Mountain Lake Dam is a dam located in Greenville County, South Carolina, built in 1889. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 40 ft40 ft tall, taller than 86% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Mountain Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Mountain Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Sc Department of Parks Recreation and Tourism (state). It impounds the Tr-mountain Creek.
The dam stands 40 feet tall, creates a reservoir covering 4 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 53 acre-feet. Completed in 1889, the structure is over a century 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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 12/20/2023.
At 40 feet, this dam is taller than 86% 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.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | South Carolina |
| County | Greenville |
| River/Stream | Tr-mountain Creek |
| Coordinates | 34.93610, -82.39060 |
Physical Characteristics
| NID Height | 40 ft |
| Dam Height | 40 ft |
| Year Completed | 1889 (137 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 53 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 53 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 46 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 4 acres |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Sc Department of Parks Recreation and Tourism |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 12/20/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | SCD02854 |
| Federal ID | SCD02854 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |