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A prolonged drought has lowered Lake Hartwell enough to expose shoreline debris that normally sits underwater, giving volunteers an unusual opportunity to remove years of accumulated litter.
According to WYFF 4, a recent cleanup brought together 148 volunteers who collected about 8,300 pounds of trash, including a record 36 tires. The Lake Hartwell Partners for Clean Water and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have separately documented the lake’s ongoing cleanup efforts and unusually low water conditions. The cleanup comes as Lake Hartwell continues to sit well below its normal full-pool level. The drop has changed the appearance of large stretches of shoreline, exposing rocks, sediment and objects that would ordinarily remain submerged.At Sadler’s Creek State Park in South Carolina, the retreating water has revealed everyday waste such as bottles and other debris. For cleanup organizers, however, the difficult lake conditions have created a rare window to reach sections of shoreline that are usually inaccessible. The latest effort covered 14 locations across five counties. Volunteers worked along the lake’s shoreline and removed roughly 8,300 pounds of material, with 36 tires making up part of the haul.
That tire count is the highest recorded during one of the group’s cleanups, according to WYFF 4. The scale of the effort is part of a broader campaign to protect Lake Hartwell, which stretches across parts of Georgia and South Carolina and serves as an important recreational and drinking-water resource for communities around the lake.
Why Lake Hartwell is so low
The unusually low water level is not simply the result of seasonal fluctuations.
Lake Hartwell has been affected by prolonged drought conditions across the region, while the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has also introduced restrictions because of a structural concern involving the Clemson Lower Diversion Dam Saddle Dike.In August, the Corps announced that it would lower the lake’s operating guide curve by four feet because of worsening seepage through the dike. The agency said the measure was intended to reduce stress on the structure while a long-term solution is developed.
The revised full-pool target is 656 feet above mean sea level, compared with the previous 660-foot level.The Corps has emphasized that there is no immediate danger to the public, but said addressing the dike problem could take years. A virtual public meeting is scheduled for October 8 to discuss the drought, lake levels and the revised operating target. The drought has already affected recreation around Lake Hartwell.
Low water has made some boat ramps and fishing areas more difficult to use, while property owners have watched portions of the lakebed emerge.
Local anglers have described the current conditions as among the most challenging they have seen in years.
A rare chance to reach hidden debris
For environmental groups, the exposed shoreline has provided an opportunity that would be difficult under normal lake conditions. Lake Hartwell Partners for Clean Water has organized large-scale shoreline cleanups in partnership with community groups and public agencies.
The organization says its cleanups have been held twice a year since 2023, bringing together residents, lake property owners, businesses, government agencies and other volunteers.Its cleanup program has already removed more than 16,700 pounds of trash over 53.5 miles of shoreline across previous events, according to the organization’s records. The Corps has also described litter as an ongoing consequence of the lake’s popularity.
Hartwell Lake is heavily used for recreation, meaning trash can accumulate along shorelines, coves and islands. Its annual “Splash Away the Trash” event encourages families, community organizations and businesses to collect non-natural debris around the lake.This year’s low water has made some of that work easier. Areas normally covered by several feet of water can now be reached on foot, allowing volunteers to retrieve objects that might otherwise remain submerged for years.The cleanup also has implications beyond appearance. Removing discarded tires, plastic, containers and other waste reduces the amount of material that can enter the aquatic environment as water levels change. For Lake Hartwell, the drought remains a serious challenge. But along the newly exposed shoreline, volunteers have found one tangible way to turn an environmental setback into an opportunity: leaving the lake cleaner than they found it.
