Lake Greenwood was formed by a hydroelectric dam built across the Saluda River near Chappells SC. The impoundment was licensed by the Federal Power Commission, predecessor to the current Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, as the Buzzards Roost Project. The project was re-licensed by FERC in 1995. The FERC Project No is P-1267. The l…
Lake Greenwood was formed by a hydroelectric dam built across the Saluda River near Chappells SC. The impoundment was licensed by the Federal Power Commission, predecessor to the current Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, as the Buzzards Roost Project. The project was re-licensed by FERC in 1995. The FERC Project No is P-1267. The lake has 212 miles of shoreline and 11,400 acres. While the waters of Lake Greenwood extend into three counties, Greenwood County actually owns the entire lake bed, having purchased all properties comprising the bed of the lake from farmers along both sides of the rivers in the late 1930s. Funding was provided by loans from the Public Works Administration during the Great Depression. All loans were later repaid in full. The Saluda River, the Reedy River and Rabon Creek come together to feed Lake Greenwood. There is also a local watershed surrounding the basin from which local rain also drains into the reservoir. Water released from Lake Greenwood feeds into the Saluda River at Chappells, which ultimately feeds into Lake Murray.
Location: Greenwood / Laurens / Newberry counties, South Carolina, United States