| Lake Hartwell | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Lake Hartwell | |
| Location | Georgia /South Carolina |
| Coordinates | 34°27′N82°51′W / 34.45°N 82.85°W /34.45; -82.85 |
| Type | Reservoir |
| Primary inflows | Savannah,Tugaloo, andSeneca Rivers |
| Primary outflows | Savannah River toLake Russell |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 56,000 acres (23,000 ha) |
| Average depth | 45 ft (14 m)[1] |
| Max. depth | 185 ft (56 m)[1] |
| Water volume | 2,550,000 acre⋅ft (3.15 km3) |
| Shore length1 | 962 mi (1,548 km) |
| Surface elevation | 660 ft (201 m)[2] |
| 1 Shore length isnot a well-defined measure. | |
Lake Hartwell is a man-madereservoir borderingGeorgia andSouth Carolina and encompassing parts of theSavannah,Tugaloo, andSeneca rivers. Lake Hartwell is one of the largest recreation lakes in theSoutheastern United States. It was created by the construction of theHartwell Dam, completed in 1962 and located on theSavannah River seven miles (11 km) below the point where the Tugaloo and Seneca Rivers join to form the Savannah. Extending 49 miles (79 km) up the Tugaloo and 45 miles (72 km) up the Seneca at normal pool elevation, the lake comprises nearly 56,000 acres (230 km2) of water with a shoreline of 962 miles (1,548 km). The entire Hartwell reservoir project contains 76,450 acres (309.4 km2) of land and water.Interstate highway 85 bisects Lake Hartwell, making the area easily accessible to visitors.[3]
TheFlood Control Act of May 17, 1950 authorized the Hartwell Dam and Reservoir as the second unit in the comprehensive development of the Savannah River Basin. The estimated cost was $68.4 million based on 1948 price levels and preliminary designs. The original project provided for agravity-type concrete dam 2,415 feet (736 m) long with earth embankments at either end, which would be 6,050 feet (1,840 m) long on the Georgia side and 3,935 feet (1,199 m) long on the South Carolina side. The 12,400 foot (3,800 m) long dam was to be topped with a roadway 24 feet (7.3 m) wide. The main dam was to consist of two non-overflow concrete sections on the right and left banks 887 feet (270 m) and 940 feet (290 m) long, respectively; a gravity-type concretespillway 588 feet (179 m) long equipped with 12tainter gates 26 by 40 feet (7.9 by 12.2 m) in the channel; and a powerhouse on the South Carolina side of the river. Full power pool was designed to be 660 feet (200 m) abovemean sea level.
At this elevation, the reservoir would extend 7.1 miles (11.4 km) up the Savannah River to the confluence of the Tugaloo and Seneca Rivers; 41 miles (66 km) up the Tugaloo to within approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) of the existingYonah Dam; 27 miles (43 km) up the Seneca to the mouth of the Little River, South Carolina; 2 miles (3.2 km) up the Little River to the Newry site; and 7 miles (11 km) up the Keowee to the Old Pickens site. The reservoir would cover 56,500 acres (22,900 ha) and would involve the relocation of 3 sections of railroad totaling 2 miles (3.2 km), the raising of 2 railroad bridges, construction of 6 sections of new state high- ways, totaling 19.6 miles (31.5 km), and 9 sections of county roads totaling 12.7 miles (20.4 km); the construction of 9 new bridges and the raising of 4 existing bridges, and the relocation of 2 power transmission lines.[4]
Construction of the Hartwell project took place from 1955 and was completed in 1963. Construction of the dam started in 1955 and was finished in 1959.[3] Salvage archeological excavations were conducted at several sites in an effort to recover artifacts and information from prehistoric and historic sites that would be inundated by Lake Hartwell.[5]Joseph Caldwell led a team from theUniversity of Georgia in this work, especially from 1957 to 1959.[6]Lake Hartwell is named for the American Revolutionary War figureNancy Hart. Nancy Hart lived in the Georgia frontier, and was known for her devotion to freedom. A county, city, lake,state park and highway among others, bear her name.[7]
1989 was the first year the lake hit a level 3, dropping to its lowest level during the drought that year. 2008 was the second time the lake hit a level 3. In December 2008, due to severe drought in the southeastern United States, the lake dropped to more than 22 feet (6.7 m) below its normal water level. This revealed old highways that were typically underwater, exposed islands that are usually topped with buoys to warn boaters, and left some boat shells sitting on dry land.[8]
The Lake reached its lowest level, 637.49 feet (194.31 m), on December 9, 2008. The highest lake elevation was 665.4 feet (202.8 m), reached on April 8, 1964. Overall the average lake elevation is 657.5 feet (200.4 m).[3] As of the first of October 2010, the lake had returned to just over 654 feet (199 m).[9] This rebound in lake level is due to releases from the lake being suspended for a month ending April 10, 2009, in an effort to return Lake Hartwell to normal elevations.[10]
The area around Lake Hartwell has a rich history of indigenous settlement, dating to before theMississippian culture period, which began about 800 CE. Numerous villages andplatform mounds were built by people of that culture, along the upper tributaries of the Savannah River, such as the Chauga, Tugaloo, and Seneca rivers.
TheCherokee Indians settled throughout much of this Piedmont and mountainous area, declaring it their homeland. Initial relations with colonists were through trading, but after theRevolutionary War, European-American settlers increasingly encroached on Cherokee territory. They have since named many streams, rivers and recreation areas after the historic Cherokee and Muscogee Creek, who were among the Five Civilized Tribes removed from the Southeast under PresidentAndrew Jackson in the 1830s.
Other historic figures who lived around this area wereAndrew Pickens andJohn C. Calhoun, both statesmen from South Carolina. The botanistWilliam Bartram traveled the area recording vegetation types and plant species.[4]
In August 1956, Eliza Brock and her daughter refused to allow workmen to come on their property to begin clearing for the reservoir area. The government had gained ownership of 103 acres (42 ha) of land in June 1956, but apparently Brock never received the offer for her land. After an October 1956 federal ruling, Brock settled on accepting $6,850 for her property.[11]
In late 1956,Clemson College objected to damage that would be done to its property as a result of the impounded water in the reservoir. For instance, plans would cause the flooding of theirMemorial Stadium. After countless meetings, Clemson finally settled with the government, agreeing to two diversion dams to be built in the vicinity of Clemson College in order to rechannel the Seneca River around its property.[4]
Since its construction, Hartwell Reservoir has provided good fishing habitat for many species.Bream,catfish,smallmouth bass,walleye, andlargemouth bass are naturally occurring species in the lake, with quality fishing available for those species. The most popular fishing on Lake Hartwell, however, has been of striped bass.Striped Bass, also known as rock fish and normally a saltwater fish, were discovered able to survive in freshwater after the construction of a dam on the Santee-Cooper system in lower South Carolina trapped many striped bass in fresh water. Striped bass were eventually introduced to the three lower Savannah River System lakes: Hartwell, Russel, and Thurmond.[citation needed] Fish heavier than 60 pounds (27 kg) have been caught on Lake Hartwell, with 20 pounds (9.1 kg) fish being common. The majority of striped bass caught on the lake will range from 5 to 12 pounds (2.3 to 5.4 kg).
This article incorporatespublic domain material fromHistory of Hartwell Dam & Lake.United States Army.
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