South Holston Dam Maintenance Scheduled
Major Update to South Holston River Dam Turbine Scheduled
A major update to the South Holston River Dam turbine is scheduled from July 10, 2017 through March 16, 2018, according to James Everett, P.E., RFC Ops Support for TVA River Management. The current turbine is 67 years old and the original to the dam. TVA will be replacing this turbine with a new and more efficient model.
This project will require TVA to manually operate downstream flows during the project. As most anglers are aware, the rate and time for downstream flow rates depend on energy demand and weather conditions; during the project only weather will be a concern. However, the plan is to provide 4 to 5 days during the week of flow between 1200-1500 cfs and 2 to 3 days on the weekends with no more than 400 cfs. Flow rates between 400 cfs and 1200 cfs are to be avoided because of oscillation affect on the weir dam.
Although all the details have not been refined, TVA will be providing notice of anticipated flow rates on their mobile app and using the siren at the weir dam when higher flow rates are coming.
TVA will be monitoring water temperatures downstream during the entire project operation as well as levels of Magnesium (Mg). At the lower elevations within the lake from which the water is to be drawn, there are higher levels of Mg. As needed TVA will use high elevation of lake water to mix with the discharge in order to dilute the Mg. TVA biologist, Dennis Baxter in involved with this part of the project.
