Helen Mccollough Dam dam
Helen Mccollough Dam
Helen Mccollough Dam, located in Williamsburg, South Carolina, was completed in 1960 and stands at a height of 18 feet with a length of 630 feet. The dam primarily serves a recreational purpose, offering a storage capacity of 73 acre-feet and a normal storage of 29 acre-feet. Situated on the TR-OX SWAMP river/stream, this earth dam with a buttress core type has been regulated, permitted, inspected, and enforced by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SC DHEC).
Despite its low hazard potential, the dam's condition assessment was reported as poor during its last inspection in November 2017. With an inspection frequency of 5 years, there is a need for improved maintenance and potentially a condition assessment update to ensure the safety and integrity of the structure. Furthermore, the dam lacks emergency action preparedness, inundation maps, and risk assessment measures, highlighting areas for improvement in emergency response planning and risk management.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Helen Mccollough Dam presents an opportunity for further study and advocacy for proper maintenance, monitoring, and emergency preparedness. As a privately owned structure under state regulation, there is a need for collaboration between the owner, regulatory agencies, and the community to address the poor condition assessment and implement necessary risk management measures. By enhancing the safety and resilience of the dam, its recreational benefits can be sustained while mitigating potential hazards and ensuring the protection of downstream areas.
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 Helen Mccollough Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Black River At Kingstree | 338 cfs | → |
| Santee River Nr Jamestown | 6,660 cfs | → |
| Santee River Near Pineville | 680 cfs | → |
| Lake Moultrie Tailrace Canal At Moncks Corner | 270 cfs | → |
| Turkey Creek Near Maryville | 0 cfs | → |
| Pee Dee River At Hwy 701 Nr Bucksport | 1,840 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Helen Mccollough Dam.
Boat launches
- Williamsburg County
- Pine Tree Landing
- Russel Store Road Berkeley County
- Browns Ferry Road Georgetown County
- Sandhole Road, Georgetown
- Forest Road 204 F, Jamestown
Campgrounds
- Guilliard Lake
- Short Stay Navy Military
- Honey Hill Recreation Area
- Honey Hill
- Elmwood
- Elmwood Recreation Area
Fishing spots
Track Helen Mccollough 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 Helen Mccollough Dam
Where does the data for Helen Mccollough 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 Helen Mccollough Dam.