C-3 Hartwell Dam Tailrace Fishing Pier

The Hartwell Dam tailrace is located immediately downstream of Hartwell Dam in Hart County, Georgia and Anderson County, South Carolina. The site is managed as a public recreation area by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Department of Natural Resource agencies from Georgia (GADNR) and South Carolina (SCDNR) manage the tailrace jointly as a put-and-take trout fishery, but a striped bass fishery is also present. A reciprocal fishing license agreement between Georgia and South Carolina allows resident fishing license holders from either state to legally fish from both sides of the river.

The Hartwell tailrace has not reached its fisheries potential because of limited access, especially during high flow conditions. Anglers can wade in the lower section of the tailrace during non-generation periods, but they are restricted to four small fishing piers during generation. Fishing access to the tailrace was further restricted when the Corps closed a popular fishing pier located near the base of Hartwell Dam after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. These factors dramatically reduce present day angler use in the Hartwell Dam tailrace by as much as 10,000 trips per year. In 2007, the Corps expressed interest in re-opening the existing fishing pier near the base of Hartwell Dam, if an alternate pedestrian access route to the pier could be developed. After two public meetings in 2007 hosted by GADNR, local anglers demonstrated strong support for building a fishing pier and walkway along the tailrace to restore and improve access to this once popular fishery.

In 2008, GADNR and the Corps reached an agreement to construct an 800-ft pedestrian fishing trail from the parking lot of the recreation area to the existing fishing pier at the base of the dam. The trail consists of a 400-ft boardwalk through a wooded section and a 400-ft fishing pier along the river’s edge that connects to the existing 100-ft fishing pier. This trail will provide a total of 500-ft of safe shoreline fishing access to the tailrace during all generation periods in locations where fish habitat is best suited for shoreline anglers.

The GADNR is responsible for project construction and committed $600,000 of its PCB settlement allocation toward the project. The remainder of Georgia’s settlement allocation was dedicated for the construction of two large boating access facilities and a second shoreline fishing trail in the upper reaches of Lake Hartwell. When construction is completed, the Corps will assume future operations and maintenance of the Hartwell Dam fishing pier. This partnership greatly extends the value of the settlement dollars.

The project is currently under construction; however, the project is over budget due to a structural problem in the existing concrete pier that was recently discovered by the contractor and the request to build additional amenities. A total of $667,082.28 has been obligated toward this project, to date. GADNR anticipates spending an additional $233,000 for re-engineering the pier attachment point, constructing restroom facilities, installing lighting and building a trout stocking release system. The total amount of these cost overruns is expected to exceed the budget by nearly $300,000. The GADNR is requesting $300,000 in additional settlement funds to complete the Hartwell Dam fishing pier. The state of Georgia and the Corps do not have additional state or federal dollars to contribute toward the completion of this project.

Follow this link to the Full Proposal http://www.dnr.sc.gov/news/pdf/OmnibusRecFishPlan10909.pdf

PLEASE NOTE - Comments posted here WILL NOT be passed on to the Trustees.

For further information on the RCDP contact:
Paul League, SCDNR, P.O. Box 167, Columbia, SC. Interested parties may also email Mr. League at Leaguep@dnr.sc.gov