Lake Murray Dam dedicated as National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark
October 23, 2025
American Society of Civil Engineers recognizes historic significance, unveils new plaque at dam
Dominion Energy and the American Society of Civil Engineers on Wednesday dedicated the Dreher Shoals Dam – also known as the Lake Murray dam – as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark.
The recognition comes 100 years after the land was acquired in 1925 to build the dam between the towns of Irmo and Lexington. The original structure is approximately 1.5 miles long and 210 feet high and was the largest earthen dam in the world at the time of its construction in 1930. The project also created Lake Murray, which was the world’s largest power reservoir at the time.
“We are honored today to celebrate this now historically acclaimed civil engineering project,” said Dominion Energy South Carolina President Keller Kissam. “While Dreher Shoals Dam and the Saluda Hydroelectric Project have transformed over the past century, both facilities remain a testament to the generations of dedicated workers who operate them. Our family of employees continues to fulfill our obligation to serve the energy needs of the great state of South Carolina.”
The ASCE board of directors voted in July to award the dam National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark status. The program recognizes historically significant civil engineering projects, structures and sites worldwide. The dam is the second structure to receive the designation in South Carolina. Approximately 350 projects worldwide have earned the prestigious title for creativity and innovation.
Dreher Shoals was the first large dam construction project in the Southeastern United States and helped to electrify much of central South Carolina for the first time. Its designation as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark honors the innovative techniques used to build the dam and its unique training platform for a new generation of civil engineers from The Citadel and University of South Carolina.
Lake Murray covers approximately 50,000 acres, 650 miles of shoreline and holds approximately 763 billion gallons of water when at full pool. A backup dam was built for extra security in 2005.
ASCE represents more than 160,000 members of the civil engineering profession worldwide and is the oldest national engineering society in the United States. Additional information about ASCE’s Historic Civil Engineering Landmark Program is available here.
