Amherst activates James River drought pump as reservoir falls 8.5ft

Amherst activates James River drought pump as reservoir falls 8.5ftAmherst County Service Authority is pumping about 1.9 million gallons a day from its emergency James River supply arrangement after drought conditions drove reservoir levels down by about 8.5ft from full pool. The authority said the operation has arrested the reservoir's decline and is intended to begin restoring storage once downstream soils are saturated.

The James River pumping installation began operating after two pump-related setbacks; it is currently delivering around 1.9mgd against normal demand of 1.4-1.5mgd.

The authority's permit allows withdrawals of up to 3mgd, although additional pumps would be needed to reach that level.

Amherst County was classified as being in severe drought, according to a map cited by staff from the USGS.

The utility halted its unidirectional flushing programme during the drought, using spot flushing instead to respond to a small number of discoloured-water complaints.

Amherst County Service Authority has commissioned an emergency James River pumping operation that is delivering about 1.9 million gallons a day, a response to severe drought conditions that had pushed its reservoir roughly 8.5ft below full pool. The authority's executive director told the board on 6 October that the utility had been losing about 1.5 inches of reservoir level a day before January, but that the decline has now stabilised. Water is being discharged into a previously dry headwater stream feeding Graham Creek and, ultimately, the reservoir. The immediate objective is to saturate soils in the headwaters area before flows begin to replenish reservoir storage. "We're not critical," the executive director said, while noting that the reservoir remains 8.5ft down from full pool. The current pumping rate exceeds the authority's normal demand of 1.4-1.5mgd, allowing the utility to begin moving storage levels upward once the catchment is wetted. The start-up was delayed by equipment problems. An initial pump, which had been delivered and installed, suffered a seal failure, with oil appearing through a breather. Field maintenance and an oil change did not resolve the issue. The supplier then located a different pump configuration capable of meeting the 375ft head required to move water to the reservoir and assembled a replacement unit using a new pump. The replacement also sustained cosmetic damage to its sound enclosure when it was being unloaded from a flatbed. The pump and power plant were inspected and found not to be damaged, while authority staff and a contractor carried out field repairs so the enclosure doors could close. The operation ultimately began pumping at about 1pm, rather than the expected 9:30am start. The authority said its permit allows it to take up to 3mgd from the river. If that volume becomes necessary, it would contract for two additional pumps capable of meeting the required head. Staff said the installed pump is located about 15-20ft from the river and could be moved uphill if a major flood event were forecast. Drought conditions are also affecting routine network operations. The authority suspended unidirectional flushing because it did not consider putting additional water on the ground appropriate during the drought. It has instead undertaken targeted flushing where customers report discoloured water, with plans to resume the broader programme when the reservoir recovers significantly. The utility also assisted the town of Amherst during a critical infrastructure incident, supplying water while the town located three major leaks and refilled its tanks. Separately, the authority said its water-fill point at the plant remains available at no cost for people using a yard hydrant, while contractors requiring larger volumes through a fire hydrant are set up as billed accounts.