Nivelmap
EN

Saluda River near Columbia water level

River gauge, Saluda River, South Carolina, United States

Directions

Right now

High for mid-October

Water level

3.26ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Flow
2,150 cfs
Water temperature
63 °F
5 10 15 Highest onrecord 15.23 ft

History

History
234ftOct 16Oct 17Oct 18Oct 19Oct 20234ftOct 16Oct 18Oct 20
24ftSep 21Sep 28Oct 5Oct 13Oct 2024ftSep 21Oct 5Oct 20
246ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026246ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026
246ftJanMarMayJulSepNov2026246ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %)

What this means

The gauge at Saluda River near Columbia shows 3.26 ft, above normal for mid-October.

That puts it 0.64 ft above the median of 2.62 ft for mid-October, based on 40 years of readings. A year ago it stood at 3.68 ft (−0.42 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 2.46 ft and 3.30 ft.

That stands out in fall, when many rivers are usually near their lowest. The sensor also reports a water temperature of 63 °F.

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

Key numbers

Median for this date
2.62 ft0.64 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date
2.06 ft – 3.77 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (40 years of records)
Same day last year
3.68 ft−0.42 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
2.46 ft – 3.30 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
2.15 ft – 5.17 ft
Highest on record
15.23 ftOctober 2, 1929

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
115.23 ftOctober 2, 1929
214.53 ftApril 7, 1936
314.30 ftOctober 5, 2015
414.04 ftAugust 18, 1928
513.43 ftMarch 6, 1929
613.32 ftJune 16, 1965
711.25 ftApril 10, 1964
810.82 ftApril 19, 1969
910.10 ftMarch 30, 1980
109.71 ftApril 26, 1946

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.16 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

20 Tue 76° 43° – Wind 9 mph
21 Wed 74° 47° – Wind 9 mph
22 Thu 77° 55° – Wind 5 mph
23 Fri 73° 53° – Wind 10 mph
24 Sat 71° 53° – Wind 13 mph
25 Sun 73° 51° – Wind 11 mph
26 Mon 76° 53° – Wind 7 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:34 AM Sunset 06:46 PM Daylight 11 hr, 12 min Waxing gibbous 72%

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 3.43 ft No reference yet −0.05 ft 104 mi
Saluda River near GreenvilleRiver gauge, Saluda River 2.22 ft Low −0.59 ft 98 mi
Saluda River above I-85 near Golden GroveRiver gauge, Saluda River 186 cfs Low −82.0 cfs 94 mi
Saluda River below PelzerRiver gauge, Saluda River 7.26 ft No reference yet −0.02 ft 89 mi
Saluda River near WilliamstonRiver gauge, Saluda River 3.69 ft Below flood stage −0.03 ft 88 mi
Saluda River near Ware ShoalsRiver gauge, Saluda River 2.01 ft Normal +0.05 ft 70 mi
Saluda River at ChappellsRiver gauge, Saluda River 1.67 ft Low −0.32 ft 46 mi
Saluda River below Lake Murray Dam near ColumbiaRiver gauge, Saluda River 5.80 ft Very high −0.01 ft 7 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Broad River near ColumbiaRiver gauge, Broad River 154.10 ft Normal +0.02 ft 2.5 mi
Congaree River at ColumbiaRiver gauge, Congaree River 3.49 ft Normal +0.02 ft 2.6 mi
Smith Branch at North Main St at ColumbiaRiver gauge, Smith Branch 0.39 ft Very low ±0 2.8 mi
Rocky Branch at Pickens St at ColumbiaRiver gauge, Rocky Branch 2.67 ft Low ±0 3.9 mi
Rocky Branch at Whaley St at ColumbiaRiver gauge, Rocky Branch 1.09 ft Normal ±0 3.9 mi
Pen Branch at ColumbiaRiver gauge, Pen Branch 0.62 ft Normal ±0 6.1 mi
Gills Creek at ColumbiaRiver gauge, Gills Creek 0.90 ft Very low −0.05 ft 7 mi
Congaree Creek at South CongareeRiver gauge, Congaree Creek 2.67 ft Very low −0.79 ft 7 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Saluda River near Columbia compare with last year?

It is 0.42 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 3.68 ft.

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

The median for mid-October is 2.62 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.06 ft and 3.77 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 Saluda River near Columbia today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 06:00 PM EDT, the water level was 3.26 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Saluda River near Columbia rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Up 0.04 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Saluda River near Columbia normal?

High for mid-October. Compared with 40 years of daily readings for this time of year.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Saluda River near Columbia?

The highest level on record is 15.23 ft on October 2, 1929.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
Operator
U.S. Geological Survey
Station code
usgs:02169000 (Agency page)
Coordinates
34.01404, -81.08787 (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 3.26 ft 2026-10-20 22:00 Provisional
Flow 2,150 cfs 2026-10-20 22:00 Provisional
Water temperature 63 °F 2026-10-20 22:00 Provisional

Download

Embed this gauge

Add a live card for this gauge to your website. It updates on its own and links back here.

How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Saluda River near Columbia (usgs:02169000). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/south-carolina/saluda-river-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.