THINGS THAT DON'T MAKE SENSE

·         The Corps of Engineers is proud about using waterless toilets at the Thurmond Dam to conserve fresh water.  Each toilet is estimated to save 40,000 gals of water per year.  At the same time the Corps chooses to use a release rate of 3800cfs instead of 3600cfs for very weak reasons.  The extra 200cfs destroys more fresh water in 30 seconds than is saved by a waterless toilet in a year.  Does this make sense in view of how precious fresh water is to all of us?

 

·         Environmentalists strive to get back to nature by avoiding interference by man.  Yet it is the environmentalists who insist that the Corps of Engineers maintain an artificial man made river flowing at least 3800cfs below the Thurmond Dam.  Does this make sense when nature allowed fluctuations to as low as 500cfs for eons before the dams were constructed? 

 

·         The Corps of Engineers claims to be balancing the Savannah River Basin during droughts so as to give equal protection to both lake stakeholders and those downstream of Thurmond Dam.  In reality no stakeholders below Thurmond Dam suffer during droughts while lake stakeholders are losing hundreds of millions of dollars and the lakes are virtually being destroyed.  Does this make sense to claim balance when groups upstream are impacted much worse than those downstream?

 

·         The Corps of Engineers claims to be doing all they can to protect the lakes in a drought.  Yet they refuse to follow recommended release rates that would keep the lakes at acceptable levels even though such changes have been demonstrated to be acceptable downstream.  At the same time with the lakes starving for water the Corps refuses to hold back on releases when the river downstream of Thurmond Dam is swollen to flood stage from heavy rains.  Does this make sense to claim protection when known protective measures are not being used?

 

·         Severe droughts like the one we are in right now have a very negative impact on marinas causing huge losses in incomes.  This makes it extremely difficult for marinas to continue operation.  At such times you would expect the Corps to relax regulations that have negative impacts on profits.  Instead the Corps insists on enforcing questionable rules that could destroy the very marinas that provide recreation on our lakes.  Does it make sense when it could easily be avoided?

 

·         The Corps claims to be following orders from Congress and listening to all the groups connected with the Savannah River System that have a stake in drought control.  But requests by our Congressmen go unheeded using the excuse that one or another group would object.  And no lake interests are represented in the drought control meetings.  Does this make sense?