Bowaters Carolina Dam 5 dam
Bowaters Carolina Dam 5
Bowaters Carolina Dam 5, located in York, South Carolina, is a privately owned earth dam completed in 1965 with a height of 50 feet and a length of 7495 feet. The dam serves as a vital structure for water resource management, primarily for offstream storage on the Catawba River. With a storage capacity of 1456 acre-feet, the dam plays a crucial role in regulating water flow and providing essential water supply for the region.
Managed by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SC DHEC), Bowaters Carolina Dam 5 is subject to state regulation, inspection, and enforcement to ensure its structural integrity and safety. The dam is classified as having a low hazard potential and fair condition, with the last inspection conducted in August 2017. Despite its low hazard potential, the dam plays a significant role in water resource management and supports various purposes beyond flood control, highlighting its importance in the region's water infrastructure.
With its strategic location on the Catawba River and its contribution to offstream water storage, Bowaters Carolina Dam 5 remains a key asset for water resource enthusiasts and climate advocates. As climate change continues to impact water availability and quality, the dam's role in ensuring a reliable water supply for the region becomes increasingly significant. Its maintenance and regulation by the state underscore the importance of responsible water management practices to mitigate potential risks and ensure the long-term sustainability of water resources in South Carolina.
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 Bowaters Carolina Dam 5 -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Catawba River Below Catawba | 1,290 cfs | → |
| Waxhaw Creek At Sr1103 Near Jackson | 1 cfs | → |
| Catawba River Near Rockhill | 853 cfs | → |
| Wildcat Creek Below Rock Hill | 3 cfs | → |
| Fishing Creek Below Fort Lawn | 24 cfs | → |
| Mcalpine Cr Below Mcmullen Cr Nr Pineville | 7 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Bowaters Carolina Dam 5.
Boat launches
- Catawba Nation Greenway Trail York County
- Waterford Trail Rock Hill
- Lancaster County
- Piedmont Medical Center Trail York County
- New Gray Rock Road Tega Cay
- Windward Drive Tega Cay
Campgrounds
- Andrew Jackson State Park
- Cane Creek Park
- Sign Language
- Ebenezer County Park
- Mcdowell Nature Preserve
- Chester State Park
Track Bowaters Carolina Dam 5 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 Bowaters Carolina Dam 5
Where does the data for Bowaters Carolina Dam 5 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 Bowaters Carolina Dam 5.