LAKE DARPO DAM - SC00625-3129
Dam Name: LAKE DARPO DAM
State: SC
Downstream Hazard Potential: L
Incident Type: Failure
Incident Date: 09/16/2018
Incident Driver: Hydrologic/Flooding
Incident Mechanism 1: Piping
Incident Mechanism 2Spillway Pipe Failure
Incident Mechanism 3
Incident IDSC00625-3129
Incident DescriptionHeavy rainfall and flooding contributed to failure. Failure occurred at a 36" horizontal pipe (acting as auxiliary spillway) that had been placed through the dam, near the left abutment. The owners do not believe that the dam was overtopped, but that heavy flow led to erosion/piping around the horizontal pipe. Breach prevented access to a large portion of the dam and the primary spillway structure.
Named Hydrologic EventHurricane Florence
EAP Enacted (Y/N) due to IncidentNo
Fatalities (Number)0
Number of People Evacuated0
Number of Habitable Structures Evacuated0
Number of Habitable Structures Flooded0
Other Infrastructure Impacts
Economic Damages (in $)
ResponseState Dam Safety Program performed a full inspection following the breach of this dam. The inspection report will contain a requirement that the Owner hire an engineer and submit either a permit application for repair or removal of the dam.
Volume released at failure (ac-ft)
Additional Remarks or UpdatesReport on dam failures associated with Hurricane Florence to be released by Geotechnical Extreme Event Reconnaisance (GEER) group at some point in the future. GEER team field work occurred during month of September 2018.
Owner TypeL
Dam TypeRE
Primary Purpose(s)R
EAPNR
Dam Height15 ft
Max Storage (ac-ft)146.00
Surface Area (acres)20.00
Year Completed1957
NID NumberSC00625
River NameBUCKHOLTZ CREEK
Latitude34.4573
Longitude-79.8804
Year Modified
Regulatory Agency(ies)SC DHEC
Incident Time
Incident Duration
Incident Report Produced
Information SourcesSC Dam Safety
