Issue link: https://alabamapower.uberflip.com/i/510660
17 Shor e l i n e S | 2014 Vol :4 For the first time in 50 years, a continuous stream of water flows through the 20-mile former river course of the Coosa River below Weiss Dam. As Alabama Power raised the bypass spillway gate in late October, it brought smiles to the faces of state and federal agency officials and recreational users of this slow-flowing, sometimes unmoving stretch of waterway. "We are lacking in large river habitat throughout our state because most of our large rivers have been modified," said Paul Johnson, program supervisor with the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR). "This is the first hydrologic flow restoration, not only in the state, but in the Mobile River basin." When Weiss Dam was built in the 1950s, a diversion dam and canal were constructed to re-route water from the original river channel three miles upstream to the current hydroelectric dam site to take advantage of a 20-foot drop in elevation. "We were able to take advantage of 20 more feet of head in our generation of power. So it was a huge advantage," said Jim Crew, manager of Alabama Power Hydro Services. "In order to do that we obviously had to divert the water from the original Coosa River system to the pond in front of the powerhouse. In essence, it eliminated most of the flow in the 20-mile section of bypassed river." Restoring the flow in the former river course by opening a spillway gate in the diversion dam was mandated by the federal relicensing of Alabama Power's Coosa River dams. "In the relicensing process, stakeholders had an opportunity to voice their concerns over issues or parts of the project they would like to Left: Photo by nik layman — The bypass spillway gate was opened in October on the Coosa River below Weiss Dam, providing a continuous stream of water. GOING WITH The Flow R E S T O R I N G T H E F L O W I N T H E F O R M E R R I V E R C O U R S E O F T H E C O O S A R I V E R B E L O W W E I S S D A M W I L L B E N E F I T A Q U A T I C L I F E A N D I M P R O V E P A D D L I N G A N D F I S H I N G .