell you what the low flow water levels were unless there were no generations.
Bill