— Summersville Lake —
As the primary purpose of the Summersville Lake
Project is flood control, the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers continuously monitors rainfall and stream
flow conditions. To prevent downstream flooding, the
USACE monitors stream gauges in both downstream
locations and on tributaries that flow into the lake.
Operations may be made, not only for conditions in the
lake and the immediate reach of the Gauley River, but
also for flood conditions on the Kanawha and Ohio
Rivers.
Operation of flood control consists of two parts:
(1) retaining excess inflow into the lake to prevent
downstream flooding during an event, and,
(2) evacuation of stored floodwater as quickly as possible
after the event to maximize the storage capacity
availability in preparation for any upcoming events.
Another purpose for the Summersville Lake Project is
low-flow augmentation. This is most utilized in mid to
late summer when rainfall has diminished and water
quality diminishes along the Kanawha River. Releases
from upstream reservoirs including Summersville Lake,
are made to manipulate dissolved oxygen content and/or temperature in downstream rivers to maintain a
healthy river environment for West Virginia fish and
wildlife.
Hydropower Completed.
In 2001 a privately owned hydropower facility was
completed below
Summersville Dam. The hydropower
facility at maximum capacity is able to produce 80
Megawatts of power with a flow of 4,300 cfs (cubic feet
per second).
In 2015, The Summersville Dam hydropower plant was
able to produce 208,000 MWh (MegaWatt hours) of
energy. This can provide power for up to 14,989 homes.
This is enough energy to provide power for 57% of
Charleston's households annually.
The Gauley River.
The Gauley River located below the dam is among the
World's best whitewater runs. The World Rafting
Championship was held here in 2001. In total there are
over 100 Rapids in the 25 miles of river.
Dam Facts.
Max flow : 14,800 cfs (cubic feet per second)
· 2nd highest earthen dam in the Eastern U.S.
· Cost $48,075,800 to construct.
· The Dam is 390 feet high and 2,280 feet long.
· Through 2015, it has prevented over 771 million
dollars in flood damages.
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