North Fork Edisto River at Orangeburg water level

Name: North Fork Edisto River at Orangeburg 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, North Fork Edisto River, South Carolina, United States

Directions

Low for mid-October

Water level

3.30ft Down 0.07 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 07:00 AM EDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 287 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 fall to 2.80 ft by Saturday, October 24 at 02:00 AM. Issued Monday, October 19 at 10:29 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The North Fork Edisto River at Orangeburg is running below normal at 3.30 ft.

That puts it 1.01 ft below the median of 4.31 ft for mid-October, based on 40 years of readings. It is 4.70 ft below the flood stage of 8.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 4.43 ft (−1.13 ft).

It has dropped 0.07 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 2.80 ft by Saturday, October 24 at 02:00 AM. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. In the last month it has stayed between 2.85 ft and 3.64 ft.

Compared with 40 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 4.31 ft1.01 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 2.46 ft – 6.00 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (40 years of records)
Same day last year: 4.43 ft−1.13 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 2.85 ft – 3.64 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 2.73 ft – 7.67 ft
Highest on record: 15.34 ftNovember 7, 2024
Forecast peak: 3.20 ftTuesday, October 20 at 08:00 AM

Floating and fishing near North Fork Edisto River at Orangeburg

Low water exposes gravel bars that make good wading access, but some boat ramps may be left high and dry.

Flood stage here is 8.00 ft, 4.70 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

14.00 ft: The dike along the river in the city of Orangeburg will be topped. Extensive areas of the city including US Highway 301 and the Edisto Memorial Gardens will be flooded.
12.00 ft: Secondary roads near Orangeburg become flooded at stages above 12 ft. Extensive farmland and lowlands downstream from Orangeburg will be flooded.
11.00 ft: The river exceeds levee diking at stages above 11 ft. Large areas in the city of Orangeburg will be flooded.
10.00 ft: Farmland and lowlands along Highway 301 near Orangeburg become flooded at stages above 10 ft.
8.00 ft: Some minor flooding occurs along the boardwalk at Edisto Gardens. Downstream from the Highway 301 bridge, some roads off Chiquita street near the river begin to flood.
3.30 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: < 5 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	15.34 ft	November 7, 2024
2	14.70 ft	September 1, 1928
3	14.28 ft	September 18, 1945
4	13.73 ft	October 6, 2015
5	11.64 ft	March 5, 1971
6	11.56 ft	September 6, 1979
7	11.34 ft	August 31, 1964
8	11.29 ft	August 27, 1995
9	11.15 ft	January 9, 1993
10	11.05 ft	October 6, 1964

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

20 Tue 76° 42° – Wind 10 mph

21 Wed 74° 48° – Wind 10 mph

22 Thu 76° 52° – Wind 6 mph

23 Fri 73° 51° – Wind 12 mph

24 Sat 72° 52° – Wind 16 mph

25 Sun 74° 51° – Wind 15 mph

26 Mon 76° 51° – Wind 11 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:33 AM Sunset 06:45 PM Daylight 11 hr, 13 min First quarter 68%

Map

Other gauges on the North Fork Edisto River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
North Fork Edisto River at Sc394, above NorthRiver gauge, North Fork Edisto River	7.53 ft	Very low	−0.09 ft	17 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Sunnyside Canal at OrangeburgRiver gauge, Sunnyside Canal	0.48 ft	Very low	±0	1.0 mi
Cow Castle Creek near BowmanRiver gauge, Cow Castle Creek	0.84 ft	Below flood stage	±0	12 mi
South Fork Edisto River near BambergRiver gauge, South Fork Edisto River	8.14 ft	Normal	+0.14 ft	13 mi
South Fork Edisto River near CopeRiver gauge, South Fork Edisto River	7.98 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	13 mi
South Fork Edisto River near DenmarkRiver gauge, South Fork Edisto River	5.16 ft	Normal	−0.30 ft	16 mi
Rocky Swamp Creek near NorwayRiver gauge, Rocky Swamp Creek	5.13 ft	Very high	−0.01 ft	19 mi
Edisto River near BranchvilleRiver gauge, Edisto River	1.93 ft	Below flood stage	+0.04 ft	21 mi
Lake Marion near ElloreeLake, Lake Marion	72.91 ft	Very low	+0.07 ft	22 mi

Questions and answers

How does the North Fork Edisto River at Orangeburg compare with last year?

It is 1.13 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 4.43 ft.

What is flood stage for the North Fork Edisto River at Orangeburg?

The official flood stage is 8.00 ft. The level is currently 4.70 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the North Fork Edisto River at Orangeburg in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 4.31 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.46 ft and 6.00 ft, based on 40 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 North Fork Edisto River at Orangeburg today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 07:00 AM EDT, the water level was 3.30 ft. Down 0.07 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is North Fork Edisto River at Orangeburg rising or falling?

Down 0.07 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.28 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of North Fork Edisto River at Orangeburg normal?

Low for mid-October. Compared with 40 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:02173500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 33.47792, -80.87473 (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

Parameter	Last value	Time (UTC)	Quality
Water level	3.30 ft	2026-10-20 11:00	Provisional
Flow	287 cfs	2026-10-20 11:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: North Fork Edisto River at Orangeburg (usgs:02173500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/south-carolina/north-fork-edisto-river-at-orangeburg

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