National Weather Service Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service

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Weather Forecast Office Columbia, SC

Southeast River Forecast Center

Hydrograph

River at a Glance

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About this graph

Tabular Data (UTC)

Tabular Data (EDT)

Datum: NGVD29

Metadata

NOTE: River forecasts for this location take into account past precipitation and the precipitation amounts expected approximately 48 hours into the future from the forecast issuance time.

NOTE: Gauge reading affected by reservoir operations.

Reliability of the Forecast: Based on current and forecast river, weather and reservoir conditions

NOTE: Forecasts for the Congaree River at Columbia are issued routinely year-round.

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Upstream Gauge

Downstream Gauge

Flood Categories (in feet)

Major Flood Stage:	30
Moderate Flood Stage:	24
Flood Stage:	19
Action Stage:	10
Low Stage (in feet):	0

Historic Crests
(1) 39.80 ft on 08/27/1908
(2) 35.50 ft on 07/17/1916
(3) 33.50 ft on 08/18/1928
(4) 33.34 ft on 04/08/1936
(5) 33.10 ft on 10/03/1929
Show More Historic Crests

(P): Preliminary values subject to further review.

Recent Crests
(1) 12.60 ft on 03/03/2024
(2) 12.79 ft on 01/29/2024
(3) 25.66 ft on 01/12/2024
(4) 2.52 ft on 10/19/2023
(5) 2.52 ft on 10/09/2023
Show More Recent Crests

(P): Preliminary values subject to further review.

Low Water Records
(1) -2.10 ft on 09/08/1925
(2) -1.90 ft on 10/21/1923
(3) -1.70 ft on 08/30/1931
(4) -1.30 ft on 09/04/1930
(5) -1.30 ft on 12/10/1933
Show More Low Water Records

For more information on your flood risk go to www.floodsmart.gov.

Show FEMA's National Flood Hazard Layers

Zoom Level:16

	Gauge Location	Disclaimer
Latitude/Longitude Disclaimer: The gauge location shown in the above map is the approximate location based on the latitude/longitude coordinates provided to the NWS by the gauge owner.

Flood Impacts & Photos

If you notice any errors in the below information, please contact our Webmaster
30	The Enclave Apartments along the Broad River and I-20 become flooded.
28	Flooding begins in low lying areas of the Riverland Park subdivision in Cayce.
24	Flooding also occurs in the Cayce Quarry.
21	Extensive swampland and large areas of farmland and pasture land downstream from Columbia are flooded.
19	Extensive swampland and large areas of farmland and pasture land downstream from Columbia become flooded.
16	Old State Road, SC 66, below Cayce becomes flooded.
14	Roads in low lying areas and swampland downstream from Columbia become flooded. Most of the Cayce and West Columbia river walk is flooded.
13	Flooding occurs in flood prone areas near and downstream from Columbia. Flooding also occurs over much of the Cayce and West Columbia river walk.
10	Flooding occurs in flood prone areas near and downstream from Columbia. Flooding also occurs on parts of the Cayce and West Columbia river walk.
Photos (1) USGS Gage Structure on the West Columbia-Cayce Riverwalk (2) Looking upstream toward the Gervais Street Bridge in the distance.

About This Location

Latitude: 33.993056° N, Longitude: 81.050000° W, Horizontal Datum: NAD27

River Stage Reference Frame	Gauge Height	Flood Stage	Uses
NWS stage	0 ft	19 ft	Interpreting hydrographs and NWS watch, warnings, and forecasts, and inundation maps
Vertical Datum	Elevation (gauge height = 0)	Elevation (gauge height = flood stage)	Elevation information source
NAVD88	Not Available	Not Available	Survey grade GPS equipment, FEMA flood plain maps, newer USGS topographic maps
NGVD 29	113.021 ft	132.021 ft	Older USGS topographic maps, NGVD29 benchmarks
MSL	Not Available	Not Available	Older USGS topographic maps, MSL benchmarks
Other	Not Available	Not Available

Current/Historical Observations:

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Data and Site Info for Columbia

Additional Information

Potential River Levels - Used to

Potential River Levels Used to Estimate the Chance of Flooding and the Range of Possible River Levels
10 Day (HEFS)	10 Day (NAEFS)	10 Day (GEFS)

Note: Use the official hydrograph at the top of this web page for river levels within the next 72 hours.

Click individual graphics to enlarge.

Data courtesy of the United States Geological Survey and Santee Cooper.

Resources

Hydrologic Resources

Additional Resources

Collaborative Agencies

The National Weather Service prepares its forecasts and other services in collaboration with agencies like the US Geological Survey, US Bureau of Reclamation, US Army Corps of Engineers, Natural Resource Conservation Service, National Park Service, ALERT Users Group, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and many state and local emergency managers across the country. For details, please click here.

NWS Information

National Weather Service
Columbia Weather Forecast Office
2909 Aviation Way
West Columbia, SC 29170-2102
(803) 822-8135
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Page last modified: 30-Oct-2020 4:10 PM

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