Watsadler COE Campground and Anderson County. Part VI

Click here for the first post in this series.

Thanks for dropping by again. We’re still at the Hartwell Dam Visitors Center. About to speak with Mr. Kenneth R. Bedenbaugh about the Dam, Hartwell Lake, and the overall Hartwell Project.

Mr. Bedenbaugh’s a Clemson grad from Prosperity, South Carolina, who now lives with his family in Anderson. He’s been with the Corps of Engineers since 1991. Spending all of his career, other than college internships, with the Hartwell Project. So he knows about this lake!

Click on the icon at the right to listen to Mr. Bedenbaugh explain all this himself.

I asked Mr. Bedenbaugh about the history of the dam, and about its effect on the surrounding community.

Then, after insisting that he’s not an electrical specialist, he explained what he considers the most unusual feature of this Dam.

We could see those external generators clearly on the model. And here’s a shot of them taken from the road leading into the Dam. This area is closed to the public now for construction, But the tops of five generators are visible just above the grassy area.

I then asked Mr. Bedenbaugh about the campgrounds, boat ramps, and other recreation facilities around the Lake.

Now, if you click on the photo above you can see a good example of wintertime usage of the Lake facilities Mr. Bedenbaugh described. In the distance you’ll see the Mobile Studio parked on Watsadler’s site # 18.

I took this photo later from the Visitors Center picnic area, through the window of the car. It was just too windy and cold to get out!

I then asked Mr. Bedenbaugh if South Carolina folks use the facilities here. His answer surprised me.

Last post I noted that much of the Visitors Center display area is devoted to water safety. Mr. Bedenbaugh confirmed that safety is an important goal of the program.

Finally, I asked Mr. Bedenbaugh about the relationship between Lake Hartwell, this Dam, and the downstream lakes and facilities. Here’s a photo of the dam from the walkway at the top. If you look closely you can see water spilling over the top.

I tried to get closer. But the wind was blowing off the lake to beat the band, and it was only 36 degrees. Only fear for Andrew’s camera turned me back …. of course.

Thanks again to Kenneth Bedenbaugh, Natural Resources Program Manager for the Corps of Engineers’ Hartwell Project, for his time and expertise.

Upon leaving the hospitality and warmth of the Visitors Center, I had every intention of taking numerous photographs of the dam and its surrounding environment. Well. It was just too cold and windy!

Now, not for me, of course. A toughened Outdoorsman. But for Andrew’s fancy camera. Worrying about the camera, I got back in the car, turned the heater up to INtense, and drove back to the comfort of the Aliner.

Thanks for joining me for this visit to South Carolina’s Anderson County and the beautiful Corps of Engineers Campground at Watsadler, Georgia just next door. Stop by for a visit your next time through. You won’t be disappointed.