Forest Lake Dam dam
Forest Lake Dam
Forest Lake Dam, located in York, South Carolina, stands as a significant earth dam completed in 1955 for recreational purposes. With a height of 23 feet and a length of 330 feet, this dam provides a storage capacity of 59 acre-feet and covers an area of 11 acres. Situated on the TR-STEELE CREEK river, the dam is privately owned and regulated by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC). Despite its poor condition assessment and high hazard potential, the dam has been inspected regularly, with the last assessment conducted in December 2019.
The Forest Lake Dam poses a potential risk due to its poor condition, prompting a high hazard potential designation. With a history of modifications and regular inspections, its current state and maintenance practices are crucial in ensuring the safety of the surrounding community and the preservation of the dam's intended recreational purpose. The dam's location within the Wilmington District and its ownership by a private entity further emphasize the need for continued monitoring and adherence to regulatory standards to mitigate any potential risks associated with its operation.
As a vital part of the local water resource infrastructure, Forest Lake Dam serves as a recreational reservoir with a primary purpose to provide leisure activities for the community. Its structural design, including stone core materials and soil foundations, highlights the importance of maintaining its integrity to sustain its maximum storage capacity and normal operations. With ongoing enforcement, inspection, and permitting by state agencies, the dam remains a focal point for water resource and climate enthusiasts to monitor and ensure its long-term sustainability and safety.
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 Forest Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Steele Creek At Sr1441 Nr Pineville | 1 cfs | → |
| Sugar Creek At Nc 51 Near Pineville | 39 cfs | → |
| Little Sugar Creek At Pineville | 22 cfs | → |
| Mcalpine Cr Below Mcmullen Cr Nr Pineville | 7 cfs | → |
| Catawba River Near Rockhill | 853 cfs | → |
| Coffey Creek Nr Charlotte | 2 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Forest Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- New Gray Rock Road Tega Cay
- Windward Drive Tega Cay
- Piedmont Medical Center Trail York County
- Soldier Road 15299, Mecklenburg County
- Copperhead Island Mecklenburg County
- Boatshore Road York County
Campgrounds
- Sign Language
- Mcdowell Nature Preserve
- Ebenezer County Park
- Andrew Jackson State Park
- Cane Creek Park
- Kings Mountain State Park
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
Track Forest 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 Forest Lake Dam
Where does the data for Forest 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 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 Forest Lake Dam.