Section 208.32 - Sanford Dam and Lake Meredith, Canadian River, TexThe Bureau of Reclamation, or its designated agent, shall operate the Sanford Dam and Lake Meredith in the interest of flood control as follows:
(a) Flood control storage in the reservoir, Lake Meredith, between elevation 2941.3 (top of conservation pool) and elevation 2965.0 (top of flood control pool) initially amounts to 462,100 acre-feet. Whenever the reservoir level is within this elevation range, the flood control discharge facilities shall be operated under the direction of the District Engineer, Corps of Engineers, Department of the Army, in charge of the locality, so as to reduce as much as practicable the flood damage below the reservoir. All flood control releases shall be made in amounts which, when combined with local inflow below the dam, will not produce flows in excess of bankfull on the Canadian River downstream of the reservoir. In order to accomplish this purpose, flows shall not exceed 25,000 c.f.s. at the Sanford Dam site or an 8.0-foot stage (75,000 c.f.s.) on the U.S.G.S. gage on the Canadian River near Canadian, Tex., river mile 433.9.(b) When the reservoir level exceeds elevation 2965.0 (top of flood control pool) releases shall be made at the maximum rate possible through the flood control outlet works, the river outlet works and the uncontrolled spillway and continue until the pool level recedes to elevation 2965.0 when releases will be made to equal inflow or the maximum release permissible under paragraph (a) of this section, whichever is greater.(c) The representative of the Bureau of Reclamation, or its designated agent in immediate charge of operation of the Sanford Dam will furnish daily to the District Engineer, Corps of Engineers, Department of the Army, in charge of the locality, a report, on forms provided by the District Engineer for this purpose showing the pool elevation; the number of flood control outlet works gates in operation with their respective openings and releases; the uncontrolled spillway release; and the municipal outlet works release; storage; tailwater elevation; reservoir inflow; available evaporation data; and precipitation in inches. Normally a reading at 8 a.m., noon, 4 p.m., and midnight, shall be shown for each day. Readings of all items except evaporation shall be shown for at least four observations a day when the reservoir level is at or above elevation 2941.3. Whenever the reservoir level rises to elevation 2941.3 and releases for flood regulation are necessary or appear imminent, the representative of the Bureau of Reclamation, or its designated agent, shall report at once to the District Engineer by telephone or telegraph and, unless otherwise instructed, will report once daily thereafter in that manner until the reservoir level recedes to elevation 2941.3. These latter reports shall reach the District Engineer by 9 a.m. each day.(d) The regulations of this section, insofar as they govern use of the flood control storage capacity above elevation 2941.3, are subject to temporary modification in time of flood by the District Engineer if found desirable on the basis of conditions at the time. Such desired modifications shall be communicated to the representative of the Bureau of Reclamation and its designated agent in immediate charge of operation of the Sanford Dam by the best available means of communication, and shall be confirmed in writing under date of the same day to the Regional Director in charge of the locality, and his designated agent, with a copy to the representative in charge of the Sanford Dam.(e) Flood control operation shall not restrict pumping necessary for municipal and industrial uses and releases necessary for downstream users.(f) Release made in accordance with the regulations of this section are subject to the condition that releases shall not be made at rates or in a manner that would be inconsistent with emergency requirements for protecting the dam and reservoir from major damage or inconsistent with the safe routing of the inflow design flood (spillway design flood).(g) The discharge characteristics of the flood control outlet works (capable of discharging approximately 22,000 c.f.s. with the reservoir level at elevation 2941.3) shall be maintained in accordance with the construction plans (Bureau of Reclamation Specifications No. DC-5725 as modified by revised drawings and criteria in Designers' Operating Criteria, Sanford Dam, dated October 1965).(h) All elevations stated in this section are at Sanford Dam and are referred to the datum in use at that location.