Dominion Energy and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) on Wednesday dedicated the Dreher Shoals Dam – more commonly known as the Lake Murray dam – as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. The program recognizes historically significant civil engineering projects, structures and sites worldwide.
The recognition comes 100 years after the land was acquired in 1925 to build the dam between the towns of Irmo and Lexington. The dam, which is only the second structure in South Carolina to receive the designation, is now among about 350 projects worldwide that have earned the prestigious title for creativity and innovation.
Dominion Energy South Carolina President Keller Kissam noted the significance of the civil engineering project.
“While Dreher Shoals Dam and the Saluda Hydroelectric Project have transformed over the past century, both facilities remain a testament to the generations of dedicated workers who operate them. Our family of employees continues to fulfill our obligation to serve the energy needs of the great state of South Carolina," Kissam said.
The structure was the first large dam construction project in the Southeastern United States and helped to electrify much of central South Carolina for the first time. Its designation as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark honors the innovative techniques used to build the dam and its unique training platform for a new generation of civil engineers from The Citadel and University of South Carolina.
“Civil engineering is all about protecting public health and safety while improving quality of life, and the Dreher Shoals Dam is a shining example of that,” said ASCE President Marsha Anderson Bomar. “Innovative infrastructure projects help communities thrive and leave a lasting impact on communities for generations.”
The original structure is approximately 1.5 miles long and 210 feet high and was the largest earthen dam in the world at the time of its construction in 1930. The project also created Lake Murray, which was the world’s largest power reservoir at the time.
Lake Murray covers approximately 50,000 acres, 650 miles of shoreline and holds approximately 763 billion gallons of water when at full pool. A backup dam was built for extra security in 2005.