Lake Blalock
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The Commissioners of Spartanburg Water System authorized in 1976 the creation of H. Taylor Blalock reservoir, also known now as Lake Blalock. Blalock Dam was constructed in 1983 and is located on the main stem of the Pacolet River in northeastern Spartanburg County, South Carolina, approximately five miles north-northeast of Spartanburg. The existing earthen dam is approximately 700 ft. long and 70 ft. high. It was originally designed for normal operating pool of 700 feet and had an approximately 35 miles of shoreline. The existing spillway has a crest length of 270 ft.
To increase the safe yield of the reservoir, Spartanburg Water System raised the level of Lake Blalock by 10 feet, increasing the water surface elevation to 710 feet in 2004. This project was completed in 2006 and involved overlaying the existing earthen dam with a layer of Roller compacted concrete, approximately 3 ft in thickness, and constructing a new RCC stilling basin. The existing spillway was also upgraded by furnishing and installing three hydraulically-operated spillway crest gates, constructing a new cast-in-place concrete ogee crest, and constructing a bridge across the spillway. In addition, the project also cleared approximately 300 acres (42 miles of shoreline) around the perimeter of the reservoir.
