THE SOURCE The Source is a quarterly publication of Beaver Water District Summer 2008 Spring Showers Celebrating Four Years Excessive Rain Dumps Tons in Runoff You're reading The Source, a quarterly newsletter from Beaver In March and April, more than 15 inches Water District. First published in of rain fell in the Beaver Lake Watershed. 2004, its purpose is to inform our This led to millions of gallons of runoff con- customers and communities about taining tons of sediment entering Beaver District programs that enhance our Lake. Much of this runoff and sediment mission: To serve our customers in reached Beaver Water District's intake the Benton and Washington County structure near Hickory Creek. area by providing high quality "The sediment load to the plant has drinking water that meets or dramatically increased with all the exceeds all federal and state regula- storms," said Beaver Water District CEO tory requirements in such quanti- Alan D. Fortenberry, P.E. "Even though ties as meets their demands and is we have plenty of water in the lake, the economically priced consistent with challenges of treating poorer quality raw our quality standards. Beaver water are very great." Water District sells water to When it rains so much that Beaver Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers, Lake is approaching the 1130.0 eleva- and Bentonville. These cities resell tion, then the U.S. Army Corps of to towns and communities through- Engineers responds by opening the out Northwest Arkansas. If you floodgates. John Kielczewski, White River have questions, comments, or sug- System Engineer for the Corps, explains gestions concerning The Source, it this way: "It rains, and runoff occurs please contact Amy Wilson, from the rainfall which carries all sorts of Director of Public Affairs, at awil- loads and flows into the lake. Then, the [email protected]. lake rises. If the lake is forecasted to rise above 1130.0, we open the gates, which opened Beaver Dam's floodgates a is outflow from the project." record six times -- on March 19-March On March 1, the lake level was at 20, March 31-April 1, April 2-3, April 4-5, 1117 feet. By March 19, the lake had April 10-12, and April 24-April 26. risen 12 feet, up to 1129. The Corps Continued on page 2 Aerial view of Beaver Lake bordered by Highway 12, taken on April 14 by Herb Hawkins of Avoca, a member of the Beaver Water District Board of Directors. The muddiness of the water indicates very high turbidity, which places challenges on drinking water facilities. Page 2 Spring Showers continued from page 1 The Corps recorded record high pool lev- District's raw water intake. On March 5, els and record high discharges in Beaver the raw water at the intake was at 117 Lake during this event, according to NTU and the lake level was at 1121.3 feet. Kielczewski. Additionally, the National From March 19 through April 23, the tur- Weather Service reported a total of 8.84 bidity ranged from 522 to 200 NTU, with a inches of rainfall at XNA during March reading of 445 NTU on April 11.On April and 7.97 inches during April. Beaver 24, the turbidity finally dipped to 177 NTU. Lake rose to a record high elevation of "During this event, we worked one 1,132.2 feet on April 10. storm and one dam release after anoth- Fortenberry said the District's treat- er, and staff get tired. It just wears on ment facilities were designed to treat raw you," Cheevers said. "It takes extra atten- water with a turbidity of up to 300 NTU (a tion to continue to take water samples measurement of the clarity of the water). from various stations on the lake, con- During the recent rainfall events, raw duct jar tests, and make decisions about water turbidity reached a high of 522. The when to adjust aluminum hydroxide feed maximum historical raw water turbidity at rates. Every event is different. Different Beaver Water District's intake was 650 turbidity events can mean different alum NTU in 2004. feed rates. It's the makeup of the sedi- ment. On the front end is the big heavy turbidity.The finer turbidity that stays sus- "I simply have to brag on our pended is what's harder to treat." talented staff, Most people do Cheevers explained that a "jar test" is not understand or appreciate a test that allows operators to add varying the skill and knowledge base alum doses to water that's been sampled from stations on the lake to help deter- that is required to handle events mine how much alum to feed to the water such as the ones we have experi- when it reaches the District's facilities. enced recently. Our staff "During the 2004 event, no one had excelled during these very ever seen so much turbidity, and being so trying times. Their dedication, recent, we were physically and mentally skill, and effort in protecting the more prepared for this event because we'd gone through the 2004 event," Cheevers public's health by producing said. "But the two big differences are we high quality drinking water is had another process to manage (a new to be applauded." - Alan D. solids handling facility), and this event has Fortenberry P.E., CEO, Beaver lasted several months instead of several Water District weeks. Also, some of the water quality parameters were different this time. We had very low alkalinity so we were very "For us, when the Corps opens the close to the brink of the process being able flood gates, the turbidity arrives at the to perform or not. If you have excessive tur- plant faster," Plant Manager Stacy bidity and you run out of alkalinity, it Cheevers said. "So in 2004, it took about becomes a delicate balance. six days for the turbidity to reach the "Raw water alkalinity typically is plant, but during this event it only took around 70 and during this event it got as about a day and half." low as 24. This makes it difficult to per- Before the rains began in March, tur- form coagulation," Cheevers said. bidity was about 3 NTU at Beaver Water Continued on page 3 Page 3 Spring Showers continued from page 2 Coagulation occurs when alum is added challenge, and heavy cost to the plant, is to the water in order to bind particles in disposing of the solids removed from the the water together so they will drop out raw water, Cheevers said. and filter from the water. When alum is "We peaked out with one day truck- added to the raw water the alkalinity ing out about 116 tons of solids to Waste decreases. A low alkalinity means that Management's Tontitown landfill," he maintaining the water pH within a speci- said. "Right now, we are averaging about fied range is very difficult to accomplish. 60 tons a day, so it's tapered off. But "We had a couple of nights here we're not out of the woods yet. I'll be where people didn't sleep because we happy when we're back to normal, which didn't know what would happen. We were is about 20 tons a day of solids and 3 to coming up with ways to boost the alkalin- 5 NTU in the raw water." ity. It may work in a jar, but it may not Cheevers added that on May 19, the work in a plant." raw water was at 29 NTU. It will likely be In addition to bearing the costs of sometime in June before raw water NTU feeding more alum to the water, another is back to normal. Board of Directors Profile Woody Bassett of in a recent interview. "I'm pleased to Fayetteville became a have the opportunity to serve on the member the Beaver Beaver Water District Board and am Water District Board committed to working with others to of Directors on Jan. make good decisions which will benefit 17, when the board the quality of the lake and keep the cost voted to name him to of drinking water affordable for the citi- fill the director's posi- zens of Northwest Arkansas and for tion being vacated by industry. As so many others have said Curtis Shipley of throughout the years, Beaver Lake is Fayetteville. Shipley, who had served our lifeblood and in order for us to con- for 28 years, resigned his position on tinue to grow and prosper in Northwest the board on Dec. 31, 2007. Arkansas, it's essential that we nurture Mr. Bassett is the 21st board mem- and protect this most precious asset." ber to serve the District, which got its Beaver Water District was formed start nearly 50 years ago, when vision- under Arkansas Act 114 of 1957. It is ary community leaders gathered to dis- the oldest regional water district in the cuss the need for a long-term supply of state of Arkansas. The District is gov- clean, safe water for Northwest erned by a six-member elected board Arkansas. With an eye to the future and of directors, with three members from knowledge that a large lake was the best Washington County and three from source of water, these citizens worked to Benton County. Board members serve establish Beaver Lake Reservoir. six-year terms, staggered by two years "All of us who live in Northwest in each county. The board meets Arkansas have a responsibility to make monthly, on the third Thursday. Mr.