One of the best parts about living in Fort Mill, Rock Hill and Tega Cay is the proximity we have to water! Between the activities on Lake Wylie and the Catawba River, there's an unending number of awesome family activities we can enjoy. And, soon, we'll be able to add one more location to our calendars!
New recreation amenities on the Catawba River are moving closer to reality as Duke Energy constructs the first site to support its Great Falls flow release project. As part of Duke Energy’s new license to manage the Catawba-Wateree Hydro Project, the company will return water into these diversion channels in a controlled manner to provide additional habitat for aquatic life and recreation opportunities for the public.
In addition to parking and restrooms, the Nitrolee site will feature a historic interpretive center about the remains of the original historic Arc Building that was part of the early 1900s Nitrolee plant. The site, which is owned by the Katawba Valley Land Trust, will be connected to the lower Great Falls sites by the Carolina Thread Trail.
In addition to the Nitrolee Access Area, other recreation improvements to support the Great Falls flow release project will include:
- Dearborn Island State Park: Duke Energy is providing funding to S.C. Parks, Recreation and Tourism to help develop the park. The company will also construct a pedestrian bridge to the island from the planned Great Falls canoe/kayak launch and develop a trail to the bridge.
- Lower Great Falls Canoe/Kayak Launch: This site will be located near the pedestrian bridge and will provide parking and a canoe/kayak launch for access to the waters in the lower Great Falls Reservoir.
- Canoe/kayak access in various locations
- Access trails to the short and long bypass river channels
We can't wait for this project to come to fruition so we can all enjoy more fun on the water!
