List of water supply studies

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Studies related to the Charlottesville-Albemarle water supply, including summary recommendations. Also includes required permits and applications related to water supply projects.

RWSA-sponsored studies

Rivanna Water & Sewer Authority, a providers of the public water, is the primary sponsor of studies. Many of these are referenced in discussions of the Community Water Supply Plan.


  • South Fork Rivanna Reservoir Watershed Management Plan 1979[study 1].
  • Water Demand Analysis, Vanasse Hangen Brustlin and O'Brien & Gere Engineers, Inc., October 1997
    • Recommends planning for water supply demand in 2050 to be between 18-21 millions of gallons per day (MGD)[study 2].
  • Integrated Water Supply Strategy for the Urban Water Service Area, Rivanna Water & Sewer Authority, October 2002
    • This 2002 plan focused on meeting the projected water supply needs through 2030. [study 3].
  • South Fork Rivanna Reservoir and Watershed: Reflecting on 36 years, Anticipating 50 years, Stephen P. Bowler, Watershed Manager, Albemarle County, Spring 2003.
    • Written as an update to the 1979 Watershed Management Plan, describes the problems of pollution and sedimentation and includes recommendations for increased monitoring[study 1].
  • Safe Yield Study, Gannett Fleming, January 2004
  • Demand Analysis for the Urban Service Area, Gannett Fleming, May 2004
    • Recommends planning for water supply demand in 2055 to be 18.7 MGD with 5% conservation measures[study 5].
  • Water Supply Alternatives Supplemental Evaluation, Gannett Fleming, July 2004
    • Documents the downward adjustment of current safe yield from 13.3 MGD to 12.8 MGD (2002).
    • Projects the safe yield in 2055 to be 8.8 MGD.
    • Identifies the goal of finding 9.9 MGD in new water supply (18.7 MGD - 8.8 MGD = 9.9 MGD)[study 6].
  • Ragged Mountain Dam, Independent Technical Review Team Report, June 2, 2009

Charlottesville studies

Most Albemarle County officials have opposed spending funds to study dredging for water supply purposes. The Albemarle County Service Authority has said it will only contribute to the costs of studies which pertain to maintenance of the reservoir as required in the 2006 plan. As a result, Charlottesville has funded several additional studies[ref 2].

  • Dredging feasibility study
    • In April 2009, Charlottesville City Council decided to fund a feasibility study for restorative dredging of the South Fork Rivanna Reservoir. HDR Engineering was hired in October 2009. As of January 2010, HDR has begun work on the first phase of this study, which includes a bathymetric survey, and an assessment of whether wetlands have formed due to siltation. A second phase will examine potential dewatering and storage sites for the dredged material.
  • VA Department of Environmental Quality assessment of “Norris Plan.”
    • In July 2009, Supervisor David Slutzky and Norris asked regulators to model use of a smaller dam at Ragged Mountain combined with dredging at South Fork. As of January 2010 DEQ has not completed their study and officials there would not provide an expected date. The results of this modeling may indicate whether some alternatives to the water plan are practicable.
  • Study of raising the 1908 Lower Ragged Mountain Dam by 13 feet.
    • In January 2010, City of Charlottesville decided to hire its own firm to develop a cost estimate for raising the existing Lower Ragged Mountain Dam by 13 feet as part of an amended community water supply plan. Increasing the height of the 1908 dam is one component of the “Norris Plan.” In June 2010, the city hired Black & Veatch to conduct the study[1]. Engineer Gregory A. Zamensky wrote in a letter to Lauren Hildebrand that "Black & Veatch believes the existing LRMD can be successfully modified to meet

current Virginia dam safety requirements and provide greater water storage capacity"[2].

Independent studies

References

Water supply studies

  1. 1.0 1.1 Web. South Fork Rivanna Reservoir and Watershed: Reflecting on 36 years, Anticipating 50 years, Stephen P. Bowler,, available through Charlottesville Tomorrow, Spring 2003, retrieved 25 Jan 2010.
  2. Web. Raw Water Supply Demand Analysis, Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, available through Charlottesville Tomorrow, October 1997, retrieved 23 Jan 2010.
  3. Web. Integrated Water Supply Strategy for the Urban Water Service Area, Rivanna Water & Sewer Authority, available through Charlottesville Tomorrow, October 2002, retrieved 10 Feb 2010.
  4. Web. Safe Yield Study, Gannett Fleming, available through Charlottesville Tomorrow, January 2004, retrieved 23 Jan 2010.
  5. Web. Demand Analysis for the Urban Service Area, Gannett Fleming, available through Charlottesville Tomorrow, May 2004
  6. Web. Water Supply Alternatives Supplemental Evaluation, Gannett Fleming, available through Charlottesville Tomorrow, July 2004
  7. Web. Ragged Mountain Dam, Independent Technical Review Team Report, available through Charlottesville Tomorrow, June 2, 2009

Other references

  1. Web. RWSA Board Memorandum: Ragged Mountain Dam Upgrade Cost Comparison, Tom Frederick and Jennifer Whitaker, available through Charlottesville Tomorrow, April 6, 2005, retrieved 23 Jan 2010.
  2. Web. Our Water, Our Future vol. 6, Charlottesville Tomorrow

Other references

  1. Wheeler, Brian. "City Hires Firm to Study Saving 102-year Old Dam." Charlottesville Tomorrow News Center. 2 June 2010. Web. 20 Aug. 2010. <http://cvilletomorrow.typepad.com/charlottesville_tomorrow_/2010/06/1908_dam_study.html>.
  2. Zamensky, Gregory A. "Feasibility of Modifying the Lower Ragged Mountain Dam Ragged Mountain Project." Letter to Lauren Hildebrand, Director of Utilities, City of Charlottesville. 30 July 2010. Web. 20 Aug. 2010. <http://www.cvilletomorrow.org/docs/20100730-Black&Veatch_letter.pdf>.