To maintain an oxygen concentration of at least 6 mg/L in the discharge, an oxygen injection system was designed for the Corps of Engineers peaking hydropower project on the 10,785 ha Richard B. Russell Lake (Georgia-South Carolina). To aid in the operation of the oxygenation system, a mathematical model was developed to compute the amount of oxygen required to meet the desired discharge standard. Factors considered by the model included the outflow rate, oxygen depletion rates, hypolimnetic volume, oxygen deficit, selective withdrawal patterns and oxygenation efficiency. Oxygen depletion rates and hypolimnetic oxygen deficit were computed from in situ profiles; selective withdrawal patterns were computed based on temperature profiles and hourly project operation records. Results for the 1985 season indicated that the model could be used to provide a rapid and more accurate estimate of oxygen requirements than previously available. When compared with operation of the system based only on maintaining downstream discharge requirements, use of the model could result in a substantial cost savings.