Columbia is made up of several watersheds, areas of land that drain to the same waterbody. A 2004 USGS study and a 2008 study by the Nature Conservancy identified 16 mussel species in the Congaree River and its tributaries within Congaree National Park. No comparable public sites exist in the coastal plain of South Carolina. USGS Water Resources of the South Atlantic Water Science Center: the place to start for all USGS water information in the SAWSC. Broad River Watershed | Congaree River Watershed Gills Creek Watershed | Lower Saluda River Watershed. Population within this planning area is projected to increase by 30.9% by the year 2035; however, land use is expected to remain rural. The largest of these streams include Gills Creek and Cedar Creek on the north (Richland Co.) side of the river and Congaree Creek and Big Beaver Creek on the south (Lexington/Calhoun Co.) side. On the Richland County side of the Congaree River, 95% of existing land use is rural in nature with the remainder being suburban. The flood flow of record occurred in 1908 at an estimated 364,000 cfs based on gage-height records that extend back to 1891. Subsequent to the 2008 study, efforts in 2009 and 2010 focused on two species of concern: Savannah Lilliput and Yellow Lampmussel (Lampsillis cariosa). Congaree Creek Heritage Preserve has many of the same species found in Congaree National Park, though most birding takes place in the winter. A focus of the Riverwalk is an amphitheater near the Gervais Street Bridge. The Congaree River is a short but wide river in South Carolina in the United States; It flows for approximately 53 miles (85 km). The Congaree River is formed by the confluence of the Broad and Saluda Rivers just above the Gervais Street Bridge in Columbia. The Rocky Branch Watershed Alliance is a grassroots movement that unites concerned residents, businesses, governments and organizations to restore water quality, properly manage flooding, care for related natural resources within the Rocky Branch Watershed, while encouraging complimentary and environmentally … East Richland Public Service District operates a wastewater treatment plant on Gills Creek, a tributary of the Congaree, with a permitted capacity of 13 mgd. For water quality management purposes, the Congaree River and its tributary streams are all classified "freshwater" by DHEC. The Congaree River begins in Columbia where the Saluda River and Broad River join together. It is a 50-mile recreational paddling trail on the Congaree River, extending from the City of Columbia to the Congaree National Park. Via the Congaree River, it is part of the watershed of the Santee River, which flows to the Atlantic Ocean. However, proposed changes in operations and increased minimum flow releases from the Saluda Project should stabilize daily flows. Streamflow in the Congaree River has been monitored continuously by the U.S. Geological Survey for 70 years. Recent studies have documented activities of the endangered shortnose sturgeon in the Congaree River. As the Congaree makes its way past downtown Columbia, it descends the fall-line over shoals and small rapids. Oops, there was an error sending your message. The latest water quality report shows higher bacteria levels in the Saluda River from the Lower Landing at Saluda Shoals park down to the Rosewood Boat Ramp. 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’s only 50 miles long, but the Congaree is many rivers in one. Big Beaver Cr near St. Matthews (02169630), Trib to Rocky Br above Gervais St, Columbia, Broad River Diversion Canal at Cola Water Plant, Buckhead Creek at S-09-151 2.1 Mi Ne of Fort Motte, Congaree Ck at US 21 at Cayce Water Intake, Congaree River @ Devro-Teepak Discharge Outfall, Congaree River midway between Voridian Intake and Outfall, Congaree River, small bend in river upstream of Westinghouse Outfall, Congaree Rvr at Blossom St (Saluda River), Congaree Rvr, West Boundary of Congaree Swamp Monument, Gills Ck at Brdg on US 76 (Garners Ferry Road). Individual NPDES Permits in the Congaree River Basin. From this vantage point visitors can see the old movable dam that runs from the locks to the Richland County side of the river. The Broad River and the Saluda River merge to form the Congaree River, which then flows southeast for fifty miles before merging with the Wateree River. Carolina Bays are small wetland depressions which are symmetrically oval in shape, with the long axis of the oval always oriented northwest to southeast. 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 … The Congaree River Blue Trail is the first water trail designated a National Recreation Trail in South Carolina by the Department of Interior. A network of 20 miles of hiking trails exists within the park. The area along U.S. 176 and U.S. 21 should experience moderate industrial growth. 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. The Congaree Creek Heritage Preserve is comprised of 627 acres, owned and managed by the S.C. Department of Natural Resources that borders the Congaree River and the City of Cayce. 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