Trout, aquatic life, and anglers along a 35-mile stretch of the Chattahoochee River could see better water conditions under a new operating procedure for Buford Dam that changes how water is released during summer and fall months.
What’s happening: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has adopted a new procedure for Buford Dam that adjusts how minimum water releases are made into the Chattahoochee River from mid- to late July through late November each year. The change is designed to raise dissolved oxygen levels — the amount of oxygen available in the water — downstream of Lake Lanier, where seasonal conditions in the lake can cause those levels to drop.
How it works: Under the new procedure, minimum-flow releases will combine about 450 cubic feet per second from one of the dam’s turbines with about 240 cubic feet per second through a sluice gate. Water moving through the sluice gate is mechanically aerated — meaning oxygen is added to it — before it enters the river. The total amount of water released from the lake does not change, and lake levels are not affected.
What the science showed: The Corps studied dissolved oxygen and water temperature conditions in 2023 and 2024. Researchers found that combining turbine releases with aerated sluice gate releases consistently raised dissolved oxygen levels in the river just below the dam during the periods they studied.
Who benefits: The 35-mile stretch of the Chattahoochee between Buford Dam and Morgan Falls Dam is expected to see improved water quality. Better oxygen levels support trout survival, other aquatic life, and the broader river ecosystem. The state’s Wildlife Resources Division noted that water quality in this stretch is critical to managing the river’s trout fishery and to operations at the Buford Trout Hatchery. The Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, a National Park Service site, sits immediately below the dam.
What’s next: The Corps will continue monitoring the operation and evaluating whether it is working as intended to guide future decisions about managing water from the dam.
B.T. Clark is the Publisher of The Georgia Sun and author of Principles Are Like Pants… You Ought to Have Some. Over two decades in journalism, he has served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc., earning multiple awards along the way. His work has appeared in newspapers across the state, including The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal.
- B.T. Clark
- B.T. Clark
- B.T. Clark
- B.T. Clark
