Systems for management of water throughout the developed world have been designed and operated under the assumption of stationarity. Stationarity-the idea that natural systems fluctuate within an unchanging envelope of variability-is a foundational concept that permeates trainingand practice in water-resource engineering. It implies that any variable (e.g., annual streamflow or annual flood peak) has a time-invariant(or 1-year-periodic) probability density function (pdf), whose properties can be estimated from the instrument record. Under stationarity, pdf estimation errors are acknowledged, but have been assumed to be reducible by additional observations, more efficient estimators, or regional or paleohydrologic data. The pdfs, in turn, are used to evaluateand manage risks to water supplies, waterworks, and floodplains; annual global investment in water infrastructure exceeds U.S.$500 billion.

This report evaluates the flood control dams, designed and constructed under federal laws PL 544 and PL 566, to determine which structures can be modified to serve as watersupply reservoirs, i.e. conversion of ag dams to water supply dams.

The Georgia State Soil and Water Conservation Commission (Commission), in partnership with the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Georgia Environmental Protect Division (EPD), has begun to evaluate the flood control dams, designed and constructed under federal laws PL 544 and PL 566, to determine which structures can be modified to serve as water supply reservoirs.

The results of the analyses presented herein are based upon United States Geological Survey (USGS) quadrangle maps and, therefore, should be utilized for planning purposes only. If any of the subject projects are identified as having a possibility of progressing past this analysis, additional studies will be required. These studies will include but not be limited to detailed environmental evaluations, detailed yield analyses, preliminary engineering design, and detailed cost estimating. These additional studies will be required prior to beginning detailed design work and/or land acquisition. The level of study presented herein shall be considered as a screening tool to evaluate the one project strengths and weaknesses relative to other projects. Until further studies are performed, actual yield and environmental factors associated with each project can not be readily determined.