LAKE HARTWELL - History

The Congress approved the 1950 Flood Control Act that authorized the construction of Lake Hartwell. It would take 12 years and $89 million dollar to construct. A point seven miles below the confluence of the Seneca and Tugaloo rivers was selected as the site.

The first step in building the dam was the purchase of approximately 78,000 acres in 1,800 separate parcels. The timber in the reservoir area was estimated to be worth about $745,000 in 1950's prices. The purchasing process was interrupted in 1956 when Mrs. Eliza Brock wouldn't allow workmen onto her property to being clearing. The 78 year old Block and her daughter held off the workers with a rifle for over a month. She apparently had never received an offical offer for her land before control of it reverted to the government in June of 1956. Mrs. Block finally accepted $6,850 for her 103 acres of land.

2nd Corps of Engineers Flood Control Project, Hartwell Lake, was built in the Savannah River Basin. The dam was started in 1955 and completed in 1963 at a cost of $89 million. It spans 18,000 feet or nearly three miles. Over half the dam is an earth dam

The dam is located 7 miles below the point at which the Tugaloo and Seneca rivers join to form the Savannah rivers. The entire project comprises 76,450 acres of land and water. The dam impounds a lake that stretches 49 miles up the Tugaloo River, and 45 miles up the Seneca River and it covers nearly 56,000 acres and has 962 miles of shoreline.

To the surprise of the Corps engineers, it only took just over one year to fill up the lake behind the dam to full pond, 660 feet above sea level. The dam was closedin February, 1961 and the filling was completed in March, 1962. The full pond Lake Hartwell holds more than 461 billion gallons of water.

The dam rises 204 feet above the riverbed and is 1,900 feet long. The spillway contains 12 gates that are 40 feet wide and 35 feet high. There are six turbines in the dam and six generators in the powerhouse. about 2-3 million gallons of water moves through the turbines every minute when generating electricity. In 2004 the dam produced over 500,000 megawatts of electricity, which is all marketed though the Southeastern Power Administration (SEPA).

The entire dam, including the large earthen dikes, is over 18,00 feet long. The lake waters extend 49 miles up the Tugaloo River and 45 miles up the Seneca River, which resulted in a shoreline of about 962 miles.

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You can click on the red circle on the map to see where our home is.

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