Gillespie Pond Dam dam
Gillespie Pond Dam
Gillespie Pond Dam, also known as Stateburg Hills Lake Dam, stands as a private earth dam in Sumter, South Carolina, completed in 1960 for recreational purposes. With a height of 20 feet and a length of 1687 feet, the dam holds a storage capacity of 55 acre-feet, providing essential water resources for the surrounding area. Despite its low hazard potential, the dam's condition is assessed as poor, highlighting the need for ongoing maintenance and inspection.
Located on TR-Beech Creek and under the regulatory oversight of the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SC DHEC), Gillespie Pond Dam poses minimal risk but requires attention to ensure its long-term integrity. The dam's primary purpose for recreation invites enthusiasts to enjoy the surrounding surface area of 5 acres while maintaining a safe distance from the structure. An inspection frequency of five years helps monitor the dam's condition, with the last assessment conducted in April 2017.
Ralph Norman, the representative for the area, oversees the Charleston District where Gillespie Pond Dam resides, ensuring that safety measures and risk management strategies are in place. With a history dating back to the 1960s, this private earth dam serves as a vital part of the local water infrastructure, offering both recreational opportunities and water storage capabilities. As climate and water resource enthusiasts, the importance of maintaining and monitoring dams like Gillespie Pond Dam cannot be understated to safeguard against potential hazards and ensure sustainable water management practices.
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 Gillespie Pond Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Wateree R. Bl Eastover | 2,400 cfs | → |
| Wateree River Nr. Camden | 3,960 cfs | → |
| Gills Creek At Columbia | 27 cfs | → |
| Lynches River Near Bishopville | 136 cfs | → |
| Smith Branch At North Main St At Columbia | 4 cfs | → |
| Congaree River At Columbia | 10,200 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Gillespie Pond Dam.
Boat launches
- Us 601 Calhoun County
- West Dekalb Street Lugoff
- Morning Sun Court 98, Richland County
- Lake Carolina Drive Richland County
- Landing Lane Calhoun County
- Buck Hill Landing Road Kershaw County
Track Gillespie 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 Gillespie Pond Dam
Where does the data for Gillespie 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 Gillespie Pond Dam.