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Lake History: Then and now

Earth embankment, dam construction

This view of the South Carolina embankment of the Hartwell Dam site (Fig. 1) is from November 22nd, 1955.  Engineers are completing the earth embankments on both sides of the Savannah River which will eventually link up with the concrete dam that will be constructed in the future. One of the reasons this spot was chosen for the dam was the topography of the landscape here narrowed enough to create shallow escarpments on both sides of the river which were ideal for a dam.

Three and a half years later on June 10, 1959 (Fig. 2) you again see across the open space to the South Carolina side of the dam site. A partially constructed concrete dam is literally rising up from the middle of the Savannah River.  The Georgia and South Carolina earth embankments have been completed and await dirt to be built up against both ends of the concrete dam. The concrete batching and mixing plant is seen at right background. Sluice conduits on three of the base blocks are allowing the Savannah River to continue flowing downstream to Clarks Hill Lake.

Nearly a year and a half has passed (Fig. 3) and on October 12, 1960 the concrete dam is complete and the earth embankments on both the Georgia and South Carolina sides nestle comfortably next to the dam. With the concrete blocks now spanning the entire width of the Savannah River, only the sluice conduits allow water to continue flowing downstream. For some time now the river has overflowed its banks ever so slightly creating a shallow reservoir nearly a mile long. The gates of the intake will not officially be closed for another four months. At that time impoundment of the river will force the reservoir to swell to a 50,000-acre lake.

On July 31, 1962 (Fig. 4) the Hartwell Lake is seen at normal pool of elevation 660.0.  The meandering river and undulating land seen behind the dam for many years during its construction have now disappeared. Even during extreme drought conditions only a small portion of the land behind the dam will become visible again. The stark contrast between the four photographs shows the tremendous amount of work that was necessary to create a huge dam for all to enjoy.  This is the image most people today have of Hartwell Lake.  So the next time you are on or near the lake and look out over this vast recreational vista remember these images of how it came to be.

 

Fig. 1: Both the Georgia and South Carolina earth embankments are under construction.

 

 

 

 

 

Fig. 2: Concrete dam construction is well under way as the block infrastructure spans the Savannah River.

 

 

 

 

 

Fig. 3: The concrete portion of the dam is finished and the earth embankments are nestled up against the ends of the dam.

 

 

 

 

 

Fig. 4: Hartwell Lake is fully formed 15 months after the gates of the intake were officially closed to create the lake. Nearly all the work completed on the upstream side of the dam has disappeared.

 

 

 

 

 

David Coughlin is researching and preparing to write a book about the history of Hartwell Lake and its dam. For more information visit www.hartwelllakehistory.com.

 

       

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