Martha Westbrook Pond Dam dam
Martha Westbrook Pond Dam
Martha Westbrook Pond Dam, located in Fairfield County, South Carolina, was completed in 1976 and is primarily used for recreational purposes. The dam, designed by the USDA NRCS, stands at 25 feet high and spans 500 feet in length, creating a storage capacity of 76 acre-feet. Despite its low hazard potential, the dam is currently rated as being in poor condition, with the last assessment conducted in June 2017.
Managed by a private owner, Martha Westbrook Pond Dam is regulated by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC), with state permitting, inspection, and enforcement in place. The dam, classified as an earth dam with a buttress core, features an uncontrolled spillway and outlet gates. With a moderate risk assessment rating, it is crucial for ongoing risk management measures to be put in place to ensure the safety and integrity of the structure, especially given its location along the TR-Little River. Enthusiasts of water resources and climate will find Martha Westbrook Pond Dam to be an intriguing case study in dam management and maintenance.
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 Martha Westbrook Pond Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Broad River At Alston | 3,340 cfs | → |
| Broad River Near Carlisle | 1,780 cfs | → |
| Rocky Creek At Great Falls | 32 cfs | → |
| Tyger River Near Delta | 333 cfs | → |
| Enoree River At Whitmire | 364 cfs | → |
| Fishing Creek Below Fort Lawn | 68 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Martha Westbrook Pond Dam.
Boat launches
- Broad River Road Newberry County
- Green Road Lancaster County
- Cove Launch Court Lexington County
- Highway 6 6, Columbia
- Lake Carolina Drive Richland County
Campgrounds
- Rocky Branch Seasonal Camp
- Collins Creek Seasonal Camp
- Chester State Park
- Lake Wateree State Rec Area
- Woodmen Of The World Park
- Camp Longridge
Fishing spots
Track Martha Westbrook Pond 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 Martha Westbrook Pond Dam
Where does the data for Martha Westbrook Pond 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 Martha Westbrook Pond Dam.