Caldwell Lake Dam dam
Caldwell Lake Dam
Caldwell Lake Dam, also known as the City of York Dam, is a local government-owned structure located in York, South Carolina. Completed in 1963, this earth dam stands at a height of 43 feet and stretches 635 feet in length, creating a reservoir with a maximum storage capacity of 552 acre-feet. The primary purpose of Caldwell Lake Dam is for recreational activities, with water supply being a secondary function.
Managed and regulated by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, Caldwell Lake Dam has a state-regulated status with routine inspections conducted to ensure its safety and integrity. With a hazard potential rated as high and a condition assessment deemed fair, the dam poses risks that are actively monitored and managed. Despite its age, Caldwell Lake Dam continues to serve its community for recreational purposes along the Turkey Creek, offering a haven for water enthusiasts and nature lovers alike.
As a significant part of the local landscape, Caldwell Lake Dam's presence highlights the importance of water resource management and climate resilience. With its controlled spillway and associated structures, the dam serves as a vital resource for the surrounding area, providing both recreational opportunities and essential water supply functions. The dam's risk assessment characterizes it as having a very high risk level, underscoring the ongoing need for proactive monitoring and emergency preparedness measures to safeguard the community and environment against potential hazards.
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 Caldwell Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Broad River Below Cherokee Falls | 576 cfs | → |
| Wildcat Creek Below Rock Hill | 4 cfs | → |
| Broad River Near Gaffney | 1,890 cfs | → |
| Catawba River Near Rockhill | 866 cfs | → |
| Broad River Near Blacksburg | 338 cfs | → |
| Steele Creek At Sr1441 Nr Pineville | 1 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Caldwell Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Boatshore Road York County
- Windward Drive Tega Cay
- New Gray Rock Road Tega Cay
- Copperhead Island Mecklenburg County
- Soldier Road 15299, Mecklenburg County
- Piedmont Medical Center Trail York County
Campgrounds
- Garner Creek
- Garner Creek Backcountry Campsite
- Kings Mountain State Park
- Ebenezer County Park
- Hounds Gateway Campground
- Mcdowell Nature Preserve
Track Caldwell Lake 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 Caldwell Lake Dam
Where does the data for Caldwell Lake 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 High 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 Caldwell Lake Dam.