Archived Abstracts
The Importance of River Influx and Pump Storage Operation on Water Quality in a Storage Reservoir
Location
Room 232, Schewel Hall
Access Type
Open Access
Entry Number
76
Start Date
4-8-2020 2:45 PM
End Date
4-8-2020 3:00 PM
Department
Environmental Science
Abstract
Environmental Regulations require a minimum of 5mg/L of dissolved oxygen (DO) to pass through the American Electric Power hydroelectric dam located between Smith Mountain Lake and Leesville Lake at all times of the year. This requirement is not being met based off the published data American Electric Power is required to release. An influx of high concentrations of nutrients into Leesville Lake from the Pigg River, plus the pump-storage dam’s influence on the hydrodynamics of Leesville Lake and Smith Mountain Lake are the suspected factors causing low dissolved oxygen concentrations. Low DO is problematic for a lake ecosystem because aquatic organisms rely on DO for respiration, levels too low are fatal for aquatic organisms. This study aims to find patterns which suggest the movement of water in Leesville Lake due to pump-storage activity affects the DO passing through the Smith Mountain Dam. It appears from the study that pump-storage activity does play a role in affecting water quality parameters in the tailwaters of Smith Mountain Dam, specifically DO. Since pump-storage dams can alter the water quality of a lake, the operators of these dams should be mindful of pumping patterns of their dams.
Faculty Mentor(s)
Dr. Thomas Shahady Dr. Jennifer Styrsky Dr. Nina Salmon
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The Importance of River Influx and Pump Storage Operation on Water Quality in a Storage Reservoir
Room 232, Schewel Hall
Environmental Regulations require a minimum of 5mg/L of dissolved oxygen (DO) to pass through the American Electric Power hydroelectric dam located between Smith Mountain Lake and Leesville Lake at all times of the year. This requirement is not being met based off the published data American Electric Power is required to release. An influx of high concentrations of nutrients into Leesville Lake from the Pigg River, plus the pump-storage dam’s influence on the hydrodynamics of Leesville Lake and Smith Mountain Lake are the suspected factors causing low dissolved oxygen concentrations. Low DO is problematic for a lake ecosystem because aquatic organisms rely on DO for respiration, levels too low are fatal for aquatic organisms. This study aims to find patterns which suggest the movement of water in Leesville Lake due to pump-storage activity affects the DO passing through the Smith Mountain Dam. It appears from the study that pump-storage activity does play a role in affecting water quality parameters in the tailwaters of Smith Mountain Dam, specifically DO. Since pump-storage dams can alter the water quality of a lake, the operators of these dams should be mindful of pumping patterns of their dams.