LEXINGTON COUNTY, S.C. — A new construction project is expected to make parking more scarce along the Lake Murray dam.
It was a quiet and windy night outside the Lake Murray Dam park Friday, with occasional walkers and those who were taking in the sunset.
Crowds along the dam might be a bit of an oddity in the coming months thanks to a new multi-year restoration project.
In a press release Friday, Dominion Energy announced plans that dive crews will replace headgates inside the five intake towers as part of the energy company's Saluda Hydroelectric project. Those are the 200-foot towers you see when driving across the dam.
The electric company says the construction is going to limit parking along the dam. Forty of the parking spaces along the dam will be closed, leaving 20 open for visitors.
The release went on to say although the park will be open, parking will not be available on the upper level of the north lot.
Dominion Energy South Carolina vice-president Iris Griffin says, “We understand the inconvenience this work may cause, and we thank the public for their patience during this complex project."
Tailynn McKenzie spent the afternoon with her family at the lake and says fewer parking spots might create some headaches.
"You get a lot of the exercises, and [the lower parking lot] is sometimes blocked off, and you have the beach down there, it's so hectic and busy down here." She goes on to say, "a lot of people want to bring their families down here for the beach and the dam so I think it would be busier and harder to find a spot for sure."
Michael Baskin, a lifetime Lexington resident, says he always worries about the lack of availability along the dam and might switch his plans if parking isn't available.
"Usually this place is pretty much filled up." he continues, "especially with them cutting off that end down there, because half the people park down there now everybody up here, so it's going to impact everything."
However, he says if it helps the efficiency of generating power, it's worth the headache, "If it's what they gotta do to keep up the technology and all that, that's fine, it's what they gotta do. We'll come to the other side of the dam and hang out," Baskin says.
Dominion says the restoration should run until 2026, and will not impact water levels.