Lake Darpo Dam

About Lake Darpo Dam

The primary purpose of Lake Darpo Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Darlington County (local government). It impounds the Buckholtz Creek.

The dam stands 15 feet tall, creates a reservoir covering 20 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 146 acre-feet. Completed in 1957, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.

This dam carries a high hazard potential classification, which means that a failure or uncontrolled release of water would likely cause loss of human life. This classification reflects the consequences of failure, not the likelihood — it indicates that people live or work in the area downstream. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam. The most recent inspection on record was 06/20/2023.

Living Downstream

If you live or work downstream of this dam, consider taking these steps: learn your local evacuation routes, check whether your county emergency management office has a dam failure inundation map, and sign up for local emergency alerts. The South Carolina dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.

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