South Carolina · Columbia, SC

Saluda River (Lower) float season

Gauge 02168504 on the Lake Murray dam through Columbia to the Congaree confluence. Chilly bottom-release water from Lake Murray keeps Columbia's in-town Saluda run lively even in August, with riverwalk crowds watching from the banks.

kayaktubingsup Fullest: Dec–Feb Leanest: May–Jul
Saluda River (Lower) — typical flow through the year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 750 3k 7.5k 10k
median flow for the date middle half of years (25th–75th percentile) most years (10th–90th)

Right now at this gauge

loading CFS

Checking the live gauge…

Live reading from the USGS gauge page for Saluda River (Lower). Provisional data — subject to revision.

The year on this river

In a typical year at the Columbia gauge, the Saluda River (Lower) runs fullest Dec–Feb and leanest May–Jul. Where today's reading falls inside that rhythm matters more than the raw number — the same flow that feels thin in spring can be the summer norm. Half of all past January days at this gauge ran above 1,840 CFS; the July median is 870 CFS.

Median of daily flows in each month across this gauge's full record — half of past days ran above these figures, half below.
Month Typical flow (CFS)
January 1,840
February 1,170
March 1,670
April 1,400
May 974
June 922
July 870
August 1,050
September 1,030
October 1,080
November 995
December 1,710

Record context

This gauge has measured daily flow since 1989 — 37 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 28,300 CFS, in January 2016. Rivers do that sometimes; it's why the safety panel above isn't decoration.

Planning dates? The trip-window checker shows what flows have historically looked like on any week you pick for this river, or see what a CFS actually looks like.

More South Carolina float rivers

Common questions

When is the Saluda River (Lower) usually at its fullest?

At the Columbia gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Dec–Feb, with the single highest monthly median in January (about 1,840 CFS). The leanest months are usually May–Jul.

What is a typical summer flow on the Saluda River (Lower)?

The July median at this gauge is about 870 CFS — half of past Julys ran higher, half lower. Late summer is this river's lean season, so expect readings to drift down as the season goes on.

Is the Saluda River (Lower) safe to float right now?

No flow number can answer that, and this site never labels a river safe. What the data can tell you is how today's reading compares with 37 years of this date's history — well above typical means pushier, colder, faster water. Pair that context with a PFD, a look at the river from the bank, and a call to a local outfitter before you commit.

Which USGS gauge does this page use?

USGS gauge 02168504 (SALUDA RIVER BELOW LK MURRAY DAM NR COLUMBIA, SC), chosen because it best represents the Lake Murray dam through Columbia to the Congaree confluence. Daily records here reach back to 1989.

Data: USGS gauge 02168504, approved daily records 1989–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.