Aging equipment causes issues at Augusta lock and dam

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – More storms in the area could bring some lightning and flash flooding impacts with them. 

This time last week, the Savannah River saw low levels even with all the rain. 

Augusta Utilities says the cause was a door issue at the lock and dam after lightning struck a powerline. 

If it happened once, could it happen again?  

The Army Corp of Engineers says it’s not uncommon for them to lose power when it storms, meaning sometimes they lose control of the gates at the dam.  

They say they have backup plans in place, but those can only last for so long. 

Aging equipment can lead to problems. 

“I would probably say at least a dozen times a year, possibly more, we have issues with one line or the other,” said Scott Hyatt with the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers. 

Hyatt says storms last week knocked out both power and communications to the dam, keeping the gates open and dropping water levels by 2.5 feet. 

“Got about six inches lower than we’d like it to ever get,” he said. 

It led them to run on a backup generator and equipment from decades ago. 

“It’s a structure that was built in the 1930s. It’s been mothballed and idled since the 1980s. And had very, very little done to it. It’s in terrible shape, the generator that’s in there, the engine came from a Korean War era military vehicle,” said Hyatt. 

But they recently received funding to fix two of the gates next fall and get a new generator next year, so the problem becomes less common. 

“We don’t have a system on the dam that just tells us, ‘Hey, you’ve lost a phase of power.’ It just tells us whether we have power or not,” said Hyatt. 

Even though they do lose control of the dam, he says it won’t cause any excessive flooding. 

The Army Corp of Engineers says they do watch the dam and water levels closely but if your business, docks or boats are impacted to reach out. 

Copyright 2024 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.