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Saluda River near Ware Shoals water level

River gauge, Saluda River, South Carolina, United States

Directions

Right now

Normal for mid-October

Water level

1.94ft Down 0.71 ft over the last 24 hours

Flow
195 cfs
0 25 Minor floodstage 42.00 ft Highest onrecord 22.95 ft

History

History
123ftOct 16Oct 17Oct 18Oct 19Oct 20123ftOct 16Oct 18Oct 20
246ftSep 21Sep 28Oct 5Oct 12Oct 20246ftSep 21Oct 5Oct 20
510ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026510ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026
510ftJanMarMayJulSepNov2026510ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %) Minor flood stage

What this means

The gauge at Saluda River near Ware Shoals reads 1.94 ft, a normal level for mid-October.

That puts it 0.34 ft below the median of 2.28 ft for mid-October, based on 29 years of readings. It is 40.06 ft below the flood stage of 42.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 2.28 ft (−0.34 ft).

The level is falling, down 0.71 ft over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 1.16 ft and 6.00 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.

Compared with 29 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
2.28 ft0.34 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date
0.93 ft – 3.27 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (29 years of records)
Same day last year
2.28 ft−0.34 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
1.16 ft – 6.00 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
1.16 ft – 6.00 ft
Highest on record
22.95 ftAugust 27, 1995

What the stage means on the water

A normal level is usually prime time for floating and wade fishing, as long as the weather holds upstream.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 42.00 ft, still 40.06 ft away.

What happens at each level

48.00 ft
APPROX HEIGHT OF HWY 25 BRIDGE BASE
42.00 ft
ONE HOME OFF OF HIGHWAY 25 NEAR RIVER WILL BEGIN TO FLOOD.
40.00 ft
APPROACHES TO HIGHWAY 25 WILL BEGIN TO FLOOD.
1.94 ft
Right now

Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.

Highest crests on record

RankLevelDate
122.95 ftAugust 27, 1995
222.85 ftSeptember 14, 1973
321.12 ftMarch 6, 1963
420.63 ftApril 8, 1964
520.48 ftAugust 13, 1940
619.91 ftApril 17, 1998
719.20 ftMarch 24, 1952
819.12 ftNovember 29, 1949
918.52 ftDecember 13, 1961
1018.45 ftOctober 8, 1950

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:39 AM Sunset 06:50 PM Daylight 11 hr, 11 min First quarter 65%

Map

Other gauges on the Saluda River

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Saluda River at Hunts Bridge Road near DacusvilleRiver gauge, Saluda River 3.45 ft No reference yet −0.03 ft 42 mi
Saluda River near GreenvilleRiver gauge, Saluda River 2.81 ft Normal ±0 34 mi
Saluda River above I-85 near Golden GroveRiver gauge, Saluda River 266 cfs Normal −2.0 cfs 30 mi
Saluda River below PelzerRiver gauge, Saluda River 7.27 ft No reference yet ±0 21 mi
Saluda River near WilliamstonRiver gauge, Saluda River 3.69 ft Below flood stage ±0 20 mi
Saluda River at ChappellsRiver gauge, Saluda River 1.86 ft Low −0.29 ft 25 mi
Saluda River below Lake Murray Dam near ColumbiaRiver gauge, Saluda River 5.76 ft High +0.01 ft 63 mi
Saluda River near ColumbiaRiver gauge, Saluda River 3.26 ft High ±0 70 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Reedy River near WaterlooRiver gauge, Reedy River 3.22 ft Low +0.03 ft 4.8 mi
South Rabon Creek near Gray CourtRiver gauge, South Rabon Creek 0.80 ft Low −0.01 ft 10 mi
North Rabon Creek near Hickory TavernRiver gauge, North Rabon Creek 5.73 ft Very high +0.01 ft 10 mi
Little River at LaurensRiver gauge, Little River 2.16 ft Normal +0.01 ft 14 mi
Wilson Creek at Ninety SixRiver gauge, Wilson Creek 2.79 ft Normal −0.07 ft 17 mi
Reedy River above Fork ShoalsRiver gauge, Reedy River 4.18 ft Low +0.01 ft 19 mi
Rocky River near StarrRiver gauge, Rocky River 2.86 ft Normal +0.01 ft 20 mi
Durbin Creek above Fountain InnRiver gauge, Durbin Creek 2.19 ft Normal +0.02 ft 23 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Saluda River near Ware Shoals compare with last year?

It is 0.34 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.28 ft.

What is flood stage for the Saluda River near Ware Shoals?

The official flood stage is 42.00 ft. The level is currently 40.06 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Saluda River near Ware Shoals in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 2.28 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 0.93 ft and 3.27 ft, based on 29 years of records.

Is gage height the same as water depth?

No. Gage height is measured from a fixed reference point chosen by the agency, so a reading of 10 ft does not mean the river is 10 ft deep.

What is the water level of Saluda River near Ware Shoals today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 11:15 PM EDT, the water level was 1.94 ft. Down 0.71 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Saluda River near Ware Shoals rising or falling?

Down 0.71 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 3.06 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Saluda River near Ware Shoals normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 29 years of daily readings for this time of year.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
Operator
U.S. Geological Survey
Station code
usgs:02163500 (Agency page)
Coordinates
34.39179, -82.22345 (WGS84)
Vertical datum
NAVD88
Update interval
every 15 minutes
Licence
Public domain. Data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), provisional data subject to revision

Published series

ParameterLast valueTime (UTC)Quality
Water level 1.94 ft 2026-10-20 03:15 Provisional
Flow 195 cfs 2026-10-20 03:15 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Saluda River near Ware Shoals (usgs:02163500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/south-carolina/saluda-river-near-ware-shoals

How we check values

Each reading is stored as published. We hold back values that jump faster than physically plausible and show the measurement time with every value.