USGS Water-Year Summary 2024
02334430 CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVER AT BUFORD DAM, NEAR BUFORD, GA
LOCATION - Lat 34°09'24", long 84°04'42.3" referenced to North American Datum of 1983, Gwinnett County, GA, Hydrologic Unit 03130001, on right bank 1,200 feet downstream from Buford Dam, 2.4 miles upstream from bridge at GA SR 20, 4.0 miles Northwest of Buford, GA, and at river mile 348.1.
DRAINAGE AREA - 1,040 mi².
REVISIONS HISTORY -
WRD GA-79-1: 1972-78 (maximum gage heights only). WRD GA-90-1: 1986-89 (maximum gage heights only). See also PERIOD OF RECORD.
Gage datum was revised on October 21, 2024 based on an error in the determination of the gage datum.
SURFACE-WATER RECORDS
PERIOD OF RECORD -
DISCHARGE: July to December 1901 (figures of daily discharge for the months of August and December, published in WSP 197, are unreliable and should not be used), October 1941 to current year. Prior to October 1971, published as 02334500, Chattahoochee River "near Buford". Monthly discharge only for July to December 1901, October 1941 to January 1942, published in WSP 1304.
GAGE HEIGHT: October 1998 to current year.
GAGE - Satellite telemetry with a water-stage recorder. Datum of gage is 9111.895 feet above the North American Vertical Datum (NAVD) of 1988 (leveling by Global Positioning System equipment). From June 24 to December 21, 1901, and January 27, 1942, to December 3, 1944, a non-recording gage was installed, and from December 4, 1944, to December 31, 1947, a water-stage recorder was located at site 2.5 miles downstream, and from January 1, 1948, to September 30, 1971, a water-stage recorder was located at site 2.4 miles downstream, all at different datum.
COOPERATION - U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District. Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Environmental Protection Division.
EXTREMES OUTSIDE PERIOD OF RECORD - Maximum stage known since at least 1921, that of Jan. 8, 1946.
EXTREMES FOR PERIOD OF RECORD - Maximum discharge recorded, 55,000 cfs, January 8, 1946; maximum gage-height recorded, 32.60 feet, January 8, 1946; minimum daily discharge, 262 cfs, May 18, 1958.
EXTREMES FOR PERIOD PRIOR TO REGULATION - Maximum discharge recorded, 55,000 cfs, January 8, 1946, from rating curve extended above 13,000 cfs on basis of peak flows passing upstream and downstream stations; maximum gage-height recorded, 32.60 feet, January 8, 1946, from floodmarks, at site and datum then in use.
WATER-QUALITY RECORDS
PERIOD OF RECORD - September 1973; February 1974; August 1976; January 2004 to current year.
PERIOD OF DAILY RECORD -
WATER TEMPERATURE: January 2004 to current year.
INSTRUMENTATION - Satellite telemetry with a continuous water temperature thermistor.
EXTREMES FOR PERIOD OF DAILY RECORD -
WATER TEMPERATURE: Maximum recorded, 18.1 °C, October 28, 2021; minimum recorded 5.6 °C, February 19-21, 25, 27-28, 2010.
SPECIFIC CONDUCTANCE: Maximum recorded, 79 uS/cm, September 29, 2023; 58 uS/cm, August 6, 2023.
DISSOLVED OXYGEN: Maximum recorded, 7.8 mg/l, August 21, 2023; minimum recorded, 2.1 mg/l, September 4, 2023.