Shoreline Protection
Spartanburg Water is dedicated to protecting its shorelines and buffers around Lake Bowen, Lake Blalock, and Municipal Reservoir #1. Buffers have several important benefits, like providing soil stabilization, filtering out pollutants, and providing wildlife habitat. Without buffers, erosion and sedimentation can quickly degrade shorelines, pollutants can more easily enter our waterways, and wildlife lose the essential habitat they need to survive.
To protect this valuable resource, Spartanburg Water has developed a Buffer Management Plan for Lake Blalock. The plan, developed to protect the natural areas around the shoreline between the 710 and 720 contour lines, will help to preserve these natural features for the future and help to improve water quality.
It is anticipated that through time, shoreline stabilization/erosion problems may occur due to normal wave action. Currently, potential problem areas have been identified on Lake Bowen but have not been identified on Lake Blalock. Therefore, shoreline stabilization through the placement of rip rap, native rock, or other structural materials (seawalls, etc.) is not allowed on Lake Blalock. Residents of Lake Bowen wanting to implement these measures may submit a Shoreline Stabilization Permit by visiting the Lake Bowen Wardens' Office.
Lake residents interested in enhancing shoreline and buffer protection may use several strategies. First, homeowners may choose to naturalize the area by discontinuing mowing. This will allow a natural progression of vegetative re-growth to stabilize the disturbed area. Second, the homeowner may choose to develop and implement a planting plan using a pre-approved list of native species. All plans are to be conducted by a certified landscape architect and approved by the Lake Wardens’ office. For more information on planting plans, please read the following topics within Section 2 of the Lake Blalock Buffer Management Plan: “Lawns” and “Planting in the Buffer”.
The following is a list of circumstances warranting plantings within the buffer area.
- Stabilizing eroded areas or areas susceptible to erosion
- Improving wildlife habitat
- Replacement of non-native species
- Replacement of removed hazardous trees
- Replacement of trees damaged by insects or disease
- Improving overall forest canopy/health
To learn more about shoreline protection, please read Section 2 in the Lake Blalock Buffer Management Plan.
For questions, you may contact John Moore by phone at (864) 578-5442 or by email at jmoore@spartanburgwater.org.
Watershed Planning for Hexastylis naniflora
The Dwarf-flowered heartleaf
(Hexastylis naniflora) is a federally endangered plant species that can be found around Lake Blalock. Amazingly, the only places this species can be found are in parts of North and South Carolina.
Within Lake Blalock, Dwarf-flowered heartleaf typically resides within the buffer area. Spartanburg Water, in an effort to protect this federally endangered species, developed the Lake
Blalock Buffer Management Plan. The buffer management plan sets regulations on the activities that are allowed within the buffer.
Spartanburg Water will continue to develop beneficial programs to educate citizens about the Dwarf-flowered heartleaf. The goal of Spartanburg Water is to protect this species so that one day it may once again flourish.
Learn how you can help protect Dwarf-flowered heartleaf.
If you would like more information on the Dwarf-flowered heartleaf, please contact John Moore by phone at (864) 578-5442 or by email at jmoore@spartanburgwater.org.