The reservoir level this morning was one-inch below (-1.0") the spillway of the Brasfield Dam. Since the hydro-electric plant is running they are releasing water for the downstream portion of the river. The most recent flow at the Matoaca gauge downstream was 568 cfs, or 367 mgd, which is equal to 4.3 inches of water flowing over the spillway.
In the Daily Data page of this blog I included the estimated inflow for yesterday from 2006 through 2011 using the current formula and the formula we were using last Summer (2010). The estimated inflow under the 1965 Hopewell Agreement is also included in that table. The inflow under the Hopewell Agreement is different than either formula under the Virginia Water Protection Permit (VWP Permit) because it is based on the average flow past the upstream gauge (Mattoax) for the past thirty (30) days. The maximum release required under the Hopewell Agreement is 155 cfs (100 mgd) while the maximum release requirement under the VWP Permit is 190 cfs (124) mgd.
The drought response triggers for November, based on days of storage remaining in the reservoir, are as follows: Voluntary (27.35 mgd) = -19 inches; Mandatory (23.85 mgd) = -92 inches; and Emergemcy (22.85 mgd) = -156 inches. This means that, if we need to call for restrictions this month we would use the fixed trigger levels of -12 and -72 inches rather than the -19 and -92 inches based on remaining storage in the reservoir.
The Appomattox River Water Authority was formed in the 1960s to own/operate a regional water supply and sell drinking water to the cities of Colonial Heights and Petersburg as well as Chesterfield, Dinwiddie and Prince George counties. The information below is updated frequently to communicate current information on Chesdin Reservoir and its environment.
