Every river below is monitored through its USGS streamflow gauges, refreshed every 15 minutes and rated in plain language for wading safety. Select a river for the live dashboard with current flow, trend, weather and community reports.
The Wild & Scenic Chattooga forms the SC–GA line off the Blue Ridge escarpment — free-flowing, boulder-strewn, and cold enough to hold wild and stocked trout in its upper reaches. It fishes best on low, clear water; big rain turns it into a serious whitewater river, so respect the level.
Region: Blue Ridge Trout · Fish for: Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout · USGS gauges: Chattooga River Near Clayton, Ga
South Carolina's trophy trout tailwater — the cold bottom-release from Lake Murray Dam turns the lower Saluda through Columbia into a year-round trout fishery for stocked and holdover rainbows and browns, mixed with striped bass and shoal bass water below. Flow is entirely dam-controlled: it fishes on low, non-generation windows and turns fast and dangerous when Dominion spins turbines, so the generation schedule matters more than any single CFS number.
Region: Midlands · Fish for: Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout · USGS gauges: Saluda River Below Lk Murray Dam Nr Columbia, Sc, Saluda River Near Columbia, Sc
South Carolina's premier smallmouth river — a big, shoal-studded Piedmont flow from the NC line past Ninety Nine Islands down through Carlisle and Alston to Columbia. Bedrock ledges and long shoals hold river smallmouth, redbreast, catfish, and striped bass; it's a wade-and-float river up top and a bank/boat river as it grows.
Region: Piedmont · Fish for: Smallmouth Bass, Redbreast Sunfish · USGS gauges: Broad River Near Blacksburg, Sc, Broad River Below Ninetynine Island Reservoir, Sc, Broad River Below Neal Shoals Res Nr Carlisle, Sc, Broad River Near Carlisle, Sc
The Edisto is the longest free-flowing blackwater river in the world — a tannic, cypress-lined ribbon running from the sandhills near Branchville through Colleton and Givhans Ferry State Parks toward the ACE Basin. Its white sandbars and deep wood-filled holes hold outstanding redbreast, bass, bowfin, and catfish; South Carolina's signature blackwater float.
Region: Lowcountry & ACE Basin · Fish for: Redbreast Sunfish, Largemouth Bass · USGS gauges: Edisto River Near Branchville, Sc, Edisto River Below Canadys, Sc, Edisto River Nr Givhans, Sc
South Carolina's first designated State Scenic River, tumbling out of Jones Gap through old-growth forest. Wild and stocked trout hold in a classic mountain freestone of plunge pools and boulder gardens — small, wadeable, and beautiful on low water.
Region: Blue Ridge Trout · Fish for: Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout · USGS gauges: Middle Saluda River Near Cleveland, Sc
A tumbling escarpment trout stream below Table Rock, running clear and cold off Caesars Head through Rocky Bottom. Stocked rainbows and browns hold in the pocket water and pools; it's small, technical, and fishes best on low flows.
Region: Blue Ridge Trout · Fish for: Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout · USGS gauges: South Saluda River Near Rocky Bottom, Sc, South Saluda River Near Cleveland, Sc
The Great Pee Dee is South Carolina's big eastern river — flowing down from the NC line past Cheraw and Society Hill toward Georgetown, wide and sandy with deep holes and long bends. It's a bank-and-boat fishery for trophy catfish, striped bass, largemouth, and gar, with legendary blue and flathead water in the lower reaches.
Region: Pee Dee & Grand Strand · Fish for: Blue Catfish, Striped Bass · USGS gauges: Pee Dee River At Cheraw, Sc, Pee Dee River At Peedee, Sc, Pee Dee River Below Pee Dee, Sc, Pee Dee River At Hwy 701 Nr Bucksport, Sc
Formed where the Broad meets the Saluda at Columbia, the Congaree is a broad, sandy-shoaled river running down past Congaree National Park's floodplain forest. It's a big-water bank-and-boat fishery for catfish, striped bass, largemouth, and gar, with wadeable shoals near Columbia on low flow.
Region: Midlands · Fish for: Channel Catfish, Striped Bass · USGS gauges: Congaree River At Columbia, Sc, Congaree River At Congaree Np Near Gadsden, Sc
Above Lake Greenwood, the upper Saluda runs as a Piedmont smallmouth and redbreast river through Greenville and Anderson counties past Pelzer and Ware Shoals. Long shoals and bedrock ledges hold smallmouth, bass, and panfish — a wade-and-float river once flows drop.
Region: Piedmont · Fish for: Smallmouth Bass, Redbreast Sunfish · USGS gauges: Saluda River Near Greenville, Sc, Saluda River Near Williamston, Sc, Saluda River Near Ware Shoals, Sc
A jewel of the upstate — a small, cold delayed-harvest trout creek running through the Eastatoee Heritage Preserve near Sunset. It gets regular stockings and holds fish through the special-regulation season; tight, wadeable pocket water rewards a careful approach.
Region: Blue Ridge Trout · Fish for: Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout · USGS gauges: Eastatoee Crk On Cleo Chapman Hwy Near Sunset, Sc
The Catawba enters SC below Lake Wylie and runs through the Rock Hill area and the famous rocky shoals at Landsford Canal before dropping toward Lake Wateree. Shoals hold smallmouth and redbreast; the bigger reaches grow catfish and striped bass — a mix of wadeable shoals and bank/boat water.
Region: Catawba-Wateree · Fish for: Redbreast Sunfish, Smallmouth Bass · USGS gauges: Catawba River Bl Lake Wylie Dam Fewell Island, Sc, Catawba River Near Rock Hill, Sc, Catawba River Below Catawba, Sc
Formed where the Congaree meets the Wateree, the Santee is South Carolina's largest river — flowing through the Santee-Cooper lakes and out below the dams toward the coast. Below the lakes it's a big-water bank-and-boat fishery for trophy catfish, striped bass, largemouth, and gar; the Santee-Cooper system is famous for its landlocked stripers and giant blues.
Region: Lowcountry & ACE Basin · Fish for: Blue Catfish, Striped Bass · USGS gauges: Santee River Near Pineville, Sc, Santee River Near Russellville, Sc
The Waccamaw drifts down from its namesake lake in NC through the Grand Strand past Conway toward Winyah Bay — a wide, dark, cypress-lined blackwater river that turns tidal in its lower reaches. It holds redbreast, bass, bowfin, catfish, and striped bass; a Conway Riverwalk-to-swamp fishery beloved by paddlers.
Region: Pee Dee & Grand Strand · Fish for: Redbreast Sunfish, Largemouth Bass · USGS gauges: Waccamaw River Near Longs, Sc, Waccamaw River Above Conway, Sc
A classic South Carolina blackwater river — the Lynches winds tannic and cypress-lined from the sandhills near Bishopville down through Lee State Park to Effingham and the Pee Dee. It's a redbreast, bass, and bowfin float with sandbars and deep wood-choked holes; a State Scenic River loved by paddlers.
Region: Pee Dee & Grand Strand · Fish for: Redbreast Sunfish, Largemouth Bass · USGS gauges: Lynches River Near Bishopville, Sc, Lynches River At Effingham, Sc
The North Saluda drops off the escarpment below the Greenville watershed reservoir near Slater — a cool, small trout and mixed stream in its upper reaches before it warms downstream. Access is tighter here (much of the headwater is protected watershed), so fish the public reaches below the reservoir.
Region: Blue Ridge Trout · Fish for: Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout · USGS gauges: N. Saluda River Bl N. Saluda Res. Above Slater, Sc, North Saluda River Above Slater, Sc
One of the finest redbreast rivers in the South — the Little Pee Dee runs tannic and sandy from the NC line past Dillon and Little Pee Dee State Park down to Galivants Ferry and the Pee Dee. Cypress edges, white sandbars, and deep wood-filled holes hold redbreast, bass, bowfin, and catfish; a beloved blackwater float.
Region: Pee Dee & Grand Strand · Fish for: Redbreast Sunfish, Largemouth Bass · USGS gauges: Little Pee Dee River Near Dillon, Sc, Little Pee Dee R. At Galivants Ferry, Sc
Below Lake Wateree Dam, the Wateree runs a wide, sandy course past Camden down to join the Congaree and form the Santee. It's a big-water bank-and-boat river for catfish, striped bass, largemouth, and gar — flow below the dam is generation-influenced, so the release schedule shapes the day.
Region: Catawba-Wateree · Fish for: Channel Catfish, Striped Bass · USGS gauges: Lake Wateree Tailrace Above Camden, Sc, Wateree River Nr. Camden, Sc
The Reedy tumbles through downtown Greenville's Falls Park and then out into a Piedmont bass and redbreast river through Fork Shoals on its way to Lake Greenwood. The lower reaches hold largemouth, redbreast, and catfish in shoals and slow bends — a modest, wadeable float once past the city.
Region: Piedmont · Fish for: Redbreast Sunfish, Largemouth Bass · USGS gauges: Reedy River Near Greenville, Sc, Reedy River Above Fork Shoals, Sc, Reedy River Near Waterloo, Sc
A gorgeous cypress-and-tupelo blackwater river winding through Williamsburg County past Kingstree down to Georgetown — the heart of South Carolina's newest state park and water trail. Tannic and slow, it holds redbreast, bass, bowfin, and catfish along its wooded banks and sandbars; a premier Lowcountry paddle-and-fish river.
Region: Pee Dee & Grand Strand · Fish for: Redbreast Sunfish, Largemouth Bass · USGS gauges: Black River At Kingstree, Sc
The Tyger drains the Spartanburg Piedmont through three forks that join and run down to the Broad — a shoaly smallmouth and redbreast river with good bedrock structure. Wadeable and floatable through the middle reaches once flows settle.
Region: Piedmont · Fish for: Smallmouth Bass, Redbreast Sunfish · USGS gauges: North Tyger River Near Fairmont, Sc, Middle Tyger River Near Lyman, Sc, South Tyger River Below Duncan, Sc, Tyger River Near Woodruff, Sc
Below Lake Greenwood, the Saluda runs its middle reach past Chappells toward Lake Murray — a warmwater river of shoals and deep bends holding bass, redbreast, catfish, and the occasional shoal-run striper. A quieter float-and-bank stretch away from the crowds.
Region: Piedmont · Fish for: Redbreast Sunfish, Largemouth Bass · USGS gauges: Saluda River At Chappells, Sc
A Piedmont river winding out of the Greenville suburbs through the Sumter National Forest past Musgrove Mill toward the Broad. Shoals and long wooded bends hold smallmouth up top and redbreast, bass, and catfish downstream — a quiet wade-and-float away from the crowds.
Region: Piedmont · Fish for: Redbreast Sunfish, Smallmouth Bass · USGS gauges: Enoree River At Pelham, Sc, Enoree River Near Woodruff, Sc, Enoree River At Whitmire, Sc
The South Fork of the Edisto runs tannic and sandy through Aiken and Bamberg counties past Denmark toward the main Edisto — smaller and swifter than the main stem, with clean white sandbars and cypress edges. It holds redbreast, bass, and catfish; a quiet upper-blackwater float.
Region: Lowcountry & ACE Basin · Fish for: Redbreast Sunfish, Largemouth Bass · USGS gauges: South Fork Edisto River Above Springfield, Sc, South Fork Edisto River Near Denmark, Sc, South Fork Edisto River Near Bamberg, Sc
The Pacolet drops out of the Blue Ridge foothills near Landrum and runs through Spartanburg County past the town of Pacolet toward the Broad. Shoals and bedrock hold smallmouth and redbreast; the upper forks run cool enough for the occasional stray trout below the reservoirs.
Region: Piedmont · Fish for: Smallmouth Bass, Redbreast Sunfish · USGS gauges: Pacolet River Below Lake Blalock Near Cowpens, Sc, Pacolet River At Us-29 Near Converse, Sc, Pacolet River Near Saratt, Sc
The Lumber (Lumbee) drifts down out of North Carolina into the SC low country near Nichols, joining the Little Pee Dee — a National Wild & Scenic blackwater river of dark tannic water, cypress, and white sandbars. It holds redbreast, bass, bowfin, and catfish; a quiet float best known to the locals.
Region: Pee Dee & Grand Strand · Fish for: Redbreast Sunfish, Largemouth Bass · USGS gauges: Lumber River At Nichols, Sc
A Saluda-system tributary running through Laurens County toward Lake Greenwood — a small warmwater river of shoals and wooded bends holding redbreast, bass, and catfish. Lightly pressured and best on low, clear flows.
Region: Piedmont · Fish for: Redbreast Sunfish, Largemouth Bass · USGS gauges: Little River At Laurens, Sc, Little River Nr Silverstreet, Sc
The North Fork of the Edisto winds through Orangeburg County past Edisto Memorial Gardens down to the main Edisto — a tannic, cypress-lined blackwater stream holding redbreast, bass, and catfish. Small and lightly fished; best on low, clear flows.
Region: Lowcountry & ACE Basin · Fish for: Redbreast Sunfish, Largemouth Bass · USGS gauges: North Fork Edisto River At Sc394, Above North, Sc, North Fork Edisto River At Orangeburg, Sc
A cool foothills creek draining the Clemson area down to Lake Hartwell near Central — recently restored after decades of legacy pollution and now a clean, shoaly stream. It holds redbreast, bass, and catfish, and its cool upper reaches draw stray trout; a small wade-and-float near the lake.
Region: Savannah Basin · Fish for: Redbreast Sunfish, Largemouth Bass · USGS gauges: Twelvemile Creek Near Liberty, Sc
A sandhills blackwater creek running through the Hartsville area down toward the Pee Dee near Florence — tannic, sandy, and cypress-lined. It holds redbreast, bass, and catfish through its lower reaches; a small, lightly fished float.
Region: Pee Dee & Grand Strand · Fish for: Redbreast Sunfish, Largemouth Bass · USGS gauges: Black Creek Near Hartsville, Sc, Black Creek Near Quinby, Sc
A rocky Savannah-basin creek draining the western Piedmont down to the Savannah near Modoc — clear, shoaly, and home to redbreast, smallmouth (in the Savannah system), and the rare native Savannah-drainage fishes protected in the Stevens Creek Heritage Preserve. A small, scenic wade.
Region: Savannah Basin · Fish for: Redbreast Sunfish, Smallmouth Bass · USGS gauges: Stevens Creek Near Modoc, Sc
The North Pacolet spills off the escarpment near Landrum and Fingerville — a small, cool foothills stream of shoals and pockets holding smallmouth, redbreast, and stray trout up high. Small and lightly fished; best on low flows.
Region: Piedmont · Fish for: Smallmouth Bass, Redbreast Sunfish · USGS gauges: North Pacolet River At Fingerville, Sc
The Salkehatchie is a swampy blackwater river draining the southern coastal plain through Hampton and Bamberg counties — the upstream half of the Combahee, which forms as the river swells below Rivers Bridge. Tannic, cypress-choked, and wild, it holds redbreast, bass, and bowfin; a remote paddle-and-fish river.
Region: Lowcountry & ACE Basin · Fish for: Redbreast Sunfish, Largemouth Bass · USGS gauges: Salkehatchie River Near Miley, Sc
A Piedmont creek draining the Spartanburg area down to the Enoree near Union — small, shoaly, and lightly pressured. It holds redbreast, smallmouth, bass, and catfish in its wooded lower reaches; a quiet wade for anglers who like solitude.
Region: Piedmont · Fish for: Redbreast Sunfish, Smallmouth Bass · USGS gauges: Fairforest Creek Near Union, Sc
A Savannah-drainage river in McCormick County dropping toward Lake Thurmond (Clarks Hill) near Mount Carmel — a small warmwater river of shoals and wooded bends holding redbreast, bass, and catfish before it slows into the reservoir. Lightly fished and best on low flows.
Region: Savannah Basin · Fish for: Redbreast Sunfish, Largemouth Bass · USGS gauges: Little River Near Mt. Carmel, Sc
A small southern blackwater river draining Hampton and Jasper counties toward the coast near Ridgeland — tannic, cypress-lined, and lightly fished. It holds redbreast, bass, bowfin, and catfish in its wooded runs; a quiet Lowcountry float off the beaten path.
Region: Lowcountry & ACE Basin · Fish for: Redbreast Sunfish, Largemouth Bass · USGS gauges: Coosawhatchie River Near Hampton, Sc
A small Clemson-area foothills creek draining below Pendleton toward Lake Hartwell — shoaly and wooded, holding redbreast, bass, and catfish. Lightly fished and best on low, clear flows; a quiet neighbor to Twelvemile Creek.
Region: Savannah Basin · Fish for: Redbreast Sunfish, Largemouth Bass · USGS gauges: Eighteenmile Creek Below Pendleton, Sc
A small Savannah-basin river draining Anderson and Abbeville counties near Starr toward the Savannah — a shoaly warmwater stream holding redbreast, bass, and catfish. Off the radar and lightly fished; a quiet wade for solitude.
Region: Savannah Basin · Fish for: Redbreast Sunfish, Largemouth Bass · USGS gauges: Rocky River Nr Starr, Sc
Flow readings come straight from USGS gauges and refresh every 15 minutes. Every South Carolina river shows the exact reading time for each gauge, so you always know how fresh the number is.
All 37 South Carolina rivers we track are rated Wadeable, Caution, Limited, or Blown out against thresholds tuned to each individual gauge. Open the dashboard for a live top-to-bottom read of every river.
CFS — cubic feet per second — is how much water is moving past the gauge. Higher CFS means faster, deeper, pushier water. The safe range differs on every river, which is why each gauge carries its own thresholds rather than one blanket number.
Each river page shows total observed rainfall over the last 48 hours plus the forecast for the next 48 hours at that gauge — the fastest way to tell whether the water is about to blow out or start clearing.
We track 37 South Carolina rivers behind live USGS gauges. Open any river for live conditions, species timing, public access points, and recent rainfall.