Twelve Mile Creek Wcd Dam 12

About Twelve Mile Creek Wcd Dam 12

The primary purpose of Twelve Mile Creek Wcd Dam 12 is flood risk reduction. The dam is designed to control downstream flooding by temporarily storing excess water during storms and releasing it at a controlled rate. The dam is owned by Pickens County Soil And Water Conservation District;william And Elizabeth Lowrance (private). It impounds the Rices Creek.

The dam stands 32 feet tall, creates a reservoir covering 8 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 174 acre-feet. Completed in 1954, 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. Its condition is rated fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam. The most recent inspection on record was 02/13/2024.

At 32 feet, this dam is taller than 76% of dams nationwide.

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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