Incorporating the cold-water pool in Lake Lanier conservation storage management
Author(s)
Zeng, Wei
Rasmussen, Todd C.
Couch, Bill
Zhang, Yi
Advisor(s)
Editor(s)
Carroll, G. Denise
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Abstract
Lake Lanier typically declines during the
summer and fall to meet downstream flow requirements.
While low lake levels during the summer and fall of 2007
caused concerns about depleting the conservation pool,
another concern is the depletion of the cold-water
(hypolimnetic) pool that lies below the surface warmwater
(epilimnetic) pool. Typically, the lake is stratified
during the summer. Discharges at Buford Dam are mainly
from the deeper, cold-water pool, which is normally replenished
during the winter and spring. The Buford Fish
Hatchery - and the designated trout stream downstream of
Buford Dam - depends on these cold-water releases. Increased
lake discharges may exhaust this pool of cold water
before winter inflows replenish it. This study uses historic
data to predict the potential decline of the cold-water
pool as a function of reservoir releases. The decline may
be used to forecast downstream water quality impacts resulting
from alternative Lake Lanier operations.
Sponsor
Sponsored by:
Georgia Environmental Protection Division
U.S. Geological Survey, Georgia Water Science Center
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service
Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia Water Resources Institute
The University of Georgia, Water Resources Faculty
Date
2009-04
Extent
Resource Type
Text
Resource Subtype
Proceedings