Rivers in South Carolina
Congaree River at Congaree National Park
Below flood stage
2.64ftStage
Observed Wed, Sep 23, 9:00 AM EDT
- Flood stage
- 15.00 ft
- Forecast crest
- 3.10 ftWed, Sep 23, 8:00 PM EDT
- Record crest
- 19.83 ft2015
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 20.00 ft |
| Moderate flood | 18.00 ft |
| Minor flood | 15.00 ft |
| Action | 14.00 ft |
- 22.00 ftExtensive farmland from Sandy Run to St. Matthews becomes flooded. Farm equipment and cattle should be moved to higher ground. Extensive flooding also occurs in the Congaree National Park.
- 20.00 ftFarmland from Sandy Run to St. Matthews becomes flooded. Flooding increases in the Congaree National Park. At 19 feet the river covers most of the elevated boardwalk in the Congaree National Park.
- 18.00 ftSeveral homes in the Sandy Run subdivision along the river become flooded. At 18 feet the river covers the Weston Lake overlook in the Congaree National Park. Between 18 and 18.5 feet the river begins to cover sections of the elevated boardwalk.
- 17.00 ftThe access road to the Sandy Run subdivision becomes flooded. The lower boardwalk in the Congaree National Park becomes flooded by Cedar Creek.
- 15.00 ftFlooding begins in the Congaree National Park. This will begin to produce flooding of portions of the lower boardwalk.
Flood outlook
Chance of flooding, September to November
| Category | Chance |
|---|---|
| Minor flooding | 35% |
| Moderate flooding | Under 5% |
| Major flooding | Under 5% |
The three-month chances are the River Forecast Centers’ long-range flood outlook, issued September 15, 2026.
Crest history
172 crests on NOAA’s list since 1983.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | October 5, 2015 | 19.83 ft |
| 2 | October 1, 2024 | 19.82 ft |
| 3 | February 10, 2020 | 19.54 ft |
| 4 | March 23, 2003 | 18.65 ft |
| 5 | January 13, 2024 | 18.51 ft |
| 6 | January 1, 2016 | 18.28 ft |
| 7 | August 31, 1995 | 18.27 ft |
| 8 | February 6, 1998 | 18.20 ft |
| 9 | May 9, 2013 | 18.16 ft |
| 10 | September 11, 2004 | 18.16 ft |
| 11 | November 15, 2020 | 17.95 ft |
| 12 | March 5, 2008 | 17.95 ft |
| 13 | March 5, 2007 | 17.95 ft |
| 14 | November 18, 2018 | 17.90 ft |
| 15 | May 25, 2003 | 17.85 ft |
| 16 | February 8, 2010 | 17.85 ft |
| 17 | May 23, 2020 | 17.81 ft |
| 18 | November 15, 2020 | 17.80 ft |
| 19 | May 2, 2020 | 17.79 ft |
| 20 | February 5, 1996 | 17.78 ft |
| 21 | December 9, 1983 | 17.77 ft |
| 22 | April 13, 2003 | 17.70 ft |
| 23 | December 23, 2018 | 17.70 ft |
| 24 | December 28, 2009 | 17.70 ft |
| 25 | January 30, 1998 | 17.69 ft |
Most recent crests
- August 14, 2025: 17.16 ft
- August 7, 2025: 16.51 ft
- May 14, 2025: 17.05 ft
- February 15, 2025: 17.12 ft
- December 14, 2024: 16.45 ft
- October 1, 2024: 19.82 ft
- August 10, 2024: 16.89 ft
- August 7, 2024: 15.11 ft
- April 5, 2024: 14.58 ft
- April 4, 2024: 14.05 ft
Nearby
Upstream, downstream and the gauges around this one.
What this means
Forecasts by the Southeast River Forecast Center. Forecasts are issued routinely year-round. River forecasts for this location take into account past precipitation and the precipitation amounts expected approximately 48 hours into the future from the forecast issuance time. Gauge reading affected by reservoir operations.
Sources
Stage, flood stages, impacts and crest history from NOAA’s National Water Prediction Service. Streamflow and the daily record from the U.S. Geological Survey.