ANSWER TO LAST BALANCING THE BASIN ARTICLE FROM CORPS

I hate to be crude but this article misses the point completely.  Until we learn how to make water out of thin air the only control that makes sense is to limit outflows to inflows so you do not destroy the system that both upstream and downstream want.  For example, let’s say to do all the things this author wants takes 20,000cfs out of Thurmond dam.  We can all see that won’t work because the lakes would run dry in no time.  Why can’t these guys see that you have to live within the confines of what nature is providing.

 

Selfish upstream interests would call for keeping the dams totally full and just let what comes in from rain each day overflow.  Following this approach the river would sometimes have flows of only 500cfs during droughts.  Basically the river would revert to the way it was before the dams were built.

 

Selfish downstream interests would call for 10,000 cfs or so regardless of lake levels.  Following this approach the river would eventually drop to 500cfs in a drought because we would no longer have any lakes to feed the system.

 

Unselfish, logical interests look at the fact that either of the above approaches destroy the system.  Following this approach you limit releases to what comes in from rain but you average this over a year so as to avoid the ravages of drought while keeping the system intact.  Save Our Lakes Now recommendation of 3600cfs (3100 in the winter) anytime the lakes drop 2’ from full summer pool levels is just such an approach.

 

Jerry Clontz, Spokesman for Save Our Lakes Now