Thurmond Lake near Plum Branch water level

Name: Thurmond Lake near Plum Branch water level (U.S. Geological Survey)
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
License: https://www.usgs.gov/information-policies-and-instructions/copyrights-and-credits

Lake, Thurmond Lake, South Carolina, United States

Directions

Very low for mid-October

Surface elevation

319.44ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 11:45 AM EDT (40 min ago)

Water temperature: 73 °F

History

What this means

At 319.44 ft, Thurmond Lake near Plum Branch is far below normal for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 326.05 ft, based on 7 years of readings, so the lake level is 6.61 ft below typical. On the same day last year the reading was 325.96 ft, a difference of −6.52 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 319.35 ft and 321.13 ft.

Lakes and reservoirs often sit lower in fall after a summer of evaporation and use, and recover with winter rain and spring snowmelt. The water temperature at the gauge is 73 °F.

Compared with 7 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 326.05 ft6.61 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 323.87 ft – 330.73 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (7 years of records)
Same day last year: 325.96 ft−6.52 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 319.35 ft – 321.13 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 319.42 ft – 326.05 ft

Swimming and boating at Thurmond Lake near Plum Branch

Low water changes a lake fast for boaters. Some ramps get shorter or close, docks may be moved, and rocks and sandbars that are usually well under the surface come within reach of a prop.

The water is a comfortable 73 °F. In warm spells, look out for algae warnings at public beaches.

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

20 Tue 75° 40° – Wind 8 mph

21 Wed 74° 44° – Wind 7 mph

22 Thu 78° 49° – Wind 4 mph

23 Fri 74° 49° – Wind 9 mph

24 Sat 71° 50° – Wind 13 mph

25 Sun 71° 45° – Wind 11 mph

26 Mon 74° 46° – Wind 6 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:39 AM Sunset 06:51 PM Daylight 11 hr, 12 min Waxing gibbous 69%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Stevens Creek near ModocRiver gauge, Stevens Creek	2.15 ft	High	−0.02 ft	12 mi
Kiokee Creek at GA 104, near EvansRiver gauge, Kiokee Creek	0.31 ft	Normal	−0.05 ft	18 mi
Little River near Mount CarmelRiver gauge, Little River	2.69 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	18 mi
Uchee Creek at GA 104, near EvansRiver gauge, Uchee Creek	2.36 ft	Normal	−0.06 ft	21 mi
Savannah River near EvansRiver gauge, Savannah River	14.26 ft	Normal	−0.06 ft	21 mi
Russell Lake above Calhoun FallsLake, Russell Lake	473.47 ft	Low	±0	24 mi
Stevens Creek at Woodlawn Road near Murphy VillageRiver gauge, Stevens Creek	16.71 ft	Normal	−0.05 ft	24 mi
Savannah Rvr at Stevens Creek Dam near MorganaReservoir, Savannah Rvr	184.32 ft	Low	+0.03 ft	26 mi

Questions and answers

Is Thurmond Lake near Plum Branch higher than last year?

No, it is 6.52 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 325.96 ft.

What is a normal level for Thurmond Lake near Plum Branch in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 326.05 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 323.87 ft and 330.73 ft, based on 7 years of records.

Is Thurmond Lake near Plum Branch really 319.44 ft deep?

No. 319.44 ft is the height of the water surface above sea level (or the agency's vertical datum), not the depth of the water.

What is the water level of Thurmond Lake near Plum Branch today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 11:45 AM EDT, the surface elevation was 319.44 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Thurmond Lake near Plum Branch rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.24 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Thurmond Lake near Plum Branch normal?

Very low for mid-October. Compared with 7 years of daily readings for this time of year.

How often is this data updated?

The U.S. Geological Survey publishes a new reading every 15 minutes. This page refreshes within minutes of each update.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:02193900 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 33.84167, -82.34500 (WGS84)
Vertical datum: local
Update interval: every 15 minutes
Licence: Public domain. Data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), provisional data subject to revision

Published series

Parameter	Last value	Time (UTC)	Quality
Surface elevation	319.44 ft	2026-10-20 15:45	Provisional
Water temperature	73 °F	2026-10-20 15:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Thurmond Lake near Plum Branch (usgs:02193900). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/south-carolina/thurmond-lake-near-plum-branch

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.

Readings are provisional, can be delayed or wrong and are not a flood warning. Read the disclaimer