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Saluda River below Lake Murray Dam near Columbia water level

River gauge, Saluda River, South Carolina, United States

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Right now

High for late October

Water level

5.78ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Flow
2,410 cfs
Water temperature
62 °F
0 10 20 30 Highest onrecord 27.50 ft

History

History
246ftOct 16Oct 17Oct 18Oct 20Oct 21246ftOct 16Oct 18Oct 21
2468ftSep 22Sep 29Oct 6Oct 14Oct 212468ftSep 22Oct 6Oct 21
510ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026510ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026
510ftJanMarMayJulSepNov2026510ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %)

What this means

The gauge at Saluda River below Lake Murray Dam near Columbia shows 5.78 ft, above normal for late October.

That puts it 2.05 ft above the median of 3.74 ft for late October, based on 38 years of readings. A year ago it stood at 6.40 ft (−0.62 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 4.15 ft and 5.85 ft.

That stands out in fall, when many rivers are usually near their lowest. The sensor also reports a water temperature of 62 °F.

Compared with 38 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
3.74 ft2.05 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date
2.10 ft – 6.04 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (38 years of records)
Same day last year
6.40 ft−0.62 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
4.15 ft – 5.85 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
3.29 ft – 9.25 ft
Highest on record
27.50 ftOctober 4, 2015

What the stage means on the water

Fast, high water is not the time for casual paddling. Strainers, debris and cold water make an unplanned swim dangerous.

Highest crests on record

RankLevelDate
127.50 ftOctober 4, 2015
220.39 ftDecember 29, 1992
316.01 ftFebruary 21, 1990
415.88 ftMarch 9, 1996
515.88 ftMarch 21, 2003
615.85 ftJanuary 16, 1995
715.70 ftSeptember 21, 1989
815.69 ftSeptember 29, 2024
915.51 ftMay 14, 2025
1015.34 ftFebruary 4, 1998

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

21 Wed 74° 46° – Wind 10 mph
22 Thu 76° 47° – Wind 7 mph
23 Fri 73° 49° – Wind 11 mph
24 Sat 72° 50° – Wind 13 mph
25 Sun 73° 49° – Wind 15 mph
26 Mon 75° 49° – Wind 9 mph
27 Tue 76° 49° – Wind 3 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:35 AM Sunset 06:45 PM Daylight 11 hr, 9 min Waxing gibbous 76%

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 3.40 ft No reference yet −0.05 ft 97 mi
Saluda River near GreenvilleRiver gauge, Saluda River 2.23 ft Very low −0.58 ft 91 mi
Saluda River above I-85 near Golden GroveRiver gauge, Saluda River 116 cfs Very low −150.0 cfs 87 mi
Saluda River below PelzerRiver gauge, Saluda River 7.11 ft No reference yet −0.16 ft 82 mi
Saluda River near WilliamstonRiver gauge, Saluda River 3.37 ft Below flood stage −0.32 ft 80 mi
Saluda River near Ware ShoalsRiver gauge, Saluda River 2.07 ft Normal +0.12 ft 63 mi
Saluda River at ChappellsRiver gauge, Saluda River 1.74 ft Low ±0 38 mi
Saluda River near ColumbiaRiver gauge, Saluda River 3.26 ft Normal ±0 7 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Lake Murray Tailrace near ColumbiaRiver gauge, Lake Murray Tailrace 75.79 ft High +0.01 ft 0.4 mi
Lake Murray near ColumbiaLake, Lake Murray 354.14 ft Very low −0.09 ft 0.6 mi
Twelve Mile Creek at LexingtonRiver gauge, Twelve Mile Creek 3.65 ft Normal −0.01 ft 5.2 mi
Broad River near ColumbiaRiver gauge, Broad River 154.09 ft Normal +0.01 ft 8 mi
Smith Branch at North Main St at ColumbiaRiver gauge, Smith Branch 0.40 ft Very low +0.01 ft 10 mi
Congaree River at ColumbiaRiver gauge, Congaree River 3.48 ft Normal +0.02 ft 10 mi
Congaree Creek at South CongareeRiver gauge, Congaree Creek 2.67 ft Very low −0.03 ft 10 mi
Rocky Branch at Whaley St at ColumbiaRiver gauge, Rocky Branch 1.10 ft Normal ±0 11 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Saluda River below Lake Murray Dam near Columbia compare with last year?

It is 0.62 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 6.40 ft.

What is a normal level for the Saluda River below Lake Murray Dam near Columbia in late October?

The median for late October is 3.74 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.10 ft and 6.04 ft, based on 38 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 below Lake Murray Dam near Columbia today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 06:00 AM EDT, the water level was 5.78 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Saluda River below Lake Murray Dam near Columbia rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Saluda River below Lake Murray Dam near Columbia normal?

High for late October. Compared with 38 years of daily readings for this time of year.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Saluda River below Lake Murray Dam near Columbia?

The highest level on record is 27.50 ft on October 4, 2015.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
Operator
U.S. Geological Survey
Station code
usgs:02168504 (Agency page)
Coordinates
34.05098, -81.20954 (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 5.78 ft 2026-10-21 10:00 Provisional
Flow 2,410 cfs 2026-10-21 10:00 Provisional
Water temperature 62 °F 2026-10-21 10:00 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Saluda River below Lake Murray Dam near Columbia (usgs:02168504). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/south-carolina/saluda-river-below-lake-murray-dam-near-columbia

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.