Crystal Lake Dam dam
Crystal Lake Dam
Crystal Lake Dam, located in Lexington, South Carolina, is a privately owned earth dam built in 1900 for recreational purposes, spanning 690 feet with a height of 25 feet. Situated on Red Bank Creek, the dam has a storage capacity of 342 acre-feet and a surface area of 57 acres. Although the dam is primarily used for recreation, it is also regulated by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, with state permitting, inspection, and enforcement in place to ensure its safety and compliance.
The condition assessment of Crystal Lake Dam is rated as fair, with a significant hazard potential, prompting regular inspections every three years. The last inspection was conducted in December 2020, with emergency action plans in place to address any potential risks. Owned by a private entity, the dam holds historical significance as a key feature in the local landscape, offering recreational opportunities for visitors while maintaining a balance between human enjoyment and environmental stewardship.
Despite its age, Crystal Lake Dam continues to serve its purpose effectively, providing a serene setting for outdoor activities and water resource enthusiasts to enjoy. With its stone core and soil foundation, the dam stands as a testament to engineering ingenuity of the past, further highlighting the importance of ongoing maintenance and regulatory oversight to ensure its long-term sustainability and safety for generations to come.
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 Crystal Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Saluda River Below Lk Murray Dam Nr Columbia | 759 cfs | → |
| Saluda River Near Columbia | 830 cfs | → |
| Congaree River At Columbia | 2,320 cfs | → |
| Smith Branch At North Main St At Columbia | 2 cfs | → |
| Gills Creek At Columbia | 13 cfs | → |
| Broad River At Alston | 1,440 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Crystal Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Highway 6 6, Columbia
- Cabana Way Lexington County
- Sandlapper Way 159, Lexington County
- Eastshore Drive 143, Lexington County
- Shull Island Boat Ramp
- Cove Launch Court Lexington County
Campgrounds
- Woodmen Of The World Park
- Dreher Island State Rec Area
- Sesquicentennial State Park
- Weston Lake Military - Fort Jackson
- Longleaf Campground
- Bluff Campground
Paddle runs
Track Crystal 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 Crystal Lake Dam
Where does the data for Crystal 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 Crystal Lake Dam.