Breakfast Optimist Club
590 Foster Mill Road
Spartanburg, SC 29302
www.scbreakfastoptimist.org
Contact- Ed Lully 864-415-9908
Repairing of the Optimist Acres Lake
The Breakfast Optimist Club has a lodge located on 34 acres with an 8 acre pond near Pauline. Recently the
overflow system that controls the lake level failed. A lower section of the galvanized drain piping that goes
through the dam rusted out causing the lake to slowly lose water. We hired an outside contractor to replace
the entire 50 year old system with a modern “siphon” overflow system. The contractor was able to install the
new system without losing any more water, saving the fish in the lake. Optimist Acres is used by Churches,
Civic Groups, Boy Scouts and other non-profit groups. The Club does not charge these groups, but receives
small donations to help cover expenses for its use such as utilities. Funds for major repairs such as this one
come from the club’s Optimist Acres fund, which is now depleted.
The total cost for the repairs to the dam was approximately $15,000. We are asking for donations to replenish
our Optimist Acres fund which is critical for repairs to the property including emergency repairs such as this
one. The lodge roof is approaching the end of its useful life, for instance, and it had been anticipated that
these funds would be available for a new roof.
Below are pictures of the lake during the damage period and when the repairs were made.
These two pictures show the lake down about 7-8 feet before the repairs could be made. The conventional
overflow system was abandoned and the new siphon system was installed. The lake being down this much had
us worried about losing all the fish. We have mostly bream and bass which all kids love to catch.
This is the device that the contractor used to pump
concrete/grout to fill the abandoned drain pipe that
came through the dam.
Drain pipe with the device removed. The concrete/
grout was pumped up to the overflow vertical pipe.
Backhoe removing old overflow pipe.
Filling in the hole where the old overflow pipe was.
Unloading all the material for the new Siphon
System.
Backhoe now digging new trench for the laying of
8” pipe.
Dozer clearing back side of dam in order to trench
for new 8” pipe.
Using a transit, the contractor lays the 8” siphon
pipe exactly 3’ below the level of the emergency
spillway.
It was decided to lay two 8” pipes for better service. Here the pictures show the pipe being laid on the back of
the dam.
Backfilling backside of dam and building of the
retention pond to disperse overflow water.
Here rip rap is used to build the retention pond.
First load of rip rap.
Retention pond completed.
Doesn’t hurt to have a little help when you get
stuck.
Backfill finished, you can see the two 2” PVC pipes
that control the siphon system for the lake. You can
tell how much water was lost by the waterline.
Finally seed, fertilizer, and straw goes down to keep any erosion taking place.
When the new siphon system was put in it was decided to raise the lake level 2’ like it was years ago. Here we
have some Optimist members reworking the dock due to the new lake levels.
Here we were checking the new system before the lake level was up to make sure that the system worked.
All went well!
This is “Blue” who belongs to the contractor. Blue
never rides in the cab but prefers the rear tool box
when traveling. You might have noticed him helping
in some of the pictures. He is an “Australian Cattle Dog”.
The lake back to normal, a beautiful sight!
As you can tell by the pictures a lot of work was done to save the dam and lake. We are very proud of our lake
because of the value it has for the community kids. Below are a few pictures of why we have Optimist Acres.
Thank you.
Boy Scouts Camping
Camp Victory camper with catch of the day!
Hunter Safety Training
Another catch of the day
Father-Son camping at Optimist Acres
Boy Scouts Training
“Old Glory” flying high. The Boy Scouts temporary Flag Pole
Back of shirt of a Boy Scout