Investigation of Aeration Alternatives For Buford Dam, Georgia

Abstract

The Buford Hydropower facility at the Buford Dam on the Chattahoochea River in Georgia is owned and operated by the u.s. Army Corps of Engineers. The hydropower facility withdraws water from the lower levels of the dam's reservoir, where the water is typically cold 0- 55°P) and with low dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations in the summer and fall seasons of the year. The cold release supports an active trout fishery in the tailwater reach of the dam, and a hatchery has been built downstream of the dam to stock this fishery. Unfortunately, the low DO concentrations (1 - 6 mg/L) likely inhibit the productivity of trout. The Mobile District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is considering hydroturbine runner replacement as part of the rehabilitation of the 40+ year old plant. They would also like to provide for a minimum daily average DO concentration of 6 mg/L and a instantaneous minimum of 5 mg/L, if economically possible. This study is an investigation of aeration alternatives for the Buford Dam designed to meet these criteria.