If it can get the blessing of state agencies, Commerce could add 100 days of capacity to its reservoir for less than $50,000.
That’s a considerably large “if,” however.
By modifying its outlet structure, the City of Commerce could raise the level of its reservoir by two feet — if it can get the state to go along with the concept.
City seeks cheap way to add to reservoir capacity
A minor item at a recent city council meeting was a budget amendment of $19,000 to hire Schnabel Engineering, Alpharetta, to conduct a feasibility study on raising the elevation or the reservoir.
The hope is that Commerce can raise the water level of its 305-acre Bob Waters Reservoir in Banks County by two feet. Each foot of increase would amount to almost 100 million gallons of water.
Before that can happen, the city has to get the approval of the Safe Dams division of the Environmental Protection Division and the Broad River Soil and Water Conservation District. It may be a case where the cost of the project is less than that of the engineering.
It’s not the mechanics, but the permitting process that raises the most concerns.
“We feel like the dam can handle it,” commented Bryan Harbin, director of water and sewer operations for the city.
And the permitting?”
“I have no idea with today’s environment,” Harbin said. “Look what happened to Jefferson.”
Jefferson has been working 10 years on its Parks Creek Reservoir, but once the EPD indicated it intended to approve a withdrawal permit, the Upper Oconee Basin Water Authority petitioned the EPD to delay issuing the permit so it can have more time to raise objections to the project.
The EPD last year granted the city permission to raise the lake level by one foot on a temporary basis.
The first hurdle for the city will be to find that the dam is safe enough to handle another two feet of water.
“All the assumptions are and the initial talk is that it can,” said Harbin. “The dam has 10 or 11 feet of freeboard.”
But the EPD may also look at the city’s storage capacity vs. its usage and conclude that it doesn’t need additional storage. It could also grant the change but require the city to maintain a minimum flow in the river below the dam - something the city has never had to do.
The hope is that Commerce can raise the water level of its 305-acre Bob Waters Reservoir in Banks County by two feet. Each foot of increase would amount to almost 100 million gallons of water.
Before that can happen, the city has to get the approval of the Safe Dams division of the Environmental Protection Division and the Broad River Soil and Water Conservation District. It may be a case where the cost of the project is less than that of the engineering.
It’s not the mechanics, but the permitting process that raises the most concerns.
“We feel like the dam can handle it,” commented Bryan Harbin, director of water and sewer operations for the city.
And the permitting?”
“I have no idea with today’s environment,” Harbin said. “Look what happened to Jefferson.”
Jefferson has been working 10 years on its Parks Creek Reservoir, but once the EPD indicated it intended to approve a withdrawal permit, the Upper Oconee Basin Water Authority petitioned the EPD to delay issuing the permit so it can have more time to raise objections to the project.
The EPD last year granted the city permission to raise the lake level by one foot on a temporary basis.
The first hurdle for the city will be to find that the dam is safe enough to handle another two feet of water.
“All the assumptions are and the initial talk is that it can,” said Harbin. “The dam has 10 or 11 feet of freeboard.”
But the EPD may also look at the city’s storage capacity vs. its usage and conclude that it doesn’t need additional storage. It could also grant the change but require the city to maintain a minimum flow in the river below the dam - something the city has never had to do.
Thanks.
dam can handle it. ANY extra water storage should be approved as quickly as possible.