SC

List Of SC Dam Failures

FOR NOW … A dozen dams in South Carolina have failed in the aftermath of “Floodmaggedon,” prompting hard questions about whether they were ever safe in the first place.  Courtesy of the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC), here is a list of the dams which have been…

FOR NOW …

A dozen dams in South Carolina have failed in the aftermath of “Floodmaggedon,” prompting hard questions about whether they were ever safe in the first place.  Courtesy of the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC), here is a list of the dams which have been breached …

Lexington County

Dam Name Class* Dam Number Latitude Longitude
Old Mill Pond Dam C1 D0958 33.974641 -81.232641
Gibson’s Pond Dam C2 D0959 33.969067 -81.244925
Barr Lake Dam C2 D1717 33.958512 -81.259604

 

Richland County

Dam Name(s) Class* Dam Number Latitude Longitude
Cary’s Lake Dam C1 D0026 34.048873 -80.957954
Upper Rocky Creek/ North Lake/Overcreek Rd. C1 D0029 34.040808 -80.951982
Lower Rocky Ford Dam /Rocky Ford Lake C1 D0028 34.036033 -80.952343
Semmes Lake Dam Federal Fort Jackson 34.004763 -80.941769
Beaver Dam/Wildewood Pond #2/Boyd Pond Two (Controlled release) C2 D0567 34.096382 -80.886478
Lake Elizabeth C1 D 0024 34.113028 -80.987693

 

Lee County

Dam Name Class* Dam Number Latitude Longitude
Clyburn C2 D2412 34.329886 -80.302055

 

Aiken County

Dam Name Class* Dam Number Latitude Longitude
Corbett Lake C3 D2052 33.648651 -81.211333
SC NONAME 02019 (Bailey Pond) C3 D2034 33.594676 -81.285939

***

According to the agency, a “C1” designation means the dam was classified as “high hazard” in the aftermath of the agency’s recent review of these structures. Five of the breached dams fell under this classification.

One of the breached dams – the Semmes Lake Dam – was under the purview of the federal government as it is (or was) located on Fort Jackson, a U.S. Army basic training location.

***

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31 comments

Noah Zark October 7, 2015 at 11:29 am

The catastrophic failure of Semmes Lake dam early Saturday a/m. – which drained the lake in a matter of minutes – contributed to the flooding damage to the neighborhoods on Wildcat Creek and below Lake Katherine. Someone should sue the federal government.

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GoCocks! October 7, 2015 at 11:45 am

I suspect lawsuits are already being filed. Cottonhope Lane in Kings Grant was ground zero for the outflow from Semmes Lake via Wildcat Creek. A pond at the Fort Jackson Golf Club also breached and flowed down Wildcat Creek.

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stumpknocker October 7, 2015 at 11:48 am

if any neighborhood in the city could afford flood insurance kings grant would be it

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GoCocks! October 7, 2015 at 12:26 pm

Unfortunately, “could” and “did” are very different concepts.

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vicupstate October 7, 2015 at 12:47 pm

Most probably don’t have it. The Feds will cover their loses and they will continue to vote for Republicans that don’t support relief efforts except when it favors them. Their tirades against the ‘takers’ will continue.

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Just Me October 8, 2015 at 8:04 am

Personal experience. If FEMA doesn’t put you in a flood plane then you are not obligated to get flood insurance. If you are in a flood plane then your mortgage company will force you to buy insurance and even get some overpriced insurance for you and send you the bill. If you are in a flood plane, do not have a mortgage, and you do not have flood insurance then it is all on you.

BIG IF! If these dams had been maintained properly and if the controlling authorities had set the levels properly then the dams would have done their job and controlled the flow of water through these creeks and it all would have been another ho hum rainy weekend.

Unfortunately the dams were mostly controlled by politicians and I guess HOA’s. So maintenance gets pushed back and no one is in charge. The spin masters will be out in force making sure their interests are not blamed for death and destruction.

Just another day.

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The Colonel October 7, 2015 at 11:58 am

That’s the dam that was repaired a few years ago – lack of maintenance contributed to the failure. You can not let trees grow on an earthen dam., Spillways must be clean and maintained and the standpipe has to be sized for the potential water influx and bedded to prevent scouring outside the pipe – which is apparently what led to the failure of Semmes lake dam.

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Rocky Verdad October 7, 2015 at 11:45 am

See Old Mill Pond on there. That’s a shame.

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SodoSopa October 7, 2015 at 12:21 pm

Building condemned…and probably the 28 businesses that were in it too…sad.

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Rocky Verdad October 7, 2015 at 1:25 pm

Who owned that dam. Was it the town?

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hooka shoes October 7, 2015 at 3:45 pm

The town has owned the property for more than ten years. Purchased for like 96K for 54 acres.

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Bible Thumper October 7, 2015 at 3:48 pm

Barr Lake and Gibson’s Pond are upstream. They all went like dominoes.

Rocky Verdad October 7, 2015 at 3:49 pm

Or picket fences?

Bible Thumper October 7, 2015 at 4:06 pm

I wonder if when they check a dam for safety if they include upstream risk. I would not feel good if they told me a dam was safe, but a high risk dam was upstream.

Rocky Verdad October 7, 2015 at 4:19 pm

Based on Will’s reporting, the 2013 report rated Old Mill Pond dam as pretty crappy. So just think, if they’d considered how crappy it was plus the upstream threat. But then maybe they did. That’s why it was lower than normal at the time of Floodpoclypse!!!!! (I didn’t forget your Number One name for the event).

Rocky Verdad October 7, 2015 at 3:49 pm

Actually looking around just saw an article by Lexington Chronicle and Dispatch (a fine publication I might ad, run by some very knowledgable and seasoned journalists) – that the pond was at least at low level when the rains hit.

lamar lewis October 8, 2015 at 9:51 am

I hear the second hand bookstore got ruined. A tragic loss. SC is so ignorant. It’s autodidact or nothing around here. (Stupid people vote iincumbents every time.) We need the books!

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Sucks October 7, 2015 at 2:39 pm

Old Mill Brewpub took a lot of damage, a shame indeed.

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Rocky Verdad October 7, 2015 at 3:53 pm

Well, water will kill beer every time.

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Can't tell time October 7, 2015 at 12:04 pm

Nikki is late again with updates.

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Rocky Verdad October 7, 2015 at 4:27 pm

Nikki’s late? Way to go Will.

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Mayor T-Bone Shitwater October 7, 2015 at 12:20 pm

Look, put yourself in my shoes- someone comes to you and says, “You know, we’ve got a lot of old dams that need work- you should probably find some money for that in the budget.”

I told them the truth:

“Look scro, I used all the extra money I could shift around for a baseball stadium- who the hell cares about dams? Now GTFO, and don’t flush the toilet too much.”

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Six to Six October 7, 2015 at 4:30 pm

“And go home, I put a curfew on your sorry butt!”

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Boil Water Advisory October 7, 2015 at 4:34 pm

Kills all of the bacteria, leaves all of the extra flavors.

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Rocky Verdad October 7, 2015 at 1:26 pm

This list is incomplete. It didn’t list South Carolina Political DIgest. That was damn failure too.

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Clyburn Dam Failed? October 7, 2015 at 2:38 pm

Is that one named after Representative Clyburn? If that’s the case, surprised anyone gives a dam.

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Bible Thumper October 7, 2015 at 3:45 pm

James Clybrun must be mad too. Not only did his dam bust, spelt his name wrong too.
Correct spel’n https://www.fitsnews.com/?s=clybrun

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Lucille Simpson October 8, 2015 at 4:22 am

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Bible Thumper October 7, 2015 at 3:38 pm

Beaver Dam/Wildewood ?
I bet those beavers are mad. Probably blame Haley…..

James Clybrun must be mad too. Not only did his dam bust, spelt his name wrong too.

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lamar lewis October 8, 2015 at 9:53 am

Rich ass beavers, with lawyers.

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Chickens Home To Roost October 7, 2015 at 4:28 pm

“a “C1” designation means the dam was classified as “high hazard” in the aftermath of the agency’s recent review of these structures”

And when was the last review before that I wonder?

Why would two-bit paper-pushing bureaucracy DHEC be in charge of such important structures anyway? Doesn’t DOT or Clemson Public Service or the State Engineers Office have some real engineers who know that things can wash away or fall down?

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