Cypress Lake Dam dam
Cypress Lake Dam
Cypress Lake Dam, located in Clarendon, South Carolina, is a privately owned earth dam that was completed in the year 1900. With a height of 10 feet and a length of 600 feet, the dam serves primarily for recreational purposes, providing a storage capacity of 167 acre-feet and a normal storage of 104 acre-feet. The dam is situated on the Horse Branch river and is regulated by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC).
Despite its low hazard potential, Cypress Lake Dam has not been rated for its condition assessment as of yet. The dam has a history of regular inspections, with the last inspection conducted in January 2013. With an inspection frequency of 5 years, the dam's emergency action plan (EAP) status and risk assessment measures are currently undocumented. The dam does not have a spillway and is not associated with any locks or outlet gates.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Cypress Lake Dam presents an interesting case study of a privately owned recreational dam in South Carolina. With its historical significance dating back to the early 1900s, the dam's structural integrity and safety measures are subject to ongoing regulatory oversight by state authorities. As a key feature on the Horse Branch river, the dam's management and maintenance play a crucial role in ensuring public safety and environmental protection 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 Cypress Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Black River At Kingstree | 41 cfs | → |
| Lynches River At Effingham | 159 cfs | → |
| Santee River Near Pineville | 619 cfs | → |
| Lynches River Near Bishopville | 123 cfs | → |
| Black Creek Near Quinby | 137 cfs | → |
| Pee Dee River Below Pee Dee | 2,200 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Cypress Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- State Highway 260 Clarendon County
- Williamsburg County
- Clarendon County
- Log Jam Road Clarendon County
- Russel Store Road Berkeley County
Campgrounds
Fishing spots
Track Cypress 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 Cypress Lake Dam
Where does the data for Cypress 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 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 Cypress Lake Dam.