Lake Keowee has a long history as a deadly body of water, and one spot is the worst
Daniel J. Gross
Lake Keowee is one of the Upstate’s most prized summertime recreation spots.
It's also one of the deadliest.
The man-made body of water built 50 years ago has grown into one of the most popular recreation attractions in the Upstate, offering waterfront properties, boating, skiing, tubing and a few dining options along the shore.
Despite posted warnings and years of cautionary tales, at least 32 people have died on the Oconee County side of the lake within the past 25 years, according to data obtained from the Coroner’s Office.
Since 2011, coroners have reported one death on the Pickens County side of the lake, compared to 13 in Oconee County.
The higher death totals on Oconee's side, Coroner Karl Addis said, may be due to the recreation sites there — two county parks and Fall Creek Landing, a popular swimming and boating area with a nearby rock outcrop used for jumping in the lake.
Fall Creek Landing was the site where a 21-year-old Greenville man drowned on the Fourth of July. He was wading to the rock outcrop — commonly referred to as the “jumping off rock” or simply “The Rock” — when he drowned.
Wendy Runion, of Taylors, said her 20-year-old son frequents Lake Keowee's "jumping-off rock," and she urges him to be careful.
"It is a dangerous spot," Runion said.
History of tragedy
Lake Keowee makes up more than a third of the 87 water-related deaths since Addis took over as Oconee County coroner 25 years ago, making it the most deadly lake or river in Oconee County.
Lake Hartwell was next highest with 21 fatalities since 1993, followed by the Chattooga River with 13 and Lake Jocasee with nine, according to Oconee County data.
Of the 32 fatalities at Lake Keowee since 1993, 17 were at Fall Creek Landing.
Signs posted there signal dangers, stating that visitors are permitted to use the area for recreation at their own risk.
One sign features a life vest and reads: “Drownings have occurred in this area” and “If you can not swim do not get in.”
Even parts of the lake that appear safe can be misleading.
On the Fourth of July, Vikash K. Patel, a 21-year-old from Greenville, was wading across a shallow area to get to The Rock. Patel, who couldn't swim, was fine until he waded into a deeper part of the lake and could not stay afloat.
His body was found in 19 feet of water.
"I would tell the community to please be safe and to cherish every second you have because you never know what could happen," said Sebastian Echeverry, one of Patel's longtime friends.
More:Lake Keowee drowning: Greenville man identified and how it happened
Fall Creek Landing, as it has been for years, continues to be a go-to spot for jumping off the rock, swimming, boating and jet-skiing.
Taylor James, 24, of Pickens, came to the landing with her family to enjoy swimming on a recent Saturday while high temperatures were in the upper 80s. Some areas by the shore were littered with beer cans and glass bottles.
From the shoreline, James pointed toward The Rock, a place she hasn’t visited in about a decade, she said. At 15, she was preparing to go for her second jump into the water when the person before her hit the water and died, she said.
“After seeing that, I decided I’m not jumping off any rocks anymore," she said. "I think people need to be more careful and pay attention. And if you have kids, watch them.”
What's allowed at Lake Keowee?
Duke Energy owns Lake Keowee, the body of water that serves the Oconee Nuclear Station. The utility company permits swimming on the lake from dawn to dusk seven days a week, along with the use of natural recreation areas such as rock formations to jump into the lake, said Heather Danenhower, a spokeswoman for Duke.
She said alcohol and drug use on the lake is not permitted, but the company leaves enforcement up to the state Department of Natural Resources and local law enforcement.
Swimming is prohibited only at boat ramps.
"Lake Keowee is not staffed with lifeguards or others at the gate or boat ramps, and people swim and boat there at their own risk," Danenhower said.
According to a 2015 injury report from the state Department of Health and Environmental Control, there were 63 statewide drownings in 2014, the latest year for which statistics were available.
Swimming in a lake is very different from a pool, Danenhower said. Swimmers can’t always see the bottom, and water depths can vary significantly from two to three feet to well over a person’s head within a relatively short span.
Addis, the coroner, has a simple safety message.
"My suggestion to the general public is if your swimming capability is limited or non-existent and you want to be around water, wear a flotation device," Addis said.
Patel's death marked this year's first water-related death in Oconee County. There were six last year, including three on Lake Keowee.
A breakdown of Lake Keowee data shows that Fall Creek has seen the most deaths since 1993 while others have been scattered across Oconee County's side of the lake.
- Fall Creek, Salem: 17 deaths
- High Falls Park, Seneca: 2 deaths
- Newry Dam, Seneca: 1 death
- Keowee Bay, Salem: 1 death
- South Cove Park, Seneca: 1 death
- Off Hillandale Drive: 1 death
- Off Keowee School Road, Seneca: 1 death
- Off Harbor Oaks, Seneca: 1 death
- Off Beacon Ridge Circle, Salem: 1 death
- Marina Drive, Salem: 1 death
- Off Shore Drive, Seneca: 1 death
- Near Duke Energy, Seneca: 1 death
- Sailing Club Area, Seneca: 1 death
- Katelynn Drive, Seneca: 1 death
- Fall Creek Falls, Seneca: 1 death
About 10 people die every day from accidental drownings in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. South Carolina ranked 40th highest in the country most for drownings between 2004 and 2014, according to DHEC's report.
The Pickens County Coroner's Office said it has handled one water-related death on Lake Keowee since 2011. It happened in the Mile Creek area when a 31-year-old man drowned while swimming.
Pickens County recorded one death in Lake Hartwell in 2011, a drowning in Lake Jocassee in 2013, a death in the Saluda River in 2013 and another Lake Hartwell death in 2014. The other water-related death was in 2012 when a 36-year-old man died of suicide in a non-specified lake in Pickens County, according to statistics from Coroner Kandy Kelley.
Statistics about water-related deaths on the Pickens County side prior to 2011 were not immediately available