Between 1935 and 1940, Lake Greenwood was created with the construction of Buzzard’s Roost Dam. Lake Management was initially undertaken by the Greenwood County Electric Power Commission. Duke Power leased the hydroelectric and lake operations from Greenwood County. In 2007, Santee Cooper leased the hydroelectric facility from Greenwood County.

Due to increased Federal License requirements there was a need to create a Lake Management Department. Created in 2006, the Lake Management Department is responsible for issuing permits for encroachments on Lake Greenwood, registration of encroachments, camping reservations on Goat Island, lake upkeep, larvicide applications and herbicide applications, Greenwood County public lake access areas, assisting in complying with the FERC license, administering shoreline management, and inspection of lake encroachments.