Cash Farms Dam dam
Cash Farms Dam
Cash Farms Dam, also known as Big Pond, is a privately owned structure located in Cherokee, South Carolina, along the TR-Macedonia Creek. Built in 1900 by the USDA NRCS, this earth dam stands at a height of 18 feet and spans 740 feet in length, providing vital irrigation resources to the surrounding area. With a storage capacity of 86 acre-feet and a surface area of 7 acres, the dam serves primarily for irrigation purposes, with additional benefits for recreation.
Despite its historical significance and functional role in water resource management, Cash Farms Dam is rated as having poor structural condition and a low hazard potential according to a 2017 assessment. The dam's spillway is uncontrolled, and it lacks outlet gates, posing moderate risk to the surrounding community. The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) regulates and inspects the dam, ensuring compliance with safety standards. While the dam's risk management measures are not explicitly outlined, its continued operation reinforces the importance of maintaining and monitoring aging infrastructure for the safety of both people and the environment.
In the face of climate change and increasing pressure on water resources, the conservation and rehabilitation of dams like Cash Farms Dam are essential for ensuring water security and mitigating the impacts of extreme weather events. As stakeholders continue to assess and address the dam's structural weaknesses and risk potential, it serves as a reminder of the critical role that infrastructure plays in water resource management and climate resilience efforts in the region.
Dam data reference
Condition Assessment
- Satisfactory
- No existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. Acceptable performance is expected under all loading conditions (static, hydrologic, seismic) in accordance with the minimum applicable state or federal regulatory criteria or tolerable risk guidelines.
- Fair
- No existing dam safety deficiencies are recognized for normal operating conditions. Rare or extreme hydrologic and/or seismic events may result in a dam safety deficiency. Risk may be in the range to take further action.
- Poor
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized for normal operating conditions which may realistically occur. Remedial action is necessary. POOR may also be used when uncertainties exist as to critical analysis parameters which identify a potential dam safety deficiency.
- Unsatisfactory
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized that requires immediate or emergency remedial action for problem resolution.
- Not Rated
- The dam has not been inspected, is not under state or federal jurisdiction, or has been inspected but, for whatever reason, has not been rated.
Hazard Potential Classification
- High
- Dams assigned the high hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation will probably cause loss of human life.
- Significant
- Dams assigned the significant hazard potential classification are those dams where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life but can cause economic loss, environmental damage, disruption of lifeline facilities, or impact other concerns. Significant hazard potential classification dams are often located in predominantly rural or agricultural areas but could be in areas with population and significant infrastructure.
- Low
- Dams assigned the low hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life and low economic and/or environmental losses. Losses are principally limited to the owner's property.
- Undetermined
- Dams for which a downstream hazard potential has not been designated or is not provided.
Plan around the weather
Same NOAA / yr.no feed Snoflo's iOS app uses. Watch the precipitation column on the meteogram -- rain on the basin upstream typically lifts inflow 24-72 hours later.
Next 5 days, hour by hour
Temperature line with weather symbols on top, snow + rain accumulation as columns, humidity as a dotted line.
5-day forecast table
Every 3 hours, broken out across temperature, snow, rain, humidity, and wind. Each cell is colour-coded relative to the column min/max.
| Time | Condition | Temp (°F) | Snow (in) | Rain (in) | Humidity (%) | Wind (mps) | Wind dir |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loading detailed forecast… | |||||||
15-day temperature & precipitation
Daily temperatures, snow, and rain projected over the next two weeks.
Nearby streamflow gauges
USGS streamgauges around Cash Farms Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Pacolet River Below Lake Blalock Near Cowpens | 88 cfs | → |
| Pacolet River Near Fingerville | 81 cfs | → |
| Lawsons Fork Creek At Spartanburg Sc | 29 cfs | → |
| North Pacolet River At Fingerville | 51 cfs | → |
| Broad River Near Boiling Springs | 392 cfs | → |
| Broad River Near Blacksburg | 338 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Cash Farms Dam.
Boat launches
- Sandy Ford Road 1925, Chesnee
- Anchor Park
- First Broad River Trail Shelby
- Berry Shoals Road 370, Spartanburg County
- John H. Moss Lake Recreation Park
- Lakeshore Drive Cleveland County
Campgrounds
- Croft State Natural Area
- Shelby Mission Camp
- Garner Creek Backcountry Campsite
- Garner Creek
- John H. Moss Lake City Campground
- Kings Mountain State Park
Fishing spots
- Johns Creek Lake
- Sedalia Lake
- Macedonia Lake
- Pittman Lake
- Mountain Island Park Fishing Access
- Asheville Recreation Park Lake
Paddle runs
- Linville Wilderness Boundary To Lake James
- Mills River From Confluence Of North/South Forks To Confluence With Foster Creek
- North Fork From Bottom Of Spillway Of Hendersonville Reservoir To Confluence With South Fork
- Nf Boundary To Confluence With North Fork
- South Fork From Confluence With Pigeon Br To Nf Boundary
- Linville Gorge Wilderness Boundary To Southern End Of Wilderness
Track Cash Farms Dam in the Snoflo app
Save this dam as a favorite and get the local NOAA / yr.no forecast plus regional flow context wherever you are.
About Cash Farms Dam
Where does the data for Cash Farms Dam come from?
Structural and regulatory data come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' National Inventory of Dams (NID). Weather forecast comes from NOAA / yr.no -- the same feed Snoflo's iOS app uses.
How often is the report updated?
NID structural data refreshes annually as the Corps publishes updated assessments. The weather forecast refreshes throughout the day.
What does the Low hazard rating mean?
The Corps of Engineers' hazard potential classification grades probable consequences if the dam fails: High = probable loss of human life; Significant = no probable loss of human life but possible economic loss / environmental damage; Low = no probable loss of human life, only minor economic / environmental losses. See the Dam Data Reference card above for the full definitions.
What's "% of normal"?
The current storage value compared to the historical average storage on this calendar day. 100% = right on average; values above 100% mean above-normal storage (wet year); values below mean below-normal (dry year or drought).
Can I get alerts when storage crosses a threshold?
Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app. Favorite this dam, set a threshold, and you'll get a push the moment conditions cross.
Other water bodies near here
Snoflo-tracked reservoirs and dams within driving distance of Cash Farms Dam.