Twelvemile Creek, South Carolina, US

SC 137 to Lay Bridge Rd (12 Mile River)

Tearing Down a Dam

Tearing Down a Dam
Photo by Joey taken 09/18/11

Gauge Information

Name	Range	Difficulty	Updated	Level
TWELVEMILE CREEK NEAR LIBERTY, SC
usgs-02186000	100 - 2000 cfs	I-II	01h06m	105 cfs (rc= 0.0 )
	ELF

River Description

The dams have been removed on this section!

The 12 Mile will be in a state of flux for some time as large sediment loads move downstream.  Conditions will change, particularly during high water events.  Quite a few trees are in play in a number of rapids, and there's potential for more to fall in as the banks stabilize.  Use caution when paddling, especially during the first few high water events.

From SC 137 to the Lay Bridge there is just about 101 feet of gradient in the 12 Mile over 1.8 miles.

Rapids are rated for average flows, so raise ratings by one notch when paddling high water.

The rodeo hole is above the water intake plant at lay bridge and this is still a good park and play spot.  This rapid is a riverwide ledge hole, good for spins, blasts, and on one side, cartwheels.  Sediment moving downstream from the dam removal has somewhat changed all rapids down to the iron bridge.  Many agree 250cfs is a good level for the rodeo hole.  It gets sticky as the water gets high.  

At higher flows, the piling supporting the iron bridge can present a pin hazard.

There's a water outflow pipe associated with the dam removal project still in place.  It's tied off with some rope, and should be avoided by moving to the river left.  This pipe is located about halfway into the run.