Low water levels are the hot topic at one of the area's most renowned lakes. The Army Corps Of Engineers have capped the water levels on Lake Hartwell. They say, the move will reduce stress and pressure on the Clemson Saddle Dike. They say the dike has had seepage issue going on for over a decade now.
Due to current drought like conditions, Lake Hartwell is down to about 650 feet. If the water levels rise over 660 feet, dam operators will lower the reservoir back to about 655 feet to ease the pressure. The low levels have left boat ramps more empty than usual and resulted in less tourism activity than usual over the summer.
Engineers say, the lake level restrictions will need to stay in place until a study is completed, which could take more than a decade. The timeline is the issue for many homeowners on Lake Hartwell. They agree that the issue should be addressed but want it done in a more timely manner. Homeowners are concerned about potential impacts to property values.
One local real estate agent who specialties in lake front properties spoke with our own Rob Jones and expressed those same concerns. Choosing to remain anonymous the agent said "We are talking about impacting a 1,000 miles of shoreline. This is going to hurt real estate values".
