APPLICATION OF HSPF TO THE LOWER ALTAMAHA RIVER BASIN
C. Valenzuela and M. M. Aral
Multimedia Environmental Simulations Laboratory
School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Georgia Institute of Technology
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to document the application of a watershed hydrological program to the Lower Altamaha River Basin located in the state of Georgia. The selected program is the Hydrological Simulation Program-FORTRAN (HSPF), developed and supported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The Altamaha River Basin includes the Ocmulgee, Oconee, and Altamaha rivers. The headwaters of the Oconee and Ocmulgee rivers originate in the foothills of the Appalachians and meet to form the Altamaha River in Southeastern Georgia. Atlanta, Macon, and Lumber City are three major metropolitan areas along Ocmulgee River. Along the Oconee River, Athens is located in the headwater region, and Milledgeville and Dublin are located in the middle and southern reaches of the river. The Ohoopee River, a black-water tributary, joins the Altamaha River further downstream of the confluence between the Ocmulgee and the Oconee rivers. Approximately 137 river miles marks the distance between the convergence of the Oconee and Ocmulgee rivers and the entry of the Altamaha into the Atlantic Ocean near Darien, Georgia.