On Friday, October 16, DHEC announced that it was issuing emergency orders requiring remedial actions at some 63 dams statewide. This decision follows the record flooding in South Carolina in early October, during which some 36 dams failed. Most of the dams subject to the emergency orders are in the Midlands, which saw some of the heaviest rainfall.
As the state agency charged with ensuring dam and reservoir safety, DHEC has begun a statewide assessment of all Class One and Class Two dams, with some 390 dams assessed to date. Dams are classified based upon the likely impact that their failure would cause, with Class One dams projected to cause possible loss of life or serious damage to infrastructure in the event of a failure and Class Two dams projected not likely to cause loss of life but possible damage to infrastructure.
DHEC’s announcement stressed that there is no immediate threat to public safety. Read DHEC’s announcement about the emergency orders here, where you can also access a list of the dams that are subject to the orders.
