Cooper River Rediversion Project Lake Moultrie And Santee River South Carolina Design Memorandum No7 Preliminary Design Report St Stephen Power Plant PDF Download

Early implementation is an outgrowth of a project to reduce the shoealing rate in Charleston Harbor, S.C. The project, presently in the design stage, will reduce the fresh-water inflows to the harbor by diverting to the lower Santee River the greater portion of the waters now entering Charleston Harbor via Cooper River. Studies have shown that the present flow of fresh water causes the high shoaling rate. When diversion takes place, the Jefferies Hydro Plant at Pinopolis, S.C., will be required to limit the passage of fresh water to a weekly average of 3,000 cubic feet per second, or such higher flows which will not establish a density current component. This limitation will, in turn, curtail the power generating capability at the hydro plant. A new hydro plant and diversion canal will be built near St. Stephen, S.C., to replace substantially the lost energy. Normally, diversion would take place following construction of the new canal and power plant at St. Stephen; however, a plan of early implementation was conceived assuming the feasibility of the purchase of replacement power during the construction period of the new diversion works. The early implementation concept provided for curtailment of fresh-water flows at the Pinopolis plant and spillage of the excess waters from Lake Marion at Santee Dam. Fresh-water inflows to Charleston Harbor would be reduced, efffecting an attendant reduction in harbor shoaling some seven years prior to the completion of construction at St. Stephen.