Saluda River

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The Saluda River at West Pelzer, South Carolina
The Saluda River at West Pelzer, South Carolina

The Saluda River is a principal tributary of the Congaree River, about 200 mi (320 km) long, in northern and western South Carolina in the United States. Via the Congaree River, it is part of the watershed of the Santee River, which flows to the Atlantic Ocean.

Contents

[edit] Course

Map of the Santee River watershed showing the Saluda River.
Map of the Santee River watershed showing the Saluda River.

The Saluda River is formed about 10 mi (15 km) northwest of the city of Greenville, on the common boundary of Greenville and Pickens Counties, by the confluence of its north and south forks, each of which rises in the Blue Ridge Mountains very near the border of North Carolina:

  • The North Saluda River flows generally south-southwestwardly through northern Greenville County, past Marietta.
  • The South Saluda River flows generally southeastwardly on the Greenville-Pickens County border, receiving the Oolenoy River and the Middle Saluda River, which rises in Jones Gap State Park and flows generally southward through northwestern Greenville County.

From this confluence the Saluda River flows generally southeastwardly through the Piedmont region, through or along the boundaries of Pickens, Greenville, Anderson, Abbeville, Laurens, Greenwood, Newberry, Lexington and Richland Counties, past the towns of Piedmont, West Pelzer, Pelzer, Ware Shoals and West Columbia. It joins the Broad River in Columbia to form the Congaree River.

[edit] Dams

  • The uppermost dam on the Saluda River is on the border of Greenville and Pickens Counties, forming Saluda Lake.
  • On the boundary of Newberry and Greenwood Counties, a dam causes the Saluda to form Lake Greenwood.
  • In Ware Shoals, on the border of Greenwood and Laurens counties, a dam built to power the textile mill in Ware Shoals remains in operation.
  • In Lexington County, the Saluda Dam causes the river to form Lake Murray.
  • The remains of a dam, now breached, can be found at Pelzer.

[edit] Principal tributaries

  • The Reedy River flows into Lake Greenwood from the north in Laurens County.
  • The Little River flows into the Saluda from the north in Newberry County.
  • The Bush River flows into Lake Murray from the north in Newberry County.
  • The Little Saluda River flows into Lake Murray from the south in Saluda County; it is formed at the town of Saluda by the confluence of Mine Creek and Red Bank Creek.

[edit] Variant names

According to the Geographic Names Information System, the Saluda River has also been known as:

  • Chickawa
  • Corn River
  • Saludy River
  • Saluta River
  • Salutah River
  • Santee River
  • Seleuda River

[edit] Save Our Saluda

In 2008, a collective of local citizens (or Citizens Action Group) based in Marietta, Greenville County, South Carolina initiated a campaign to "Save Our Saluda" following what they perceived to be aggressive property development. Their mission is to "(protect) and (preserve) the headwaters of the Saluda watershed through concerned citizens action".

[edit] See also

[edit] Sources