Conservation Pool
Reviewed • Standard Hydrology Definition • WaterLakeLevel
# Conservation Pool
The conservation pool is the specific volume of reservoir storage allocated by federal or state charters for beneficial human use. It occupies the water storage zone between the minimum outlet works (the dead pool) and the full pool elevation.
- Municipal and Industrial Water: Piped to regional water treatment plants for residential drinking water.
- Agricultural Irrigation: Released downstream through canal networks to irrigate crops.
- Hydroelectric Power: Channeled through turbine penstocks to generate electricity during peak grid demand.
- Recreation: Provides deep, navigable water for marinas, boaters, and anglers.
The volume of water stored in a reservoir dedicated to beneficial uses such as drinking water, power, and recreation.
Understanding the Conservation Pool
The conservation pool is the specific volume of reservoir storage allocated by federal or state charters for beneficial human use. It occupies the water storage zone between the minimum outlet works (the dead pool) and the full pool elevation.
What the Conservation Pool Supplies:
- Municipal and Industrial Water: Piped to regional water treatment plants for residential drinking water.
- Agricultural Irrigation: Released downstream through canal networks to irrigate crops.
- Hydroelectric Power: Channeled through turbine penstocks to generate electricity during peak grid demand.
- Recreation: Provides deep, navigable water for marinas, boaters, and anglers.
Explore Other Hydrology & Boating Terms
Acre-Foot
A volumetric water unit representing the amount of water required to cover one acre of land to a depth of one foot.
Datum
A reference surface or mathematical baseline from which vertical elevations or geographic coordinates are reckoned.
Dead Pool
The critical low-water elevation below which water cannot flow downstream through gravity outlets.
Drawdown
The deliberate or natural reduction of a lake or reservoir water surface elevation.
Evaporation Loss
The invisible volumetric loss of water from a lake surface into the atmosphere caused by heat, sun, and dry winds.
Flood Pool
The temporary storage capacity above full conservation pool designed to capture floodwaters and prevent downstream damage.