Mobile District River System Status for October 25, 2018 Weather Update The Quantitative Precipitation Forecast (QPF) in Figure 1 shows 0.4 to 2.5 inches of precipitation forecasted for the next 7 days. Figure 2 shows the precipitation that occurred for the 7 day period ending on October 25, 2018. The 30 year normal precipitation for the month of October is provided in Figure 3. The 8 to 14 day precipitation probability outlook, shown in Figure 4, predicts above normal precipitation for the District. Figure 5 provides the proportion of total annual stream flow normally seen in October. The US Drought Monitor map for October 23 is provided in Figure 6 and shows a slight increase in abnormally dry areas and moderate drought areas in parts of the northern District. Figure 7 provides the departure of rainfall from normal for the last 30 days. Figure 1: 1-7 Day Precipitation Outlook Figure 2: Observed Precipitation Previous 7 Days
Figure 3: 30-yr Normal Precipitation for October Figure 4: Precipitation Probability 8 to 14 Day Outlook
Figure 5: October Streamflow as a Proportion of the Total Annual Flow Figure 6: U.S. Drought Monitor 10/23/2018
Figure 7: Past 30 Days Departure of Rainfall from Normal
Projects Update The Alabama Coosa Tallapoosa (ACT) Basin experienced below normal rainfall this past week. Allatoona pool, at elevation 833.91 feet, is below the top of conservation at 835.0 feet. Carters pool is at elevation 1071.66 feet. The Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) Basin also experienced below normal rainfall this past week. The composite conservation storage remains in Composite Zone 1 as seen in Figure 8. Normal operations remain in force. Lake Lanier s pool elevation is currently 1069.35 feet, which is below the top of conservation elevation of 1070.63 feet. West Point pool elevation, at 634.23 feet, is below the top of conservation at 635.0 feet. W F George pool, at approximately 188.05 feet, is below the top of conservation elevation of 189.23 feet. Current release to the Apalachicola from Jim Woodruff Lock and Dam is based on normal operations provisions and is approximately 13,700 cfs. Figure 8: ACF Composite Storage Chart as of October 22, 2018 Cumulative daily inflow charts for Buford (Lake Lanier), Allatoona, and Carters for the 2018 calendar year, are provided in Figures 9 through 11, respectively. These charts provide cumulative inflow comparisons between the current year and the wettest year(s) on record, the driest year(s) and the median. The project cumulative inflows for Buford, Allatoona and Carters, as a percentage of the median cumulative calendar year inflows, are currently approximately 108%, 95% and 124%, respectively. For Lake Lanier, 1964 is the wettest calendar year on record and 1986 the driest. The 2007 and 2017 calendar years are provided as recent dry-year references as shown in Figure 9. The 2018 calendar year is the twentieth wettest year to date, with 61 years of record. For Allatoona, the 2018 calendar year is the thirty-first driest year to date. Figure 10 provides several reference years. The wettest calendar year with 69 years of record is 1964. The 2013 calendar year provides a recent wet-year reference. The driest calendar year is 1986 with 2007 total inflows near the 1986 record low. The 2017 calendar year provides a recent dry-year reference. For Carters, 1990 is the wettest calendar year. The 2013 calendar year is the second wettest and provides a recent wetyear reference. The driest calendar year on record is 2007, as shown in Figure 11. The 2017 calendar year provides a recent dry year reference. The 2018 calendar year is the seventeenth wettest year with 43 years of record.
Figure 9: Lake Lanier 2018 Calendar Year Cumulative Average Daily Inflows Figure 10: Allatoona 2018 Calendar Year Cumulative Average Daily Inflows
Figure 11: Carters 2018 Calendar Year Cumulative Average Daily Inflows The status of the Mobile District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects for the week of 10/25/2018 through 10/31/2018 is shown below: Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa Basin Table 1 ACT Projects Current Elevation (ft) Projected One Week Elevation (ft) Allatoona 833.91 833.2 Carters 1071.66 1070.5 R.F. Henry 125.49 124.5 Millers Ferry 79.86 79.8 Table 2 ACT Projects Inflow (cfs) Inflows (% of Average)* Allatoona 942 103% Carters 416 102% *Current Daily Average Inflows as compared to Historical Daily Average Inflows by month. Table 3 ACT Projects Allatoona Carters (Rereg) Expected 7 day Average Releases (cfs) 1,040 ( 1,360 wkdy/ 240 wknd) 500 ( 500 wkdy/ 500 wknd)
Links to forecasts: Allatoona: http://water.sam.usace.army.mil/actcharts.pdf Carters: http://water.sam.usace.army.mil/actcharts2.pdf River Stages: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/serfc/ The current Claiborne TW reading is 13.3 ft. Navigators should contact the Navigation Section at (251) 694-3708 for the latest update on dredging operations, controlling depths and river conditions. Entities wishing to move cargo on the Alabama River system should contact the Coosa-Alabama River Improvement Association (CARIA) to coordinate your shipping schedule during the low water conditions. The phone number is (334) 265-5744. Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint Basin Table 4 ACF Projects Current Elevation (ft) Projected One Week Elevation (ft) Lanier 1069.35 1069.1 West Point 634.23 633.7 Walter F. George 188.05 187.9 Woodruff 76.71 76.5 Table 5 ACF Projects Inflow (cfs) Inflows (% of Average)* Lanier 958 80% West Point 2,838 202% Walter F. George 3,727 278% Woodruff 10,835 175% *Current Daily Average Inflows as compared to Historical Daily Average Inflows by month. Table 6 ACF Projects Expected 7 day Average Releases (cfs) Lanier 1,657( 1,832 wkdy / 1,220 wknd) West Point 2,951 ( 3,100 wkdy / 2,580 wknd) Walter F. George 4,606 ( 4,368 wkdy / 5,200 wknd) Woodruff 13,700 9,400 (range) Links to forecasts: ACF: http://water.sam.usace.army.mil/acfcomposite.htm Lake Lanier: http://water.sam.usace.army.mil/acfcharts.pdf West Point: http://water.sam.usace.army.mil/acfcharts2.pdf George: http://water.sam.usace.army.mil/acfcharts3.pdf Lake Seminole: http://water.sam.usace.army.mil/acfcharts4.pdf Blountstown: http://water.sam.usace.army.mil/acfcharts5.pdf Navigation interests should contact the Corps of Engineers Navigation Section at 251-694-3708 for the latest update on controlling depths and river conditions. Pascagoula River Basin Table 7 Pascagoula Projects Current Elevation (ft) Projected One Week Elevation (ft) Okatibbee 339.93 339.76
Black Warrior Tombigbee & Tenn-Tom Basins Below Coffeeville Dam tailwater elevation is approximately 2.6 ft. Links to forecasts: Alabama: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/serfc/ahps_rvfms.php BWT & Tenn-Tom Rivers: http:/water.sam.usace.army.mil/forecast_points.htm#bwt Other Information and Links All reservoir levels mentioned above are in feet above NGVD and flows are in cubic feet per second (cfs). USGS Real-Time Reservoir and Stream Levels can be accessed at this link, by selecting a specific state or geographic area: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/rt The National Weather Service River Forecast Center provides forecasts and impact levels which can be accessed at this link: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/serfc/index.php The latest weekly U.S. Drought Monitor can be accessed at: http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/ The latest navigation bulletin can be accessed via this link: http://navigation.sam.usace.army.mil/docs/index.asp?type=nn. Additional information and graphs can be accessed on the Water Management web page at: http://water.sam.usace.army.mil/