Congaree River at Congaree Np near Gadsden water level

Name: Congaree River at Congaree Np near Gadsden water level (U.S. Geological Survey)
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
License: https://www.usgs.gov/information-policies-and-instructions/copyrights-and-credits

River gauge, Congaree River, South Carolina, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

4.21ft Down 0.35 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 05:00 PM EDT (46 min ago)

Flow: 3,980 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

The forecast expects the river to rise to 5.60 ft by Sunday, October 25 at 08:00 AM. Issued Tuesday, October 20 at 10:56 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The gauge at Congaree River at Congaree Np near Gadsden reads 4.21 ft, a normal level for mid-October.

That puts it 0.48 ft above the median of 3.73 ft for mid-October, based on 35 years of readings. It is 10.79 ft below the flood stage of 15.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 5.04 ft (−0.83 ft).

The level is falling, down 0.35 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to rise to 5.60 ft by Sunday, October 25 at 08:00 AM. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 2.13 ft and 16.18 ft.

Compared with 35 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 3.73 ft0.48 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 1.47 ft – 7.99 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (35 years of records)
Same day last year: 5.04 ft−0.83 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 2.13 ft – 16.18 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 1.87 ft – 16.18 ft
Highest on record: 19.83 ftOctober 5, 2015
Forecast peak: 5.60 ftSunday, October 25 at 08:00 AM

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 15.00 ft, still 10.79 ft away.

What happens at each level

22.00 ft: Extensive 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 ft: Farmland 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 ft: Several 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 ft: The access road to the Sandy Run subdivision becomes flooded. The lower boardwalk in the Congaree National Park becomes flooded by Cedar Creek.
15.00 ft: Flooding begins in the Congaree National Park. This will begin to produce flooding of portions of the lower boardwalk.
4.21 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Chance of at least minor flooding in October to December: 58 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	19.83 ft	October 5, 2015
2	19.82 ft	October 1, 2024
3	19.54 ft	February 10, 2020
4	18.65 ft	March 23, 2003
5	18.51 ft	January 13, 2024
6	18.28 ft	January 1, 2016
7	18.27 ft	August 31, 1995
8	18.20 ft	February 6, 1998
9	18.16 ft	May 9, 2013
10	18.16 ft	September 11, 2004

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.11 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

20 Tue 78° 40° – Wind 8 mph

21 Wed 74° 46° – Wind 9 mph

22 Thu 76° 46° – Wind 5 mph

23 Fri 73° 50° – Wind 11 mph

24 Sat 71° 52° – Wind 14 mph

25 Sun 73° 50° – Wind 13 mph

26 Mon 77° 51° – Wind 8 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:33 AM Sunset 06:45 PM Daylight 11 hr, 12 min Waxing gibbous 71%

Map

Other gauges on the Congaree River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Congaree River at ColumbiaRiver gauge, Congaree River	3.48 ft	Normal	+0.01 ft	16 mi
Congaree River at U.s. Highway 601 near Fort MotteRiver gauge, Congaree River	76.75 ft	No reference yet	−1.06 ft	13 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Cedar Creek at Congaree Np near GadsdenRiver gauge, Cedar Creek	2.89 ft	Normal	−0.28 ft	2.3 mi
Gills Creek at ColumbiaRiver gauge, Gills Creek	0.90 ft	Very low	−0.05 ft	14 mi
Rocky Branch at Whaley St at ColumbiaRiver gauge, Rocky Branch	1.09 ft	Normal	±0	15 mi
Pen Branch at ColumbiaRiver gauge, Pen Branch	0.62 ft	Normal	±0	15 mi
Rocky Branch at Pickens St at ColumbiaRiver gauge, Rocky Branch	2.67 ft	Low	±0	16 mi
Congaree Creek at South CongareeRiver gauge, Congaree Creek	2.67 ft	Very low	−0.79 ft	17 mi
Smith Branch at North Main St at ColumbiaRiver gauge, Smith Branch	0.39 ft	Very low	±0	18 mi
Saluda River near ColumbiaRiver gauge, Saluda River	3.26 ft	High	±0	19 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Congaree River at Congaree Np near Gadsden compare with last year?

It is 0.83 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 5.04 ft.

What is flood stage for the Congaree River at Congaree Np near Gadsden?

The official flood stage is 15.00 ft. The level is currently 10.79 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Congaree River at Congaree Np near Gadsden in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 3.73 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.47 ft and 7.99 ft, based on 35 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 Congaree River at Congaree Np near Gadsden today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 05:00 PM EDT, the water level was 4.21 ft. Down 0.35 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Congaree River at Congaree Np near Gadsden rising or falling?

Down 0.35 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 11.97 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Congaree River at Congaree Np near Gadsden normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 35 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:02169625 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 33.81071, -80.86703 (WGS84)
Vertical datum: NGVD29
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
Water level	4.21 ft	2026-10-20 21:00	Provisional
Flow	3,980 cfs	2026-10-20 21:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Congaree River at Congaree Np near Gadsden (usgs:02169625). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/south-carolina/congaree-river-at-congaree-np-near-gadsden

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