Santee Cooper wants you to know

[JABIII]

Santee Cooper begins contolled spill at Santee dam

Santee Cooper began controlled spilling Thursday to alleviate high lake levels.
By Patrick Phillips
Published: Mar. 7, 2024

MONCKS CORNER, S.C. (WCSC) - Santee Cooper began controlled spilling Thursday morning to alleviate high lake levels caused by increased rainfall.

The utility began releasing 10,000 cubic feet of water per second — or about 4.48 million gallons per minute — into the Santee River at 8 a.m. Thursday to keep lake levels below the maximum elevation. They say they will continue the controlled spilling operations until further notice.

The utility said it has also been operating the St. Stephen hydro units since Monday to help control lake levels.

“Santee Cooper’s dams and dikes are secure,” the utility said in a release. “Spilling is a normal part of Santee Cooper’s hydroelectric operations in periods of increased inflows into the lakes.”

Anyone who lives nearby can call 800-92LAKES for daily updates.

[DRDUCK]

They letting that much out of Murray now.

[jwilliams]

Santee Cooper begins contolled spill at Santee dam

Santee Cooper began controlled spilling Thursday to alleviate high lake levels.
By Patrick Phillips
Published: Mar. 7, 2024

MONCKS CORNER, S.C. (WCSC) - Santee Cooper began controlled spilling Thursday morning to alleviate high lake levels caused by increased rainfall.

The utility began releasing 10,000 cubic feet of water per second — or about 4.48 million gallons per minute — into the Santee River at 8 a.m. Thursday to keep lake levels below the maximum elevation. They say they will continue the controlled spilling operations until further notice.

The utility said it has also been operating the St. Stephen hydro units since Monday to help control lake levels.

“Santee Cooper’s dams and dikes are secure,” the utility said in a release. “Spilling is a normal part of Santee Cooper’s hydroelectric operations in periods of increased inflows into the lakes.”

Anyone who lives nearby can call 800-92LAKES for daily updates.

It's truly amazing that this water snuck up on em. Has more to do with last weeks rains. Not sure why they didn't start Saturday. They only started dumping st stephens Monday. Moultrie was up to 75.20

[B.S.D.]

God forbid we keep the water at a decent level in the upper lake...

[BOGSTER]

Winter drawdowns would’ve prevented this.

[jwilliams]

God forbid we keep the water at a decent level in the upper lake...

It would have been in peoples yards for a few days....Not exactly catastrophic

[Silentweapon338]

I remember when the 100 year flood hit and someone flew a drone over the back side of the damn and got some pics. That was pretty wild.

[B.S.D.]

It would have been in peoples yards for a few days....Not exactly catastrophic

Its a ways away from being in my back yard as of 6:30 this morning...

[catahouladogs]

The people that control the water for Santee Cooper ride on the short bus to work.

[We Jeep Inn]

Hartwell is dumping about 5500 and we are 1.5' over full pool. Twice as much coming in than going out right now and more rain expected today/tomorrow. Good to see the lake over full for now.
Clarks Hill dumping 16,000. I suspect they are creating capacity downstream to pull Hartwell a bit.

[Tater]

Gotta hand it to whomever has been making the water decisions on Hartwell the last several years. They stay on top of what’s coming and how to handle it much better nowadays.

[turk]

I was on clark hill last night crappie fishing. It was the most trash and logs ive seen on the lake in a long time. Any one planning on fishing soon be careful!

[Grebe]

Gotta hand it to whomever has been making the water decisions on Hartwell the last several years. They stay on top of what’s coming and how to handle it much better nowadays.

I agree. It seems like from 2005ish to 2012ish it was a shit show. I can’t remember it ever being full pool around those years.

[mudnut1970]

Y’all need to come see the shit show at Wateree.

[jwilliams]

Y’all need to come see the shit show at Wateree.

Meh. Wateree is limited in size and discharge ability. They start dumping water when clouds hit the Rockies. Just no way catch up when all Catawba system dumps. New dam will help some, but still won’t be able to keep up with Norman and chain below it. They were at 93ish last week and went over 96 by Saturday.

[huntinghagen#12]

I agree. It seems like from 2005ish to 2012ish it was a shit show. I can’t remember it ever being full pool around those years.

We had a family lake house on Hartwell growing up, probably mid 90’s to 2012ish. I remember that time frame you mentioned, the lake was all but useless due to being down all the time.

[BugBuster]

There is obviously no communication between the Santee cooper and lake wateree and I don’t know if there ever was any. The wateree river was between 6-7 ft all last week and projected to go to 13 ft Saturday a week ago. Since last Saturday, it has been between 18 and 20 feet up until yesterday. The common sense in me would say to make room ahead of the rain not wait until it is completely full and not flood everyone below. If you are a landowner on the river, you have to give the Ward to Duke energy and Lake wateree.

[Duck Tape]

At least the high water eliminated all the stumps...

[coot nasty]

Winter drawdowns would’ve prevented this.

Yeah especially in the fall month of September lol

[BugBuster]

And to top it off, the tresvants gauge no longer works.