Lake Blalock facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lake Blalock |
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 Lake Blalock
Location in South Carolina
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| Location | Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United States |
| Coordinates | 35°04′30″N 81°52′43″W / 35.0750°N 81.8785°W |
| Type | reservoir |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. depth | 707 ft (215 m) |
Lake Blalock, also known as the H. Taylor Blalock Reservoir, is a large reservoir in Spartanburg County, South Carolina. It sits on the Pacolet River, about five miles north of the city of Spartanburg. This lake is an important source of water for the area.
Discover Lake Blalock
Lake Blalock was created to help provide water for the people of Spartanburg. The idea for the lake was approved in 1976 by the Spartanburg Water System. Construction of the dam began a few years later.
Building the Dam
The main part of Lake Blalock is its dam, called Blalock Dam. It was built in 1983. This dam is made of earth and is quite large. It measures about 700 ft (210 m) long and 70 ft (21 m) high.
When it was first built, the lake was designed to hold water at a normal level of 700 feet (210 m). At this level, Lake Blalock had about 35 miles (56 km) of shoreline. The dam also has a special overflow area, called a spillway, which was 270 ft (82 m) long.
Making the Lake Bigger
To make sure there was enough water for everyone, the Spartanburg Water System decided to make Lake Blalock even bigger. In 2004, they started a project to raise the lake's water level by 10 feet (3.0 m). This increased the water surface elevation to 710 feet (220 m).
The project was finished in 2006. It involved adding a new layer of strong concrete, about 3 ft (0.91 m) thick, over the existing earthen dam. They also built a new concrete basin at the bottom of the spillway.
Upgrading the Spillway
As part of the expansion, the existing spillway was also improved. Three new gates were added to the top of the spillway. These gates can be opened and closed using hydraulic power to control water flow. A new concrete crest was built, and a bridge was added across the spillway.
In addition, about 300 acres of land around the lake were cleared. This created an extra 42 miles of shoreline, making the lake even larger and more useful.
