Two of Lexington’s biggest ponds could get new dams and upgrades as early as next summer.
Old Mill Pond and Gibson Pond both had complete dam failures during the unprecedented 1,000-year rain in October 2015. 
Nearly three years later, the ponds remain empty. Officials say they have taken steps recently toward rebuilding both dams.
The co-owner of Old Mill Pond said he recently received initial drawings of the repaired dam from engineers. 
The town of Lexington, which owns the Gibson Pond dam, hopes to submit plans for rebuilding it by Sept. 1.
Old Mill Pond was a century-old gem in the town of Lexington until its 124-year-old earthen dam broke. Parts of the shopping center and office building adjacent to the pond flooded.
John Clinger owns Old Mill Brewpub inside the former textile mill. He got the keys to the brewpub in December 2012. Less than three years later, he watched the dam collapse and unleash water that washed away part of his business.
Head brewer Matt Rodgers, 35, has worked at the brewpub since it opened in early 2013. For a while after the 2015 flood, he said, big chunks of the earthen dam would break off and crumble down, “like an iceberg.”
Rodgers said he is looking forward to the dam’s repair because it will bring with it a notable bright side: the opportunity to open his own sustainable brewery, downstairs in the mill in what used to be a boiler room. 
Hazelwood Brewing, as it will be called, will be one of a few energy-independent breweries in the country, powered almost entirely by a hydro-turbine that works off of pond water.
The brewery, which will operate in conjunction with Old Mill Brewpub, is slated to be open by the end of the year. It will use other energy until the turbine is up and running. 
Hazelwood will have an outdoor beer garden with water flowing alongside it from the new dam.
Lexington town officials also plan to create a lit concrete biking and mile-long walking path around the pond. Mayor Steve MacDougall said plans for the walking path have been submitted to DHEC and construction will begin once the pond and dam repairs are finished.
The idea, MacDougall said, is to create a “walkable downtown” that connects points of interest in the area, such as the dog park, amphitheater and Virginia Hylton Park, to the old mill. He said the project will create a vibrant town center to attract visitors and new businesses to the area.