Conestee Lake Dam dam
Conestee Lake Dam
Conestee Lake Dam, located in Greenville, South Carolina, is a historic masonry dam built in 1812 with a primary purpose of flood risk reduction along the TR-Reedy River. Standing at a height of 28 feet and a length of 1100 feet, the dam stores 710 acre-feet of water with a normal storage capacity of 600 acre-feet. Despite its age, the dam remains state-regulated and is subject to regular inspections by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SC DHEC).
The condition assessment of Conestee Lake Dam is rated as poor, indicating the need for maintenance and potential repairs to ensure its structural integrity and continued flood risk reduction capabilities. With a significant hazard potential, the dam's emergency action plan (EAP) is yet to be prepared or updated, raising concerns about the response readiness in case of a dam failure or emergency situation. The area surrounding the dam covers a surface area of 93 acres, making it a critical infrastructure for water resource management in the region.
As a vital component of the flood risk reduction infrastructure in the area, Conestee Lake Dam serves as a key protective structure against potential flooding events along the TR-Reedy River. However, its poor condition assessment and significant hazard potential highlight the importance of ongoing monitoring, maintenance, and potential upgrades to ensure the safety and effectiveness of the dam in safeguarding the community and environment from flood risks. The collaboration between state regulatory agencies, dam owners, and local stakeholders is crucial in ensuring the long-term resilience and functionality of Conestee Lake Dam for the benefit of all water resource and climate enthusiasts in the region.
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 Conestee Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Reedy River Near Greenville | 72 cfs | → |
| Brushy Creek Near Greenville | 8 cfs | → |
| Reedy River Above Fork Shoals | 233 cfs | → |
| Saluda River Near Greenville | 473 cfs | → |
| Enoree River At Pelham | 135 cfs | → |
| Durbin Creek Above Fountain Inn | 22 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Conestee Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Buckskin Road Pickens County
- Arden Road Greenville County
- J. Verne Smith Park (Lake Robinson)
- Berry Shoals Road 370, Spartanburg County
- Garlington Drive Laurens County
- Denver Road Anderson County
Campgrounds
- Paris Mountain State Park
- Pleasant Ridge County Park
- Table Rock State Park
- Croft State Natural Area
- Camp Burgess Glen Lake
- Black Forest Family Camping Resort
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- Headwaters Just East Of Hwy 107 To Crossing Of Norton Field Road (Fs 715a)
- Beginning Just Upstream Of Townes Creek,Wash Branch And Crane Creek To Confluence With Kings Creek
- Headwaters To Sloan's Bridge Crossing, Crossing Of Sc 107
- Sloan's Bridge Crossing To 1/4 Mile Above The Walhalla Fish Hatchery
- 1/4 Mile Above The Walhalla Fish Hatchery To 1/4 Mile Below The Walhalla Fish Hatchery
- South Fork From Confluence With Pigeon Br To Nf Boundary
Track Conestee 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 Conestee Lake Dam
Where does the data for Conestee 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 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 Conestee Lake Dam.