Recreational Water Watch for Lake Hartwell

June 20 Update: SCDES continues to monitor the harmful algal bloom (HAB) on Lake Hartwell and record reports of observations. Based on the latest round of lake observations and water sampling, SCDES has updated the Recreational Watch for Lake Hartwell and removed certain areas of the lake, including: Six and Twenty Creek lake arm between SC-24 and Centerville Road; Lower reaches of Lake Hartwell from Sadlers Creek State Park to the Hartwell Dam; South of Cherry Creek Road to Camp Creek Road, including Martin Creek and Coneross Creek lake arms.  

The Recreational Water Watch for the lake remains in effect for areas of the Tugaloo and Seneca River lake arms, with the following recommendations: (1) avoid contact in areas where the HAB is present and (2) keep pets and animals from swimming in or drinking lake water where the HAB is observed.

Visit our Algal Bloom Monitoring Map to view the most recent locations where the HAB has been observed.

Lake Hartwell Watch

*Updated June 20, 2025

The South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SCDES) continues to monitor the harmful algal bloom (HAB) on Lake Hartwell in order to provide the latest recommendations for protecting public health.  

On June 16, SCDES’s Aquatic Science Division (ASD) teams surveyed the lake and collected new water samples from six locations, as identified in the map graphic. SCDES’s Algal Bloom Monitoring Map has been updated with sampling locations and observations. 

Based on the latest round of lake observations and water sampling, SCDES has updated the Recreational Watch for Lake Hartwell and removed certain areas of the lake, including:

  • Six and Twenty Creek lake arm between SC-24 and Centerville Road
  • Lower reaches of Lake Hartwell from Sadlers Creek State Park to the Hartwell Dam
  • South of Cherry Creek Road to Camp Creek Road, including Martin Creek and Coneross Creek lake arms  

The Recreational Water Watch for the lake remains in effect for areas of the Tugaloo and Seneca River lake arms, with the following recommendations: 

  • avoid direct contact with Lake Hartwell water in areas where the HAB is observed
  • keep pets and animals from swimming in or drinking from the lake in these areas until the bloom has subsided. 

Please note that the HAB may still be found in areas where the Recreational Watch has been lifted. SCDES encourages caution when recreating in coves or near the shore. 

Read the full June 20, 2025 news release.

Visit our Algal Bloom Monitoring Map to view the most recent locations where the HAB has been observed.


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