Virginia Taylor Dam dam
Virginia Taylor Dam
Virginia Taylor Dam, also known as A.B. Taylor Pond Dam, is a privately owned structure located in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Built in 1956 by the USDA NRCS, this earth dam stands at 23 feet high and spans 262 feet in length, holding a maximum storage capacity of 116 acre-feet for recreational purposes. Despite its scenic location along Ranson Creek, the dam is classified as having a high hazard potential and poor condition, prompting biennial inspections to ensure public safety.
Managed by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, Virginia Taylor Dam operates with uncontrolled spillways and outlet gates, raising concerns about its emergency preparedness. The dam's risk assessment identifies moderate risks, urging the need for better risk management measures to mitigate potential hazards. With its historical significance and critical role in the local water resource management, efforts to improve the dam's condition and emergency response plans are essential to safeguarding the surrounding community and preserving this valuable recreational asset.
In collaboration with state regulators and federal agencies like the Natural Resources Conservation Service, ongoing maintenance and monitoring of Virginia Taylor Dam are crucial to address its structural deficiencies and ensure compliance with safety standards. By implementing recommended risk management measures and emergency action plans, stakeholders can enhance the dam's resilience to climate impacts and protect the environment while providing recreational opportunities for water resource 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 Virginia Taylor Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| South Tyger River Below Duncan | 22 cfs | → |
| Middle Tyger River Near Lyman | 7 cfs | → |
| Lawsons Fork Creek At Spartanburg Sc | 28 cfs | → |
| Enoree River At Pelham | 48 cfs | → |
| Beaverdam Creek Above Greer | 14 cfs | → |
| Enoree River Near Woodruff | 111 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Virginia Taylor Dam.
Boat launches
- Berry Shoals Road 370, Spartanburg County
- Sandy Ford Road 1925, Chesnee
- Anchor Park
- J. Verne Smith Park (Lake Robinson)
- Buckskin Road Pickens County
- Arden Road Greenville County
Campgrounds
Paddle runs
- South Fork From Confluence With Pigeon Br To Nf Boundary
- Mills River From Confluence Of North/South Forks To Confluence With Foster Creek
- North Fork From Bottom Of Spillway Of Hendersonville Reservoir To Confluence With South Fork
- Nf Boundary To Confluence With North Fork
Track Virginia Taylor 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 Virginia Taylor Dam
Where does the data for Virginia Taylor 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 Virginia Taylor Dam.