Update of flood-flow characteristics of Nancy Creek at Georgia Highway 400 extension near Atlanta, Georgia
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Georgia↗
Geology topics
Research about Atlanta, Georgia
Source-linked reports with geographic coverage including Atlanta, Georgia.
Simulating unsteady transport of nitrogen, biochemical oxygen demand, and dissolved oxygen in the Chattahoochee River downstream from Atlanta, Georgia
As part of an intensive water-quality assessment of the Chattahoochee River, repetitive water-quality measurements were made at 12 sites along a 69-kilometer reach of the river downstream of Atlanta, Georgia. Concentrations of seven constituents (temperature, dissolved oxygen, ultimate carbonaceous biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), organic nitrogen, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate) were obtained during two periods of 36 hours, one starting on August 30, 1976, and the other starting on May 31, 1977. The study reach contains one large and several small sewage outfalls and receives the cooling water from two large powerplants. An unsteady water-quality model of the Lagrangian type was calibrated using the 1977 data and verified using the 1976 data. The model provided a good means of interpreting these data even though both the flow and the pollution loading rates were highly unsteady. A kinetic model of the cascade type accurately described the physical and biochemical processes occurring in the river. All rate coefficients, except reaeration coefficients and those describing the resuspension of BOD, were fitted to the 1977 data and verified using the 1976 data. The study showed that, at steady low flow, about 38 percent of the BOD settled without exerting an oxygen demand. At high flow, this settled BOD was resuspended and exerted an immediate oxygen demand. About 70 percent of the ammonia extracted from the water column was converted to nitrite, but the fate of the remaining 30 percent is unknown. Photosynthetic production was not an important factor in the oxygen balance during either run.
Georgia↗
Effects of flow alterations on trout, angling, and recreation in the Chattahoochee River between Buford Dam and Peachtree Creek
In 1974 county governments in the Atlanta vicinity realized that demands on the Chattahoochee River for water supply plus the streamflow required for water quality nearly equaled the minimum flow in the river. Increased demands for water supply in the following years could not be supplied under the then existing flow regime in the river. In response to the anticipated shortage of water, the Atlanta Regional Commission, a multicounty agency responsible for comprehensive regional planning in the Atlanta region, was contracted to prepare water demand projections to the year 2010 and identify alternatives for meeting projected water demands. The results of this study are published in an extensive final report, the Metropolitan Atlanta Area Water Resources Management Study (1981). Requests for copies should be directed to the District Engineer, Savannah District. Many of the identified alternatives to increase future water supply for the Atlanta area would result in modifications to the present flow regime within the Chattahoochee River between Buford Dam (river mile 348.3) and its confluence with Peachtree Creek (river mile 300.5). The present preferred alternative is construction of a reregulation dam at about river mile 342. The proposed reregulation dam would release a much more constant flow than the peaking flows presently released from Buford Dam (generally, a maximum release of approximately 9000 cfs or minimum release of about 550 cfs) by storing the generation releases from Buford Dam for gradual release during non-generation periods. The anticipated minimum release from the rereg dam would he approximately 1U5U cfs (based on contractual obligations to the Southeast Power Administration to supply a minimum of 11 hours of peaking power per week from Buford Dam). The average annual release from the proposed reregulation dam into the Chattahoochee River would be approximately 2000 cfs (based on USGS flow records) and the median release would he approximately 1500 cfs (value obtained from Savannah District). The proposed reregulation dam would have sufficient storage to provide some opportunity for flow management to optimize uses other than water supply and water quality. Flow modifications (and resultant water quality changes) within this reach of the Chattahoochee River to meet increased demands for water supply may have an effect on other beneficial uses of this important natural resource. In addition to supplying a significant proportion of the water supply for metropolitan Atlanta and providing for water quality, the Chattahoochee River also is used extensively for recreation and supports a valuable trout fishery. Altered flows in the channel to meet water supply needs may have an impact on river recreation and trout habitat.
Georgia↗
Flood-flow characteristics of Lullwater Creek from Ponce de Leon Avenue to proposed Presidential Parkway, Atlanta, Georgia
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Flood-frequency relations for urban streams in metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia
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Velocity observations of the Chattahoochee River at Atlanta, Georgia, September 28, 1981
No abstract available.
Georgia↗
A practical Lagrangian transport model
An unconditionally stable and practical transport model for use in upland streams and rivers has been developed and verified. Basing the model on the Lagrangian, rather than the Eulerian, reference frame greatly reduces the numerical problems associated with solving the advective terms of the convective-diffusion equation. The model contains almost no numerical dispersion, is conceptually simple, and is relatively easy to code. Model results closely simulated dye concentrations measured in the Chattahoochee River near Atlanta, Ga. under highly unsteady flow conditions.
Georgia↗
Modeling highly transient flow, mass, and heat transport in the Chattahoochee River near Atlanta, Georgia
A coupled flow-temperature model has been developed and verified for a 27.9-km reach of the Chattahoochee River between Buford Dam and Norcross, Ga. Flow in this reach of the Chattahoochee is continuous but highly regulated by Buford Dam, a flood-control and hydroelectric facility located near Buford, Ga. Calibration and verification utilized two sets of data collected under highly unsteady discharge conditions. Existing solution techniques, with certain minor improvements, were applied to verify the existing technology of flow and transport modeling. The linear, implicit finite-difference flow model was calibrated by use of a depth profile obtained at steady low flow and unsteady flow data obtained in March 1976. During the calibration period, the model was generally able to reproduce observed stages to within 0.15 m and discharges at less than 100 m 3 /s, to within 5 percent. Peak discharges of about 200 m 3 /s were under-estimated by about 20 percent. During the verification period, October 1975, the flow model reproduced observed stage changes to within about 0.15 m, and its timing and over-all performance was considered to be very good. Dye was added to the upstream end of the river reach at a constant rate while the river flow was highly unsteady. The numerical solution of either the conservative or nonconservative form of the mass-transport equation did an excellent job of simulating the observed concentrations of dye in the river. The temperature model was capable of predicting temperature changes through this reach of as large as 5.8?C with a RMS (root-mean-square) error of 0.32?C in October 1975 and 0.20?C in March 1976. Hydropulsation has a significant effect on the water temperature below Buford Dam. These effects are very complicated because they are quite dependent on the timing of the release with respect to both the time of day and past releases.
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Magnitudes, nature, and effects of point and nonpoint discharges in the Chattahoochee River Basin, Atlanta to West Point Dam, Georgia
During the period April 1975 to June 1978, the U.S. Geological Survey conducted a river-quality assessment of the Upper Chattahoochee River basin in Georgia. One objective of the study was to assess the magnitudes, nature, and effects of point and non-point discharges in the Chattahoochee River basin from Atlanta to the West Point Dam. On an average annual basis and during the storm period of March 1215, 1976, non-point-source loads for most constituents analyzed were larger than point-source loads at the Whitesburg station, located on the Chattahoochee River about 40 river miles downstream of Atlanta. Most of the non-point-source constituent loads in the Atlanta-to-Whitesburg reach were from urban areas. Average annual point-source discharges accounted for about 50 percent of the dissolved nitrogen, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus loads, and about 70 percent of the dissolved phosphorus loads at Whitesburg. During weekends, power generation at the upstream Buford Dam hydroelectric facility is minimal. Streamflow at the Atlanta station during dry-weather weekends is estimated to be about 1,200 ft3/s (cubic feet per second). Average daily dissolved-oxygen concentrations of less than 5.0 mg/L (milligrams per liter) occurred often in the river, about 20 river miles downstream from Atlanta during these periods from May to November. During a low-flow period, June 1-2, 1977, five municipal point sources contributed 63 percent of the ultimate biochemical oxygen demand, 97 percent of the ammonium nitrogen, 78 percent of the total nitrogen, and 90 percent of the total phosphorus loads at the Franklin station, at the upstream end of West Point Lake. Average daily concentrations of 13 mg/L of ultimate biochemical oxygen demand and 1.8 mg/L of ammonium nitrogen were observed about 2 river miles downstream from two of the municipal point sources. Carbonaceous and nitrogenous oxygen demands caused dissolved-oxygen concentrations between 4.1 and 5.0 mg/L to occur in a 22-mile reach of the river downstream from Atlanta. Nitrogenous oxygen demands were greater than carbonaceous oxygen demands in the reach from river mile 303 to 271, and carbonaceous demands were greater from river mile 271 to 235. The heat load from the Atkinson-McDonough thermoelectric power-plants caused a decrease in the dissolved-oxygen concentrations of about 0.2 mg/L. During a critical low-flow period, a streamflow at Atlanta of about 1,800 ft3/s, with present (1977) point-source flows of 185 ft3/s containing concentrations of 45 mg/L of ultimate biochemical oxygen demand and 15 mg/L of ammonium nitrogen, results in a computed minimum dissolved-oxygen concentration of 4.7 mg/L in the river downstream from Atlanta. In the year 2000, a streamflow at Atlanta of about 1,800 ft3/s with point-source flows of 373 ft3/s containing concentrations of 45 mg/L of ultimate biochemical oxygen demand and 5.0 mg/L of ammonium nitrogen, will result in a computed minimum dissolved-oxygen concentration of 5.0 mg/L. A streamflow of about 1,050 ft3/s at Atlanta in the year 2000 will result in a dissolved-oxygen concentration of 5.0 mg/L if point-source flows contain concentrations of 15 mg/L of ultimate biochemical oxygen demand and 5.0 mg/L of ammonium nitrogen. Phytoplankton concentrations in West Point Lake, about 70 river miles downstream from Atlanta, could exceed 3 million cells per milliliter during extended low-flow periods in the summer with present point- and non-point-source nitrogen and phosphorus loads. In the year 2000, phytoplankton concentrations in West Point Lake are not likely to exceed 700,000 cells per milliliter during extended low-flow periods in the summer, if phosphorus concentrations do not exceed 1.0 mg/L in point-source discharges.
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Satellites monitor Atlanta regional development
Since the adoption of a Regional Development Plan in 1975, the Atlanta Regional Commission has investigated methods for monitoring regional development patterns in a periodic, efficient manner. A promising approach appears to be the use of Landsat satellite data. In cooperation with the Earth Resources Observation Systems (EROS) Data Center, the commission used machine processing of digital temporal overlays of Landsat data collected in 1972, 1974 and 1976 to detect land use and land cover changes in the Atlanta metropolitan area. Results of the analysis revealed the conversion of forested and open space areas to residential, commercial and industrial land use in the urban-rural fringe zone from 1972 to 1974 and from 1974 to 1976. The study indicated that a land use and land cover change-detection program may be used to revise small-area forecasts of land use, population and employment made by planning models.
Atlanta, Georgia↗
Magnitudes, nature, and effects of point and nonpoint discharges in the Chattahoochee River basin, Atlanta to West Point Dam, Georgia
On an average annual basis and during the storm period of March 12-15, 1976, nonpoint-source loads for most constituents were larger than point-source loads at the Whitesburg station, located on the Chattahoochee River about 40 miles downstream from Atlanta, GA. Most of the nonpoint-source constituent loads in the Atlanta to Whitesburg reach were from urban areas. Average annual point-source discharges accounted for about 50 percent of the dissolved nitrogen, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus loads and about 70 percent of the dissolved phosphorus loads at Whitesburg. During a low-flow period, June 1-2, 1977, five municipal point-sources contributed 63 percent of the ultimate biochemical oxygen demand, and 97 percent of the ammonium nitrogen loads at the Franklin station, at the upstream end of West Point Lake. Dissolved-oxygen concentrations of 4.1 to 5.0 milligrams per liter occurred in a 22-mile reach of the river downstream from Atlanta due about equally to nitrogenous and carbonaceous oxygen demands. The heat load from two thermoelectric powerplants caused a decrease in dissolved-oxygen concentration of about 0.2 milligrams per liter. Phytoplankton concentrations in West Point Lake, about 70 miles downstream from Atlanta, could exceed three million cells per millimeter during extended low-flow periods in the summer with present point-source phosphorus loads. (Woodard-USGS)
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Accuracy of selected land use and land cover maps in the Greater Atlanta region, Georgia
The land use and land cover maps at 1:100000 scale and at 1:24 000 scale in the Greater Atlanta Region were tested for accuracy. At 1:100 000 scale, 381 points were selected using a stratified systematic unalined sampling technique. Of these 381 points, 343 points or 90 percent were found to be correct. At 1:24 000 scale, 71 points were tested for accuracy. Of these 71 points, 62 points or 87 percent were found to be accurate. Confidence intervals were determined based on the assumption that the data exhibited a binomial distribution. With 95-percent confidence the accuracy of the 1:100 000-scale maps was between 87 and 93 percent, and the accuracy of the 1:24 000-scale maps was between 79 and 96 percent. The accuracy of the interpretations was consistent from category to category.
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Preliminary flood-frequency relations for urban streams, Metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia
A method is presented for estimating the magnitude and frequency of floods for urban streams in metropolitan Atlanta. The method is based on adjustments to the natural stream flood-frequency and rainfall-frequency characteristics of the local area as defined by urban flood studies in other areas. The effects of urbanization on flood-peak runoff are estimated from the percentage of drainage basin that is impervious and the percentage of drainage area served by storm sewers. Equations are presented for estimating the 2-, 5-, 10-, 25-, 50-, and 100-year flood peak discharges for basin sizes from 0.5 to 100 square miles in the Atlanta metro area.
Georgia↗