J. Strom Thurmond Dam
Encyclopedia
J. Strom Thurmond Dam, also known in Georgia
as Clarks Hill Dam, is a concrete
-gravity and embankment dam
located 22 miles (35.4 km) north of Augusta, Georgia
on the Savannah River
at the border of South Carolina
and Georgia
, creating Lake Strom Thurmond
. The dam
was built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers between 1946 and 1954 for the purposes of flood control
, hydroelectricity
and downstream navigation
. The concrete structure of the dam spans 1096 feet (334 m) and rises 204 feet (62 m) above the riverbed, housing a power plant with an installed 380 MW capacity. The Dam has prevented over $185,000 in estimated flood damage annually and also provides recreation, water quality, water supply, along with fish and wildlife management.
Since 1988, the official name of the dam is after Strom Thurmond
, a longtime Senator
. Originally and accepted in Georgia, the dam is named after a local town, Clarks Hill
in South Carolina.
in order to prevent flooding in Augusta, Georgia
. His report was overlooked until the 1927 Rivers and Harbors Act allowed the USACE to investigate development of the Savannah River for the purpose of hydroelectricity
, navigation
, flood control
and irrigation
. In 1933, the USACE completed the report for the entire Savannah River Basin that recommended against government flood control development of the basin but did propose two hydropower dams in the upper Savannah Basin, the Clark Hill and Hartwell Dam
s.
Construction on the Clarks Hill project was not authorized until 1944 by the 78th Congress
and prior efforts by local leaders in Augusta were instrumental in gaining approval. Support from the USACE along with Georgia Senators Walter F. George
and Richard Russell
and Georgia Congressman Paul Brown
were important towards getting President Franklin D. Roosevelt
’s blessing in a 1935 plan. Roosevelt ordered a feasibility study to be done on the Clark Hill Project amongst other dams in the plan. The results were sent back to the President in 1937 and other reviews were conducted until focus on the Second World War slowed the approval process. The next comprehensive study on the Upper Savannah Basin was not completed until 1943 but the project was authorized by Congress
with Public Law 534 in 1944. A clerical error at the time named the project "Clark Hill" instead of "Clarks Hill". The final report on the Upper Savannah Basin was issued in 1946 and initial construction began soon thereafter on August 1.
Construction was at first ceased until November 1946 as President Harry S. Truman
had halted funding for many government programs in order to handle a post-Second World War depressed economy. In 1947, diversion of the Savannah River and construction of a cofferdam began while the contract for the actual dam was awarded. The construction plant for the dam was also completed in 1947, containing equipment to create concrete
that would be transported anywhere on the construction site via three-revolving gantry crane
s with 124 ft. booms. In 1948, after the foundation was excavated, workers began to pour concrete on site for the spillway. In 1949, initial work on the concrete spillway was completed; the original coffer dam was removed and a second cofferdam was installed in order to restore the flow of the Savannah River to its original channel but now through eight-sluice gates in the spillway structure. Concrete operations on the main part of the dam had halted in 1949 because of a steel-strike but resumed in 1950 and much of the spillway was completed by the end of the year.
In late 1950, contracts for construction of the powerhouse were awarded and the contracts for the 7 generators had been awarded a year prior. Construction on the powerhouse would lag initially because materials were needed for the Korean War
but by July 1952, 60% of the powerhouse was complete. Each generator required for the power house needed 32 railcar
s to transport on site. By July 1951, the reservoir began to fill as most of the embankment part of the dam was complete and filling would finish in October 1952. By November 1952, the first generator was operating and began transferring power to South Carolina early the next year. The six remaining generators went online between 1953 and 1954. The project was completed at a cost of US $78.5 million compared to the estimated cost of US $35.3 million in 1944.
Since completion, the J. Strom Thurmond dam has prevented an estimated $185,000 annually in flood damages. In one specific case, the dam decreased the height of the March 1964 flood from 38 feet (11.6 m) to 25 feet (7.6 m) at Augusta, where the flood stage is 32 feet (9.8 m). The dam also helps maintain the 9 feet (2.7 m) navigation channel near August along with reducing silt in the channel by 22%.
in 1928 to construct, own and operate a hydroelectricity
dam at the Clark Hill site. In 1932, the SREC surrendered the license because of conditions imposed by the Great Depression
and a subsequent low-demand for electricity. While the USACE and officials from Georgia were negotiating a plan for the dam in the mid- to late 1930s, the SREC assured them that they would not interfere. However, during the short construction halt in late 1946, the SREC did in fact reapply for the license. In 1947, the Federal Power Commission denied the SREC the license but the company gained support from Michigan Representative George A. Dondero who was the chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Public Works and Transportation. Dondero introduced a bill that would allow the USACE to build the dam’s embankment and allow SREC to build, own and operate the powerhouse. The bill was defeated and SREC announced it would no longer fight for the Clark Hill project or any other Savannah River
Basin projects.
Until 1988, the dam was called Clarks Hill Dam. In 1987, however, the U.S. Congress passed a South Carolina-sponsored bill to rename the dam and lake after Strom Thurmond
, a long-time Senator
from South Carolina. In response, a group of Georgia legislators introduced an eventually unsuccessful bill to rename the lake as "Clarks Hill" once again. On April 4, 1989 the State of Georgia legislature passed House Resolution No. 115 making "Clarks Hill" the official state name for both the dam and associated reservoir.
. The dam created the 71000 acres (28,732.7 ha) Lake Strom Thurmond
which stretches 29.4 miles (47.3 km) up the Savannah River
and 17 miles (27.4 km) up the Little River. The dam is 239.5 miles (385.4 km) upstream of the Savannah’s mouth and combines with the Hartwell Dam
(1962) and the Richard B. Russell Dam
(1985) in order to form over 120 miles (193.1 km) of lakes.
The dam helps provide electricity during peak-hours with seven 40-MW hydroelectricity
generators
. Each turbine weighs 300 tons and has a 30 feet (9.1 m) diameter. The generators are fed with water by seven 214 feet (65.2 m), 20 inches (508 mm) penstock
s, and the dam’s spillway
contains 23 tainter gate
s that help maintaining a normal 330 ft MSL lake elevation and flooding. The dam's 700,000,000 kW·h annual production of electricity is managed by the Southeastern Power Administration
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
as Clarks Hill Dam, is a concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
-gravity and embankment dam
Embankment dam
An embankment dam is a massive artificial water barrier. It is typically created by the emplacement and compaction of a complex semi-plastic mound of various compositions of soil, sand, clay and/or rock. It has a semi-permanent waterproof natural covering for its surface, and a dense, waterproof...
located 22 miles (35.4 km) north of Augusta, Georgia
Augusta, Georgia
Augusta is a consolidated city in the U.S. state of Georgia, located along the Savannah River. As of the 2010 census, the Augusta–Richmond County population was 195,844 not counting the unconsolidated cities of Hephzibah and Blythe.Augusta is the principal city of the Augusta-Richmond County...
on the Savannah River
Savannah River
The Savannah River is a major river in the southeastern United States, forming most of the border between the states of South Carolina and Georgia. Two tributaries of the Savannah, the Tugaloo River and the Chattooga River, form the northernmost part of the border...
at the border of South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
and Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, creating Lake Strom Thurmond
Lake Strom Thurmond
Lake Strom Thurmond, known in Georgia as Clarks Hill Lake, is a reservoir at the border between Georgia and South Carolina in the Savannah River Basin. It was created by the J. Strom Thurmond Dam during 1951 and 1952 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers near the confluence of the "Little River" and...
. The dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
was built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers between 1946 and 1954 for the purposes of flood control
Flood control
In communications, flood control is a feature of many communication protocols designed to prevent overwhelming of a destination receiver. Such controls can be implemented either in software or in hardware, and will often request that the message be resent after the receiver has finished...
, hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
and downstream navigation
Navigation
Navigation is the process of monitoring and controlling the movement of a craft or vehicle from one place to another. It is also the term of art used for the specialized knowledge used by navigators to perform navigation tasks...
. The concrete structure of the dam spans 1096 feet (334 m) and rises 204 feet (62 m) above the riverbed, housing a power plant with an installed 380 MW capacity. The Dam has prevented over $185,000 in estimated flood damage annually and also provides recreation, water quality, water supply, along with fish and wildlife management.
Since 1988, the official name of the dam is after Strom Thurmond
Strom Thurmond
James Strom Thurmond was an American politician who served as a United States Senator. He also ran for the Presidency of the United States in 1948 as the segregationist States Rights Democratic Party candidate, receiving 2.4% of the popular vote and 39 electoral votes...
, a longtime Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
. Originally and accepted in Georgia, the dam is named after a local town, Clarks Hill
Clarks Hill, South Carolina
Clarks Hill is a census-designated place in McCormick County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 376 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Clarks Hill is located at ....
in South Carolina.
History and construction
In 1890, Lieutenant Oberlin M. Carter of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Savannah Office issued a survey report that recommended the construction of dams on the Savannah RiverSavannah River
The Savannah River is a major river in the southeastern United States, forming most of the border between the states of South Carolina and Georgia. Two tributaries of the Savannah, the Tugaloo River and the Chattooga River, form the northernmost part of the border...
in order to prevent flooding in Augusta, Georgia
Augusta, Georgia
Augusta is a consolidated city in the U.S. state of Georgia, located along the Savannah River. As of the 2010 census, the Augusta–Richmond County population was 195,844 not counting the unconsolidated cities of Hephzibah and Blythe.Augusta is the principal city of the Augusta-Richmond County...
. His report was overlooked until the 1927 Rivers and Harbors Act allowed the USACE to investigate development of the Savannah River for the purpose of hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
, navigation
Navigation
Navigation is the process of monitoring and controlling the movement of a craft or vehicle from one place to another. It is also the term of art used for the specialized knowledge used by navigators to perform navigation tasks...
, flood control
Flood control
In communications, flood control is a feature of many communication protocols designed to prevent overwhelming of a destination receiver. Such controls can be implemented either in software or in hardware, and will often request that the message be resent after the receiver has finished...
and irrigation
Irrigation
Irrigation may be defined as the science of artificial application of water to the land or soil. It is used to assist in the growing of agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, and revegetation of disturbed soils in dry areas and during periods of inadequate rainfall...
. In 1933, the USACE completed the report for the entire Savannah River Basin that recommended against government flood control development of the basin but did propose two hydropower dams in the upper Savannah Basin, the Clark Hill and Hartwell Dam
Hartwell Dam
Hartwell Dam is concrete and embankment dam located on the Savannah River at the border of South Carolina and Georgia, creating Lake Hartwell. The dam was built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers between 1955 and 1962 for the purposes of flood control, hydropower and navigation. The concrete and...
s.
Construction on the Clarks Hill project was not authorized until 1944 by the 78th Congress
78th United States Congress
The Seventy-eighth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1943 to January 3, 1945, during the last two years...
and prior efforts by local leaders in Augusta were instrumental in gaining approval. Support from the USACE along with Georgia Senators Walter F. George
Walter F. George
Walter Franklin George was an American politician from the state of Georgia. He was a long-time United States Senator and was President pro tempore. He was a Democrat.-Early years:...
and Richard Russell
Richard Russell, Jr.
Richard Brevard Russell, Jr. was a Democratic Party politician from the southeastern state of Georgia. He served as state governor from 1931 to 1933 and United States senator from 1933 to 1971....
and Georgia Congressman Paul Brown
Paul Brown (Georgia politician)
Paul Brown was an American politician and lawyer.Brown was born in Hartwell, Georgia, and graduated from the University of Georgia School of Law in Athens with a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1901. He was admitted to the state bar in that year and began practicing law in Lexington, Georgia...
were important towards getting President Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
’s blessing in a 1935 plan. Roosevelt ordered a feasibility study to be done on the Clark Hill Project amongst other dams in the plan. The results were sent back to the President in 1937 and other reviews were conducted until focus on the Second World War slowed the approval process. The next comprehensive study on the Upper Savannah Basin was not completed until 1943 but the project was authorized by Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
with Public Law 534 in 1944. A clerical error at the time named the project "Clark Hill" instead of "Clarks Hill". The final report on the Upper Savannah Basin was issued in 1946 and initial construction began soon thereafter on August 1.
Construction was at first ceased until November 1946 as President Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
had halted funding for many government programs in order to handle a post-Second World War depressed economy. In 1947, diversion of the Savannah River and construction of a cofferdam began while the contract for the actual dam was awarded. The construction plant for the dam was also completed in 1947, containing equipment to create concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
that would be transported anywhere on the construction site via three-revolving gantry crane
Gantry crane
Gantry cranes, bridge cranes, and overhead cranes, are all types of cranes which lift objects by a hoist which is fitted in a hoist trolley and can move horizontally on a rail or pair of rails fitted under a beam...
s with 124 ft. booms. In 1948, after the foundation was excavated, workers began to pour concrete on site for the spillway. In 1949, initial work on the concrete spillway was completed; the original coffer dam was removed and a second cofferdam was installed in order to restore the flow of the Savannah River to its original channel but now through eight-sluice gates in the spillway structure. Concrete operations on the main part of the dam had halted in 1949 because of a steel-strike but resumed in 1950 and much of the spillway was completed by the end of the year.
In late 1950, contracts for construction of the powerhouse were awarded and the contracts for the 7 generators had been awarded a year prior. Construction on the powerhouse would lag initially because materials were needed for the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
but by July 1952, 60% of the powerhouse was complete. Each generator required for the power house needed 32 railcar
Railcar
A railcar, in British English and Australian English, is a self-propelled railway vehicle designed to transport passengers. The term "railcar" is usually used in reference to a train consisting of a single coach , with a driver's cab at one or both ends. Some railways, e.g., the Great Western...
s to transport on site. By July 1951, the reservoir began to fill as most of the embankment part of the dam was complete and filling would finish in October 1952. By November 1952, the first generator was operating and began transferring power to South Carolina early the next year. The six remaining generators went online between 1953 and 1954. The project was completed at a cost of US $78.5 million compared to the estimated cost of US $35.3 million in 1944.
Since completion, the J. Strom Thurmond dam has prevented an estimated $185,000 annually in flood damages. In one specific case, the dam decreased the height of the March 1964 flood from 38 feet (11.6 m) to 25 feet (7.6 m) at Augusta, where the flood stage is 32 feet (9.8 m). The dam also helps maintain the 9 feet (2.7 m) navigation channel near August along with reducing silt in the channel by 22%.
Construction obstacles
The USACE encountered several problems when constructing the Clark Hill project. The most serious was a conflict with the Savannah River Electric Company (SREC) over the power rights of the Clark Hill project. The SREC had acquired a permit from the Federal Power CommissionFederal Power Commission
The Federal Power Commission was an independent commission of the United States government, originally organized on June 23, 1930, with five members nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate...
in 1928 to construct, own and operate a hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
dam at the Clark Hill site. In 1932, the SREC surrendered the license because of conditions imposed by the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
and a subsequent low-demand for electricity. While the USACE and officials from Georgia were negotiating a plan for the dam in the mid- to late 1930s, the SREC assured them that they would not interfere. However, during the short construction halt in late 1946, the SREC did in fact reapply for the license. In 1947, the Federal Power Commission denied the SREC the license but the company gained support from Michigan Representative George A. Dondero who was the chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Public Works and Transportation. Dondero introduced a bill that would allow the USACE to build the dam’s embankment and allow SREC to build, own and operate the powerhouse. The bill was defeated and SREC announced it would no longer fight for the Clark Hill project or any other Savannah River
Savannah River
The Savannah River is a major river in the southeastern United States, forming most of the border between the states of South Carolina and Georgia. Two tributaries of the Savannah, the Tugaloo River and the Chattooga River, form the northernmost part of the border...
Basin projects.
Dam naming controversy
See also: South Carolina renaming of lakeUntil 1988, the dam was called Clarks Hill Dam. In 1987, however, the U.S. Congress passed a South Carolina-sponsored bill to rename the dam and lake after Strom Thurmond
Strom Thurmond
James Strom Thurmond was an American politician who served as a United States Senator. He also ran for the Presidency of the United States in 1948 as the segregationist States Rights Democratic Party candidate, receiving 2.4% of the popular vote and 39 electoral votes...
, a long-time Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
from South Carolina. In response, a group of Georgia legislators introduced an eventually unsuccessful bill to rename the lake as "Clarks Hill" once again. On April 4, 1989 the State of Georgia legislature passed House Resolution No. 115 making "Clarks Hill" the official state name for both the dam and associated reservoir.
Dam and power plant characteristics
The J. Strom Thurmond Dam’s power-house is a concrete-gravity structure that is flanked by embankment dams for a total length of one mile. The concrete section is 1096 feet (334.1 m) long and is 200 feet (61 m) high from the Savannah’s thalwegThalweg
Thalweg in geography and fluvial geomorphology signifies the deepest continuous inline within a valley or watercourse system.-Hydrology:In hydrological and fluvial landforms, the thalweg is a line drawn to join the lowest points along the entire length of a stream bed or valley in its downward...
. The dam created the 71000 acres (28,732.7 ha) Lake Strom Thurmond
Lake Strom Thurmond
Lake Strom Thurmond, known in Georgia as Clarks Hill Lake, is a reservoir at the border between Georgia and South Carolina in the Savannah River Basin. It was created by the J. Strom Thurmond Dam during 1951 and 1952 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers near the confluence of the "Little River" and...
which stretches 29.4 miles (47.3 km) up the Savannah River
Savannah River
The Savannah River is a major river in the southeastern United States, forming most of the border between the states of South Carolina and Georgia. Two tributaries of the Savannah, the Tugaloo River and the Chattooga River, form the northernmost part of the border...
and 17 miles (27.4 km) up the Little River. The dam is 239.5 miles (385.4 km) upstream of the Savannah’s mouth and combines with the Hartwell Dam
Hartwell Dam
Hartwell Dam is concrete and embankment dam located on the Savannah River at the border of South Carolina and Georgia, creating Lake Hartwell. The dam was built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers between 1955 and 1962 for the purposes of flood control, hydropower and navigation. The concrete and...
(1962) and the Richard B. Russell Dam
Richard B. Russell Dam
Richard B. Russell Dam is a concrete-gravity and embankment dam located on the Savannah River at the border of South Carolina and Georgia, creating Richard B. Russell Lake. The dam was built by the U.S...
(1985) in order to form over 120 miles (193.1 km) of lakes.
The dam helps provide electricity during peak-hours with seven 40-MW hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
generators
Electrical generator
In electricity generation, an electric generator is a device that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy. A generator forces electric charge to flow through an external electrical circuit. It is analogous to a water pump, which causes water to flow...
. Each turbine weighs 300 tons and has a 30 feet (9.1 m) diameter. The generators are fed with water by seven 214 feet (65.2 m), 20 inches (508 mm) penstock
Penstock
A penstock is a sluice or gate or intake structure that controls water flow, or an enclosed pipe that delivers water to hydraulic turbines and sewerage systems. It is a term that has been inherited from the technology of wooden watermills....
s, and the dam’s spillway
Spillway
A spillway is a structure used to provide the controlled release of flows from a dam or levee into a downstream area, typically being the river that was dammed. In the UK they may be known as overflow channels. Spillways release floods so that the water does not overtop and damage or even destroy...
contains 23 tainter gate
Tainter gate
The Tainter gate is a type of radial arm floodgate used in dams and canal locks to control water flow. It is named for Wisconsin structural engineer Jeremiah Burnham Tainter....
s that help maintaining a normal 330 ft MSL lake elevation and flooding. The dam's 700,000,000 kW·h annual production of electricity is managed by the Southeastern Power Administration
Southeastern Power Administration
The Southeastern Power Administration is a United States Power Marketing Administration with responsibility for marketing hydroelectric power from 23 water projects operated by the U.S...