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https://hdl.handle.net/11681/37075| Title: | Final Environmental Assessment : Replacement of Semmes Lake Dam, Fort Jackson, South Carolina |
| Authors: | United States. Army. Corps of Engineers. Charleston District |
| Keywords: | Fort Jackson (S.C.) Dams Flood control Environmental protection Environmental management |
| Publisher: | United States. Army. Corps of Engineers. Charleston District. |
| Abstract: | The US Army Training Center and Fort Jackson is centrally located within the State of South Carolina in Richland County. The fort includes more than 52,000 acres, with more than 100 ranges and field training sites and 1,160 buildings. Soldiers, civilians, retirees and family members make up the Fort Jackson community. More than 3,500 active duty Soldiers and their 12,000 family members are assigned to the installation and make this area their home. Semmes Lake is located off Semmes Road. The lake is located completely within the boundaries of Fort Jackson’s Military Reservation and, as such, is owned by the Federal Government. Aerial photography supports the existence of Semmes Lake in 1935. Prior to the loss of Semmes Dam, the dam’s earthen embankment was approximately 970 feet long with a structural height of approximately 27 feet. The crest consisted of a two-lane paved roadway that was approximately 45-feet wide and approximately 970 feet-long. The normal reservoir capacity was approximately 167.3 acrefeet, and the maximum capacity was approximately 317.8 acre-feet. The top of dam elevation varied between approximately 220.7 feet and approximately 222.0 feet NAVD88. Although the original purpose of the dam is uncertain, it appears it was not planned for flood control, water supply, or environmental purposes. However, the lake did provide a stormwater detention function for runoff from upper Wildcat Creek. During a four day period from October 2-5, 2015 a stalled mid-latitude weather system directed a stream of deep tropical moisture across South Carolina resulting in record-breaking rainfall totals across the state. The 4-day rainfall totals in the Columbia area exceeded the 1,000-year recurrence intervals as referenced to the point precipitation frequency estimates in NOAA Atlas 14. Total rainfall exceeded 20 inches across much of eastern South Carolina. Semmes Dam failed during this historic storm event. The purpose of this EA is to analyze and evaluate the environmental impacts of alternatives to address the loss of Semmes Dam due to historic flooding. |
| Description: | Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact |
| Rights: | Approved for Public Release; Distribution is Unlimited |
| URI: | https://hdl.handle.net/11681/37075 |
| Appears in Collections: | Environmental Documents |
Files in This Item:
| File | Description | Size | Format | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Final EA Semmes Lake.pdf | 14.14 MB | Adobe PDF |  View/Open |