Gem Lakes Recreation Association

**NEW and updated information as of 9.8.21**

All residents, please check the documents for an important notice, uploaded today. Formal notifications are being mailed out. If you have not yet registered, please do so in order to gain access.

Oktoberfest

It's a go! We will be holding the Oktoberfest celebration on October 30th at the pavilion. Starting this year, it will be BYOB with soda and water provided by the association. Live band as always and all you can eat provided by the association. More details will be posted as they come up. Hope to see you all there!

Dam Repairs

We continue to complete the South Carolina DHEC mandated repairs to the lower dam. The state has historically inspected all of the dams in the state and ours consistently received a "satisfactory" rating. However, after the catastrophic failure of so many dams in 2015, SC DHEC required all dam owners to hire Professional Engineers to inspect all large dams. Our lower dam was labeled "hazardous" due to multiple large tress growing in the downhill side of the dam. We were required to hire another PE to develop a plan to repair the dam, the plan was submitted to the state and we were granted a permit to complete the repairs. The permit will expire in 2027. In order to successfully and completely remove theses large trees from the dam, it is imperative to lower the level of the lake as much as possible in order to minimize the stress on the dam during the removal. The soil from the removed tree holes must be tested by Geotech engineers in order to determine the makeup of the soil brought in to fill the voids created by the removal. Recently significant rainfall has negatively impacted the progress on the dam repairs. Mud and heavy equipment do not work well together. While the lake is so low we can clearly see the stumps from pre-dam times. These stumps contribute to the healthy habitat for the wildlife that prosper in our lakes and are essential to healthy lakes. We all look forward to the successful completion of the repairs and the return of the lake to full pool. In the interim we appreciate your patience and understanding.

Are you are a realtor or lawyer seeking current dues status information before closing or refinancing a house? If so, please contact the GLRA Bookkeeper:

Evelyn Miano
(803) 648-1592
[email protected]