Thicketty Crk Wcd 20 dam
Thicketty Crk Wcd 20
Thicketty Creek WCD 20, also known as Shady Grove, is a privately owned earth dam located in Cherokee County, South Carolina. Built in 1967 by the USDA NRCS, this dam stands at 54 feet tall and spans a length of 740 feet along the Thicketty Mountain Creek. Its primary purpose is flood risk reduction, with a storage capacity of 503 acre-feet and a surface area of 14 acres.
Managed by the SC DHEC, Thicketty Creek WCD 20 has a high hazard potential and is classified as being in fair condition as of the last inspection in October 2020. It operates with uncontrolled spillways and outlet gates, posing a moderate risk according to a risk assessment. While the dam has not been modified in recent years, it undergoes inspections every two years to ensure its structural integrity and compliance with state regulations.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Thicketty Creek WCD 20 serves as a fascinating example of human intervention in managing flood risk and controlling water flow in a natural setting. Its history, design, and regulatory oversight provide valuable insights into the complexities of maintaining and monitoring dams for the safety and protection of surrounding communities and ecosystems.
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 Thicketty Crk Wcd 20 -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Pacolet River Below Lake Blalock Near Cowpens | 88 cfs | → |
| Broad River Near Boiling Springs | 392 cfs | → |
| Broad River Near Blacksburg | 350 cfs | → |
| Broad River Near Gaffney | 1,890 cfs | → |
| Lawsons Fork Creek At Spartanburg Sc | 30 cfs | → |
| Pacolet River Near Fingerville | 85 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Thicketty Crk Wcd 20.
Boat launches
- Sandy Ford Road 1925, Chesnee
- Anchor Park
- First Broad River Trail Shelby
- John H. Moss Lake Recreation Park
- Lakeshore Drive Cleveland County
- Berry Shoals Road 370, Spartanburg County
Campgrounds
- Croft State Natural Area
- Shelby Mission Camp
- Garner Creek Backcountry Campsite
- Garner Creek
- John H. Moss Lake City Campground
- Kings Mountain State Park
Fishing spots
- Johns Creek Lake
- Sedalia Lake
- Macedonia Lake
- Pittman Lake
- Mountain Island Park Fishing Access
- Asheville Recreation Park Lake
Paddle runs
- Linville Wilderness Boundary To Lake James
- Linville Gorge Wilderness Boundary To Southern End Of Wilderness
- Mills River From Confluence Of North/South Forks To Confluence With Foster Creek
- Nf Boundary To Confluence With North Fork
- North Fork From Bottom Of Spillway Of Hendersonville Reservoir To Confluence With South Fork
- South Fork From Confluence With Pigeon Br To Nf Boundary
Track Thicketty Crk Wcd 20 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 Thicketty Crk Wcd 20
Where does the data for Thicketty Crk Wcd 20 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 High 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 Thicketty Crk Wcd 20.