Saluda River

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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.

1 Course
2 Dams
3 Principal tributaries
4 Variant names
5 See also
6 Sources

[edit] Course

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 Caesars Head 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

On the boundary of Newberry and Greenwood Counties, a dam causes the Saluda to form Lake Greenwood.
In Lexington County, the Saluda Dam causes the river to form Lake Murray.

[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.