Cumberland River Basin 2007 Hydrologic & Hydraulic Drought

1. ® Cumberland River Basin 2007 Hydrologic & Hydraulic Drought SWPBATennesseeNovember 15-17, 2011 Joy Broach – Aquatic BiologistPlanning Branch - Environmental Section

2. Hydrologic Drought TDEC Drought Management Plan 2008 Hydrologic Drought (Meteorological) extreme low stream flowsdeclininggroundwater levels Caused by extended period of reduced precipitation

3. Hydraulic Drought TDEC Drought Management Plan 2008 (Hydraulic) Socioeconomic drought - occurs when the demand for goods or services exceeds the available supply as a result of precipitation conditions. Measured by the amount of water available in rivers and lakes Impacts: Hydroelectric Generation Water Supply Navigation (Light Loading & Windows)

4. Agricultural Drought TDEC Drought Management Plan 2008 InsufficientSoil Moisture to meet crop needs during growing season (Alabama State Climatologist) 96 % of the state reported short to very short soil moisture – Oaks dying on ridges – Serious Impacts next 2 years

5. DroughtConditions Palmer Z Index Short-TermConditions August 2007

6. DroughtConditions StandardizedPrecipitationIndex Nine Months December 2006 – August 2007

7. Tennessee DroughtConditions

8. Nashville District BoundaryHydraulic Drought Mississippi R. Ohio R. Cumberland River Basin Laurel Barkley Wolf Creek Martins Fork KENTUCKY VIRGINIA Cumberland R. Dale Hollow Old Hickory Cordell Hull Cheatham TENNESSEE Nashville J. Percy Priest Center Hill Tennessee R. NORTH CAROLINA SOUTH CAROLINA MISSISSIPPI ALABAMA GEORGIA Lock & Dam Dam

9. Run-of-River Flood Damage Reduction Cumberland River Basin Reservoir System Laurel Martins Fork Wolf Creek Barkley Cordell Hull ■Clarksville ■Celina Dale Hollow Carthage■ ■Nashville Cheatham Old Hickory Center Hill J. Percy Priest

10. Interim Risk Reduction Measures • Public and Ecosystem Health • Wolf Creek (Lake Cumberland) • 19 January 2007 • Flat-line elevation 680 (Normal Summer Pool 723) • Center Hill • 21 December 2006 • June 1 elevation of 640.6 (Normal Summer Pool 648)

11. Available Storage1 June 2007

12. Wolf Creek

13. Wolf Creek Dam: • Cumberland River Mile 460.9 • Completion Date - August 1952 • Power Plant - Six 45-MW units • Drainage Area - 5,789 mi2 • Surface Area - 50,250 acres • Backwater Length - 101.3 miles • Average Depth - 80 ft • Retention Time - 140 days • Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery Wolf Creek Dam Lake Cumberland

14. Pumping System for Wolf Creek Hatchery

15. Center Hill Lake • Center Hill Dam: • Caney Fork River Mile 26.6 • Completion Date - April 1951 • Powerplant - Three 45-MW units • Drainage Area - 2,174 mi2 • Surface Area - 18,220 acres • Backwater Length - 64.0 miles • Average Depth - 73 ft • Retention Time - 131 days

16. Center Hill

19. Cumberland River Basin Drought Contingency Plan • Cumberland River Basin Drought Contingency Plan • Dated November 1994 • Response to drought of 1985 -1988 • System-wide Priorities • Water Supply • Water Quality (Human and Ecosystem Health) • Navigation • Hydropower • Recreation

20. Old Hickory Dam Releases

21. Water QualityWolf Creek Dam Sluice Gate 1,500 cfs

22. Water Quality Wolf Creek Dam Orifice Gate 200 cfs

23. Water Quality Center Hill Sluice Releases • Sluice Gate Release • Flow ~1,500 cfs • DO >> 10mg/l

24. Water Quality Center Hill Orifice Gate Releases • Orifice Gate Release • Flow ~ 200 cfs • DO ~9 mg/l

25. Water Quality Cordell Hull Dam Spillway Releases

26. Water Quality DataCordell Hull F F 61 64 68 72 75 79 82 86 61 64 68 72 75 79 82 86 CORDELL HULL FOREBAY CORDELL HULL FOREBAY

27. TVA Gallatin Fossil Fuel Plant • Stations • CRM 241 • CRM 245 242 244 243

28. Old Hickory Dam Spillway Releases

29. Old Hickory Water Quality Data F F 72 75 79 82 86 90 72 75 79 82 86 90 OLD HICKORYFOREBAY OLD HICKORYFOREBAY

30. Spillway Releases at J. Percy Priest Dam

31. Cheatham Dam Spillway Releases

32. 95 86 77 68 Temperature (OF) 59 50 41

34. TVA Cumberland Fossil Fuel Plant 103 KY • Stations • CRM 100.1 • CRM 105.5 VA NC TN GA MS AL 103

35. Summary of Concerns • Hot, dry conditions accelerate evaporation rates (little or no runoff) • Ability to support water supply in Lake Cumberland and downstream • Quantity – Quality • Wolf Creek and Center Hill coldwater fisheries • Water quality at Cordell Hull, Old Hickory, and Cheatham • Vulnerability of river system to a wastewater bypass event • Cooling water requirements at Gallatin and Cumberland City • Maintain commercial navigation in some capacity • Tributary projects at near record low elevations

36. Cumberland River Basin 2007 Hydrologic & Hydraulic Drought Questions? Answer: It depends on the weather.