But it could reach 17 feet within three days as rain from Sally runs down the watershed after hitting North Carolina and the Upstate, according to Congaree River Keeper Bill Stangler. The stations are listed in the table below. Its watershed encompasses 689 square miles in Richland, Lexington and Calhoun Counties. The Congaree Riverkeeper's geographical scope includes the entire Congaree River, from its formation just above the Gervais Street Bridge in Columbia to its confluence with the Wateree River. The Bates Bridge Landing is a large parking area and pier along the Congaree River which is just past the southeast corner of the main section of Congaree National … Free How to Get There. You can learn more about the watershed you live in and become involved in local watershed organizations. This unique and increasingly rare forest ecosystem depends on the health of the Congaree River for providing periodic seasonal flooding. Municipal water supply is provided by the City of Columbia, the Town of Eastover, and the City of Cayce. ... on the Congaree River. However, proposed changes in operations and increased minimum flow releases from the Saluda Project should stabilize daily flows. From 1999-2002, an extensive SCDNR study of Congaree National Park’s floodplain waters (the Congaree River proper was not surveyed) identified 56 species, including Longnose Gar, Bowfin, American Eel, Gizzard Shad, Threadfin Shad, Eastern Mudminnow, Redfin Pickerel, Chain Pickerel, Greenfin Shiner, Whitefin Shiner, Common Carp, Eastern Silvery Minnow, Bluehead Chub, Golden Shiner, Dusky Shiner, Spottail Shiner, Taillight Shiner, Coastal Shiner, Sailfin Shiner, Creek Chubsucker, Spotted Sucker, Shorthead Redhorse, Snail Bullhead, Yellow Bullhead, Brown Bullhead, Flat Bullhead Channel Catfish, Tadpole Madton, Margined Madtom, Flathead Catfish, Swampfish, Pirate Perch, Lined Topminnow, Mosquiotfish, Brook Silverside, White Perch, Mud Sunfish, Flier, Banded Pygmy Sunfish, Blackbanded Sunfish , Bluespotted Sunfish, Redbreast Sunfish, Green Sunfish, Pumpkinseed, Warmouth, Bluegill, Dollar Sunfish, Redear Sunfish, Spotted Sunfish, Largemouth Bass, Black Crappie, Swamp Darter, Tesseleated Darter, Sawcheek Darter, Yellow Perch, and Piedmont Darter. From The Congaree River’s origin at the confluence of the Broad and Saluda rivers near the Piedmont fall line in downtown Columbia, South Carolina, to its remote, bottomland terminus at Congaree National Park, the Congaree offers a distinct diversity of rich history, varied wildlife and remarkable habitat linking South … The largest withdrawers are Eastman Chemical (21,188 MG) and the City of Columbia (10,530 MG) which combined comprise 89% of all surface water withdrawals in the basin. In 1954, an inventory of fish in the Congaree River Basin by the Biology Department of the University of South Carolina documented collection of the following 43 species: Longnose Gar, Bowfin, Redfin Pickerel, Chain Pickerel, Eastern Mudminnow, Lake Chubsucker, Creek Chubsucker, Carp, Hornyhead Chub, Golden Shiner, Dusky Shiner, Highfin Shiner, Yellowfin Shiner, Eastern Silvery Minnow, Horned Dace (Creek Chub), White Catfish (White Bullhead), Yellow Bullhead, Common Eastern Madtom, American Eel, Blind Fish, Southeastern Starhead Topminnow, Mosquitofish, Pirate Perch, Largemouth Bass, Warmouth, Pumpkinseed, Redear Sunfish (Shellcracker), Longear Sunfish, Redbreast Sunfish, Spotted Sunfish (Stumpknocker), Bluegill (Bream), Blackbanded Sunfish, Bluespotted Sunfish, Mud Sunfish, Flier (Government Bream), Black Crappie (Calico Bass), Yellow Perch, Johnny Darter, Sea-green Darter, Sawcheek Darter, Barratt’s Darter, and Brook Silverside. Other endangered plant species within the watershed are Canby’s dropwort (Oxypolis canbyi), Georgia aster (Symphyotrichum georgianum), and Smooth coneflower (Echinacea laevigata). In Lexington County, the City of Cayce operates a wastewater treatment plant on the Congaree River, with a permitted capacity of 25 mgd. The river serves an important role as the final outlet channel for the entire Lower Saluda and Lower Broad watersheds, before merging with the Wateree River just north of Lake Marion to form the Santee River. It is bordered on the east by the City of Columbia and on the west by the Cities of Cayce and West Columbia. The Congaree River Blue Trail is a 50-mile designated recreational paddling trail, extending from the state capital of … There are a total of 20 surface water withdrawers in the Congaree River Basin withdrawing a total of 35,537 million gallons per year for off-stream uses. The classification also means that the water is suitable for industrial and agricultural uses and for drinking water after treatment. It also emphasizes that, unlike most parks, the Congaree is an “open system,” a flow-through system whereby events taking place in its upper watershed a … No comparable public sites exist in the coastal plain of South Carolina. On the Richland County side of the Congaree River, 95% of existing land use is rural in nature with the remainder being suburban. Surface Water. The Congaree River watershed is contained within Richland County’s Southeast Planning Area. A variety of migrants can be seen and heard from Congaree Bluffs Heritage Preserve. The Congaree converges with the Wateree (blue watersheds) to form the Santee River (purple watersheds), which flows to the Atlantic Ocean. Click Here for a .pdf file showing maps of all the watersheds within the Saluda River Basin. wilderness area. As the Congaree makes its way past downtown Columbia, it descends the fall-line over shoals and small rapids. While all migrations to Columbia occurred during the February and March spawning period, several sturgeon returned to the lower Congaree River and remained throughout the summer and fall before moving back into Lake Marion for the winter. It is managed by the S.C. Department of Natural Resources and its hiking trails and observation platforms are open to the public during daylight hours. The Congaree River is a short but wide river in South Carolina in the United States; It flows for approximately 53 miles (85 km). Aquatic life impairment was identified at five sites due to a variety of factors including poor macroinvertebrate assemblages, low dissolved oxygen, and high copper levels. Scouts and other groups often use the trail for an overnight backpacking trip, camping near the sandbar that is the real highlight of this hike. Congaree National Park also identifies Lake Chubsucker, Eastern Mosquitofish, and Speckled Madtom as park species. It’s only 50 miles long, but the Congaree is many rivers in one. The Highway 601 Bates Bridge Landing is the traditional exit for the Congaree River Blue Trail and backcountry canoe or kayak trips through Congaree National Park. This classification means that these waters are suitable for primary (swimming) and secondary recreation (boating, fishing), as well as, the survival and propagation of a balanced indigenous aquatic plant and animal community. The Congaree River begins in Columbia where the Saluda River and Broad River join together. Along Old State Road, Beckham Swamp Road, White House Road and Longwood Road, roadside birding can be quite good. It was designated South Carolina’s first national park in 2003. More information can be found on the. Although the Santee River is one of the dominant river basins of the Atlantic Seaboard, much of the modern, natural discharge is currently diverted through Lake Moultrie to the Cooper River. Source: DHEC 2009 Surface Water Withdrawal Data. Located 20 miles downstream of Columbia, Congaree National Park protects the largest contiguous area of old-growth bottomland hardwood forest remaining in the United States. The Congaree River is formed by the confluence of the Saluda River and the Broad River in downtown Columbia. Some bottomland specialists can be found in wetlands, sloughs and oxbow lakes, though the emphasis here is on winter field birds. From its origin at the confluence of the Broad and Saluda rivers near the Piedmont fall line in downtown Columbia, South Carolina, to its remote, bottomland terminus at Congaree National Park, the Congaree offers a distinct diversity of rich history, varied wildlife and remarkable habita… Real-time data Streamflow || Water-Quality | ... USGS 02169625 CONGAREE RIVER AT CONGAREE NP NEAR GADSDEN, SC. During that period, flows have averaged 8,800 cfs and ranged from a low of 576 cfs in 2007 to a peak of 155,000 cfs in 1976. At the end of the boardwalk, visitors will find themselves at the historic Government Locks. DHEC has issued a fish consumption advisory for the entire Congaree River due to elevated mercury levels in some fish species. The Jordan (Rosewood) Landing is located roughly 0.5 miles below the Government Locks. Congaree Creek Heritage Preserve has many of the same species found in Congaree National Park, though most birding takes place in the winter. It is located in a valley at the headwaters of Hunt Branch which feeds into Second Creek and then the Congaree River. At times, these bottomlands will flood, attracting shorebirds, gulls, and waterfowl. Santee-Cooper Lakes and boat passage - Columbia to Local tributary streams contribute flows to a much lesser extent. Relicensing conditions for the project require minimum flow releases into the diverted portion of the river at all time. They advise that people limit consumption of largemouth bass, chain pickerel, and bowfin (mudfish) to one meal per week. The West Columbia Landing is located on the west side of the Congaree River at the Gervais Street Bridge. Oops, there was an error sending your message. The following list focuses on the variety of fall migrant (excluding warblers) and resident species, when most birding observations at Congaree Bluffs Heritage Preserve have taken place: Wild Turkey, Anhinga, Mississippi Kite, Bald Eagle, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper’s Hawk, Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Eastern Screech-Owl, Great Horned Owl, Eastern Whip-poor-will, Chimney Swift, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Red-headed Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Fish Crow, Northern-Roughed Winged Swallow, Eastern Bluebird, Veery, Gray-cheeked Thrush, Swainson’s Thrush, Hermit Thrush, Wood Thrush, Gray Catbird, Brown Thrasher, Hooded Warbler, Summer Tanager, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Blue Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting, American Goldfinch. Of land that drain to the public during daylight hours 12,000 years routes within the Basin ; are... These include 12 domestic dischargers, and waterfowl start for all USGS water of. 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