Jocassee water levels going down even more as water released into Keowee

Water from Jocassee released into Keowee
Process lowers upstream lake even more; boat ramps being monitored, Duke says

Published: Thursday, December 6, 2007 - 2:00 am



By Anna Simon
CLEMSON BUREAU
asimon@greenvillenews.com


SENECA -- Duke Energy officials said Wednesday that water now is being released from Lake Jocassee to raise the water level in Lake Keowee.

In October, Lake Keowee was lowered 7 feet below full pond to enable routine maintenance on the water intake structure at Oconee Nuclear Station.

That work has been done and on Wednesday the lake level was raised a foot or two, said Sandra Magee, a Duke Energy spokeswoman at the nuclear station.

That brings the lake to about five feet below full pond, which is about two feet below its usual level for this time of year, Magee said. Duke will try to maintain Keowee at that level until there is significant rain, she said.
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No significant rain is in the forecast, which concerns Duke officials.

"It affects our hydro operation, which we've had to restrict," Magee said.

Filling Keowee will take a few more feet of water from Jocassee, which is already low because of the drought, Magee said.

According to Duke Energy's Web site, Lake Keowee was 5 feet below full pond late Wednesday, while Lake Jocassee was 24 feet below full pond.

All boat ramps on Jocassee still remain open, but they are being monitored by state park officials at Devils Fork State Park as the lake level drops, Magee said. If safety becomes an issue, ramps will be closed.

Duke continues to urge people to conserve water because there has been little rain, groundwater tables are low and there is little flow into Jocassee from mountain streams as the drought continues, McGee said.

Duke recently banned the use of lake irrigation pumps to conserve water.

Two reports of use of lake irrigation pumps have come in since the ban was enacted last month, but neither could be verified because the pumps weren't in use when Duke checked on them, Magee said. There are about 1,500 lake irrigation pumps on Keowee, Magee said.

Duke notified the public in July of the planned lowering for the intake work, so that property owners on the lake could take advantage of the opportunity to perform maintenance on their docks and take boats out if needed due to shallow water.

A draw-down for intake piping work normally isn't performed on a yearly basis, but work was needed on all three units. The company lowered the lake last year to work on Unit 1. It worked on Unit 3 this year and plans to work on Unit 2 in the fall of 2008, Magee said.

Lake area residents and boaters can keep an eye on the levels on Jocassee and Keowee on Duke's Web site at www.duke-energy.com/lakes/levels. There also is a toll-free number that can be called for a recording of current lake information at 1-800-829-LAKE (5253).

Check Lake Levels - Duke Energy Jocassee is already down 24'. If they release water from Jocassee to up the level in Keowee by another 5', due to the differing sizes of the lakes, anyone know how much lower that will make Jocassee?

Are the remote ramps still closed?

Is the lower water level in Keowee having any effect on the diving at the Hot Hole?

This is the time when you want to get into Jocassee as from what I have heard of the history there alot of the cooler stuff is in deep water this decrease could help make it possible to discover more. i never dove there before but I years ago I took of advantage of a situation like this and dove a old town in Rosco county NY that was flooded. The drought was so bad you could see some of the old roads and bridges as well as building tops.

its really amazing and not in a good way. we need rain bad........Im diving the hot hole monday ill give a repport on it but since its my first time there i wont be able to base iton much.last time i was at jocassee about a month ago the first platform was at 6 ft.hopefully after my dry suit class ill be able to hit the graveyard since the water is so low .

If it gets much lower in Jocassee Fisher Bones' head of the plastic skeleton family will be sticking out of the water. Bottom in that area at normal pond is 40' and between the tree he is tied to and his height, there is only about 10' of water over his head right now.

We really do need rain. We had a light dusting last week, but it didn't do very much to help.

The lake have been anywhere from 24-26 feet below full pond for weeks. I wonder how much the release into Keowee will change Jocassee.

hmmm right next to the bones somebody sunk a dive boat. I wonder if anyone would get mad if i salvage it
i might be able to back the trailer right down to it.

As of today, Jocassee is 29' down and counting. When I posted the other day the lake was at 24' down.

dove the hot hole monday.We ended up using war path landing. Had to submerge the rear axle of the car to get the boat off the trailer (25-30ft pontoon).water was way down.my dive buddy thats been there before said he notice the water temp was real cold compared to what it use to be. I was acually glad to get out of the water the air temp was right at 80f . Crazy stuff in dec.

I was wondering what the vis was like in Jocassee right now. Lake Lanier's vis has gotten worse the lower it gets. Same for Jocassee or is it still fairly clear?