Twin Lakes Upper Dam dam
Twin Lakes Upper Dam
Twin Lakes Upper Dam, also known as L.P. Pitts Upper Pond Dam, is a privately owned structure located in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Constructed in 1964 by the USDA NRCS, this earth dam stands at a height of 34 feet and stretches 525 feet in length. The primary purpose of the dam is for recreation, providing a surface area of 23 acres for enthusiasts to enjoy.
Managed by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC), Twin Lakes Upper Dam is regulated, inspected, and enforced to ensure its safety and compliance with state standards. The dam has a significant hazard potential, yet its condition is assessed as fair as of the most recent inspection in January 2021. With a moderate risk assessment rating of 3, the dam does not have a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) affiliation.
While the dam's spillway is uncontrolled, and it has uncontrolled outlet gates, there have been no modifications or enhancements to the structure in recent years. The dam's storage capacity is 405 acre-feet, with a normal storage level of 276 acre-feet. The risk management measures, emergency action plan, and inundation maps for Twin Lakes Upper Dam are not clearly defined, raising questions about its overall emergency preparedness. Despite these concerns, this recreational water resource remains a popular destination for locals and visitors alike.
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 Twin Lakes Upper Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| South Tyger River Below Duncan | 22 cfs | → |
| Middle Tyger River Near Lyman | 7 cfs | → |
| Lawsons Fork Creek At Spartanburg Sc | 28 cfs | → |
| Beaverdam Creek Above Greer | 14 cfs | → |
| Enoree River At Pelham | 48 cfs | → |
| Durbin Creek Above Fountain Inn | 5 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Twin Lakes Upper Dam.
Boat launches
- Berry Shoals Road 370, Spartanburg County
- Anchor Park
- Sandy Ford Road 1925, Chesnee
- J. Verne Smith Park (Lake Robinson)
- Buckskin Road Pickens County
- Arden Road Greenville County
Campgrounds
- Croft State Natural Area
- Paris Mountain State Park
- Sedalia Campground
- Sedalia
- Pleasant Ridge County Park
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- South Fork From Confluence With Pigeon Br To Nf Boundary
- Mills River From Confluence Of North/South Forks To Confluence With Foster Creek
- Nf Boundary To Confluence With North Fork
- North Fork From Bottom Of Spillway Of Hendersonville Reservoir To Confluence With South Fork
- Dark Prong From Headwaters To Confluence East Fork And Yellowstone Prong
- East Fork From Us Highway 276 To Confluence Of Dark Prong And Yellowstone Prong
Track Twin Lakes Upper 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 Twin Lakes Upper Dam
Where does the data for Twin Lakes Upper 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 Significant 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 Twin Lakes Upper Dam.