Lexington County officials advise that local pond and dam owners begin lowering water levels ahead of Hurricane Florence, which is anticipated to arrive at the state’s coast Thursday evening.
Officials said that the storm is expected to bring heavy wind and rain to the Midlands area, which can impact a dam’s structural integrity, leading to the failure of the dam.
Jill Stewart of DHEC said, "If there is a dam downstream of your dam and you are lowering your water level, please call the owner of that dam to advise him or her about what you are doing. 
"Before and after the storm has passed, any accumulated trash and debris should be cleared from spillways."
DHEC also plans to notify dam owners via voice call, text messages and email to take safety steps.
"Staying alert for rising waters that may continue even after the rain has ended is important," said Stewart. "If problems develop such that failure of the dam might be imminent, the owner or operator of the dam should contact local public safety officials, downstream property owners and DHEC Dam Safety Program staff at 803-898-1939." 
County of Lexington officials, along with officials from several municipal, county and state agencies, convened this morning to discuss preparations for now Category 4 Hurricane Florence.
At this time, all emergency personnel are making necessary preparations for severe weather conditions.
In response to the storm’s potential impacts, officials increased the County’s Emergency Operations Center’s operational readiness to Condition 4, which is the second lowest response level above day-to-day operations. Emergency managers are making initial preparations for the possibility of hazardous situations produced by the storm.
Residents are urged to monitor local media, the South Carolina Emergency Management Division’s social media channels (@SCEMD) as well as the County’s website (www.lex-co.sc.gov) and social media channels (Twitter: @CountyLex; Facebook: County of Lexington) for updated information leading up to and throughout the storm.
To receive emergency messages from the County of Lexington to your cell phone, sign up for the County’s CodeRED emergency alert system here: https://bit.ly/2MwiiJE