A decent proxy for Lanier water temps?

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A decent proxy for Lanier water temps?

I know that a bunch of us have been looking for some indication of the current water temps in Lanier. It appears that the USGS reports for Buford Dam report the water on the wrong side (for us) of the dam, downstream. The Lake Lanier page for Buford Dam doesn't show water temps but does show water levels, etc.

I did find that Lake Russell, just below Hartwell, on the GA/SC line does report water temps. Look a touch on the warm side to me but might be a reasonable proxy with some adjustment for us. Lake Hartwell water temps via USGS

Edit:Found something for Allatoona, too, that appears to be, if not above the dam, at least more reflective vis-a-vis air.

for the curious: Allatoona current: 43 Russell: 49 Moral of the story: Sometimes it's worth driving an extra half hour or hour.

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Langdon
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Re: A decent proxy for Lanier water temps?

I have emailed USGS requesting that they provide data on lake water temps in at least 5 locations.
I will update if or when they respond.

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Re: A decent proxy for Lanier water temps?
LGarner wrote:

I have emailed USGS requesting that they provide data on lake water temps in at least 5 locations. I will update if or when they respond.

Guessing that you will not get a response today or, likely, tomorrow... Biggrin

It may be an issue with lakes of having to deal with varying water levels so it's more expensive to automate (cable runs, etc.)

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Langdon
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Re: A decent proxy for Lanier water temps?

I am sure that moniter the inlet water temp at all the treatment lovations
Linwood (close to Holly)
Dogwood ( N side of Gainesville )
Lanier filter plant
Shoal creek filter plant
Lakeside water treatment (Flowery branch)

There are probably plenty of remote sites that moniter water temps, amount of oxygen in the water, BOD's etc. ( well I hope there is anyway )

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Re: A decent proxy for Lanier water temps?

There used to be a number you could call for the water temp at the dam, but I'm not sure of what it is. 770-945-0167 or something like that???????

This place says it is 55 right now. Seems a lot warmer than it normally has been this time of year and we are having a pretty cold winter.

https://www.watertemperature.net/united-states/lake-lanier-water-temperature.html

What happens in a black hole stays in a black hole.

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Re: A decent proxy for Lanier water temps?

770-945-1467 seems to work. I assumed this is from the lake side of the dam, where they measure the elevation. 46º on 1/18.

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webguy
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Re: A decent proxy for Lanier water temps?
Randy wrote:

There used to be a number you could call for the water temp at the dam, but I'm not sure of what it is. 770-945-0167 or something like that???????

This place says it is 55 right now. Seems a lot warmer than it normally has been this time of year and we are having a pretty cold winter.

https://www.watertemperature.net/united-states/lake-lanier-water-temperature.html

Randy, I really don't think the water is 55 given what the other observations are. Hartwell, Lanier and Russell are all, magically, 55.4. The USGS is telling us that it's 49 on Russell. Chris's 46 on the phone line sounds pretty close, too.

Quote:
During the summer months the area is massively popular with tourists who flock to take part in a diverse range of activities that include fishing, swimming, boating and camping around the mild waters whose temperatures generally reach between 60 and 70 Fahrenheit.
Bzzzzzzzzzzt. Sorry, wrong answer. Biggrin
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Re: A decent proxy for Lanier water temps?
FoilDood wrote:

770-945-1467 seems to work. I assumed this is from the lake side of the dam, where they measure the elevation. 46º on 1/18.

What worried Landon and me is that we're not sure which side of the dam they are measuring. Langdon found a series which when we traced it back to June still read cold. Unfortunately, now, the surface temp probably isn't that much different than the temps 150 ft down (and what comes out of the discharge so it's hard to tell. Today's number in freedom units is 46.2 below the dam.

https://waterdata.usgs.gov/ga/nwis/uv?cb_00010=on&format=gif_default&site_no=02334430&period=180&begin_date=2018-01-15&end_date=2018-01-22

All I know is that Tampa Bay is probably warmer if ya know what I mean. Wink

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Langdon
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Re: A decent proxy for Lanier water temps?

I thought that in the past we normally saw the lake bottom out at around 46-47 but seldom much lower so that 55.4 was suspect. They did say it was too cold to swim though.

I'm pretty sure that the temps are read on the lake side of the dam. In summer months when the lake readings are pretty warm the river can be very cold. Also, in the past they always the "surface temperature at the dam is ......". If wouldn't make much sense to read the surface temp at the the lower side (which is really the river, not the lake anyway.)

What happens in a black hole stays in a black hole.

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Re: A decent proxy for Lanier water temps?

I was under the impression that it was important to read downstream of the dam because the cold water coming out of the bottom had contributed significantly to some tragedies over the years. People go fishing or boating below the dam in the summer not realizing that they are at risk of hypothermia.

Quote:
Another issue officials said people should keep in mind is the temperature of the water. It comes from the bottom of Lake Lanier and can therefore be as cold as 48 degrees, officials said.

One tip Rutledge had for swimmers who are swimming on the river during non-generation times is to regularly get out of the water to warm up.

“Exposure to the cold waters of the Chattahoochee River may cause a person to quickly experience the signs of hypothermia,” Rutledge said.
http://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/local/officials-buford-dam-water-releases-create-dangerous-conditions-on-chattahoochee/article_66afb9a0-6a38-52d6-895d-9471cf774c71.html

Quote:
Most eddies disappear and the shoreline develops more strainers. The water is very cold, this will lead to an increased risk of hypothermia and possible drowning if a speedy rescue is not made."

One more warning - when the release is on, it can be very difficult to leave the river until past the highway 20 bridge, due to the steep banks and strainers. All the usual riverside eddies and sandbars go under, and it's a cold and miserable place to swim for more than a few minutes. People have drowned here due to lack of preparation. Please be safe out there and boat with friends.
https://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/River/detail/id/4475/

But, I've been wrong before multiple times.

Edit: Trout people care, too: https://epd.georgia.gov/proposed-new-temperature-criteria-chattahoochee-river-tailwater-trout-fishery

Edit #2: farther down the rabbit hole. Water temperature and the ecology of the lake http://georgiawildlife.com/lake-lanier-turnover-facts

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Re: A decent proxy for Lanier water temps?

My guess is that there is also a place that measures temps in the river. Like this one. Same temp as lake today, but look a few days back - 38. Never recall the lake dropping that low, and it doesn't change all that fast.

https://waterdata.usgs.gov/usa/nwis/uv?02336000

What happens in a black hole stays in a black hole.

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Re: A decent proxy for Lanier water temps?
Randy wrote:

My guess is that there is also a place that measures temps in the river. Like this one. Same temp as lake today, but look a few days back - 38. Never recall the lake dropping that low, and it doesn't change all that fast.

https://waterdata.usgs.gov/usa/nwis/uv?02336000

This station is over on the west side of Atlanta by Cobb Co. where Paces Ferry crosses the river https://goo.gl/maps/fM8HpCShzf52 . You are correct - the temperature swings a lot

Maybe when the gubment gets back to normal, someone can answer the question for us.

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Re: A decent proxy for Lanier water temps?

Pretty easy to find out. Call 770-945-1467 and ask that guy where the temp is measured.

What happens in a black hole stays in a black hole.

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Re: A decent proxy for Lanier water temps?

Don't bother. I just called him and he said I was right.

What happens in a black hole stays in a black hole.

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webguy
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Re: A decent proxy for Lanier water temps?

Yay! Thank you, Randy and Chris.

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