An “embankment overtopping” of Sonoco’s Hartsville dam and significant flooding in Darlington County are expected, Sonoco says.
A press release from the company says “due to the heavy rains from Hurricane Florence in the Pee Dee region of South Carolina, Sonoco has been releasing excess water from its dam on Black Creek in Hartsville, South Carolina, for the past 36 hours in an attempt to control potential flooding in the area.”
According to the release, as a result of increased water flows from the Black Creek watershed, including Duke Energy’s Lake Robinson, it is expected that flood waters will result in an “embankment overtopping” of the dam after 2 a.m. on Tuesday. “An embankment overtopping of the Hartsville Dam could create significant flooding downstream into Darlington County, South Carolina.”
“Sonoco and Duke Energy are in constant communication regarding this situation and both companies are coordinating with Darlington County and Hartsville officials, as well as state officials to provide the public updated information,” states the release. “Sonoco’s Hartsville dam is located at its manufacturing complex in Hartsville and the Complex has been shut down as it expects to experience additional flooding for at least over the next 24 hours.”
