Interpreting Water Generation Schedules?

[motoman]

I tried searching, but couldn't find what I was looking for.

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Could anyone tell me how to interpret the generation schedules and charts in the links below?

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http://www.swpa.gov/gen/wed.htm

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http://ozarkanglers.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=17240

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(I'm mainly interested in trying to determine if there are certain times, or hours here-and-there throughtout the day where more water is being pulled. i.e. any type of current on the lake..........and maybe fish a little differently)

[focused fishing]

I tried searching, but couldn't find what I was looking for.

-

Could anyone tell me how to interpret the generation schedules and charts in the links below?

-

http://www.swpa.gov/gen/wed.htm

-

http://ozarkanglers.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=17240

-

(I'm mainly interested in trying to determine if there are certain times, or hours here-and-there throughtout the day where more water is being pulled. i.e. any type of current on the lake..........and maybe fish a little differently)

Moto,

On the first one; TRD is Table Rock Dam, the time of day is on the left and the amount of Mega Watt Generation created by the turbines (generators) for that given hour is listed below TRD. The higher the number the greater amount of generation. Table Rock Dam is capable of 230 MW at 15,100 cfs (cubic feet per second) of water flow through the turbines, so at 200 MW all four generators are running and the water is flowing good creating current, at 100 MW two generators are running and so on. Therefore the higher the number the more current during those hours.

Don't forget to take into account what is happening up stream as well, BEV is Beaver Dam, it only has two generators and does not produce as much flow but when both dams are running the current is much stronger. The upper end of the White from Beavertown on up is a blast when they are running both generators and open the flood gates the fish go crazy, plus you will actually be running up hill from around Eagle Rock to Beavertown.

As far as the graphs are concerned on the second link, I don't use them much, I'm much more of a numbers guy...

Hope this helped.

EP

[S&M]

Moto,

On the first one; TRD is Table Rock Dam, the time of day is on the left and the amount of Mega Watt Generation created by the turbines (generators) for that given hour is listed below TRD. The higher the number the greater amount of generation. Table Rock Dam is capable of 230 MW at 15,100 cfs (cubic feet per second) of water flow through the turbines, so at 200 MW all four generators are running and the water is flowing good creating current, at 100 MW two generators are running and so on. Therefore the higher the number the more current during those hours.

Don't forget to take into account what is happening up stream as well, BEV is Beaver Dam, it only has two generators and does not produce as much flow but when both dams are running the current is much stronger. The upper end of the White from Beavertown on up is a blast when they are running both generators and open the flood gates the fish go crazy, plus you will actually be running up hill from around Eagle Rock to Beavertown.

As far as the graphs are concerned on the second link, I don't use them much, I'm much more of a numbers guy...

Hope this helped.

EP

Good topic motoman,

Great explanation, Eric

Mike,

[motoman]

Moto,

On the first one; TRD is Table Rock Dam, the time of day is on the left and the amount of Mega Watt Generation created by the turbines (generators) for that given hour is listed below TRD. The higher the number the greater amount of generation. Table Rock Dam is capable of 230 MW at 15,100 cfs (cubic feet per second) of water flow through the turbines, so at 200 MW all four generators are running and the water is flowing good creating current, at 100 MW two generators are running and so on. Therefore the higher the number the more current during those hours.

Don't forget to take into account what is happening up stream as well, BEV is Beaver Dam, it only has two generators and does not produce as much flow but when both dams are running the current is much stronger. The upper end of the White from Beavertown on up is a blast when they are running both generators and open the flood gates the fish go crazy, plus you will actually be running up hill from around Eagle Rock to Beavertown.

As far as the graphs are concerned on the second link, I don't use them much, I'm much more of a numbers guy...

Hope this helped.

EP

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That's great Eric, I appreciate the explanation. That makes plenty of sense. Exactly what I was looking for. The numbers are good enough for me; not necessary to mess with the graph.

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Question for yah Eric; do you pay close attention, or plan trips/locations around generation schedules? (I've always understood that the fish move out to different spots on the lake when waters moving quicker?)

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And how closely do they stick to the generation schedules?

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Glad you had some interest also Mike. I thought this may have been some info everyone already knew about; or had little interest in. Very intriguing to me though.

[focused fishing]

Moto,

I don't necessarily plan trips around the schedule unless I plan on fishing below the dam (Trout at Taney and Bass below Beaver) but I do like to know when and how much generation is going on through out the day. If there has been or will be heavy generation I know the fish will be holding on points and other "current breaks" ambushing shad there to feed on plankton moving with the current. Usually the greater current is closer to the dam so I might run toward the dam vs staying in the mid lake if there is heavy generation on a given day. If there has been a prolonged period of generation it will have a greater effect up stream than a single day of generation and I would tend to run toward the rivers.

They tend to be fairly accerate, but as the sign says "current flow and generation is subject to change to meet load requirements".

EP

[motoman]

Awesome! That's where my thoughts were going. Once again, I greatly appreciate the info.