Pacolet River river
Total streamflow across the Pacolet River was last observed at 171 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 338 acre-ft of water today; about 28% of normal. River levels are low and may signify a drought. Average streamflow for this time of year is 599 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2024-01-10 when daily discharge volume was observed at 19,190 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Pacolet River Below Lake Blalock Near Cowpens reporting a streamflow rate of 88.2 cfs. However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the Pacolet River Near Fingerville with a gauge stage of 5.44 ft. This river is monitored from 2 different streamgauging stations along the Pacolet River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 747 ft, the Pacolet River Near Fingerville.
River streamflow levels
Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Pacolet River. Use the range buttons to zoom in on a specific period.
Total streamflow
Sum of all monitored streamgauges · daily
Every streamgauge along the Pacolet River
All 2 USGS gauges Snoflo tracks for this river, with current flow, stage, recent change, percent of normal, and the gauge's all-time min / max. Click any header to sort. Cells are heatmapped relative to the column min/max -- darker blue = higher.
| Streamgauge▾ | Streamflow (cfs)▾ | Gauge stage (ft)▾ | 24h Δ (%)▾ | % Normal▾ | Min (cfs)▾ | Max (cfs)▾ | Elevation (ft)▾ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Pacolet River Near Fingerville
SC
USGS 02155500
|
82 | 5.44 | 0.0 | 33% | 4 | 22,800 | 747 |
|
Pacolet River Below Lake Blalock Near Cowpens
SC
USGS 021556525
|
88 | 1.73 | 0.0 | 23% | 52 | 22,900 | 697 |
Maximum streamflow discharge by year
The single highest aggregate discharge recorded each year. Spotting the multi-year trend reveals droughts vs. wet cycles long before the headline daily flow does.
Annual peak discharge
From the river's full record · one point per water year
Streamflow elevation profile
Each bubble is one gauge along the river, plotted by current streamflow (x-axis) vs elevation (y-axis), sized by gauge stage. Reading top-to-bottom traces the river from headwaters down to its mouth -- you can see flow accumulate as elevation drops.
Elevation vs streamflow
One point per monitored gauge · bubble size = gauge stage
Pacolet River
The Pacolet River is a 70-mile-long river that runs through the upstate of South Carolina and western North Carolina. It is a tributary of the Broad River and was once used for transportation of goods and hydropower. Today, the river is a popular spot for recreational activities such as fishing, kayaking, and hiking along its banks. There are several reservoirs and dams along the river, including Lake Bowen, Lake Blalock, and the Pacolet Dam, which provide hydroelectric power and water for irrigation. The river also has a rich agricultural history, with many farms and plantations located along its banks. The Pacolet River is an important natural resource for the region, providing both economic and recreational opportunities for local communities.
Recreation along the Pacolet River
Fishing access and paddle runs Snoflo tracks within the watershed.
Track the Pacolet River in the Snoflo app
Set per-gauge push alerts (e.g. "alert me when flow at the Russian R Nr Healdsburg crosses 5,000 cfs"), and Snoflo's iOS app pushes the moment USGS reports the crossing.
About the Pacolet River
Where does the data for the Pacolet River come from?
Streamflow and gauge stage data are sourced from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Information System. The aggregate flow shown at the top of the page is computed by Snoflo as the sum of all monitored gauges along the river.
How is "percent of normal" calculated?
Today's aggregate streamflow is compared to the historical average aggregate streamflow on this calendar day across the river's full record. 100% means right on average; values above 100% indicate above-normal flow (wet year); values below indicate below-normal (dry year or drought).
Why are some gauges showing very different flows?
Gauges along a river measure flow at different points: headwater gauges read what's coming off the snowpack or mountain runoff; downstream gauges integrate everything upstream, including tributary inputs. Wide spreads usually mean a tributary is contributing significantly between gauges.
What's the elevation profile chart showing?
Each bubble is one gauge along the river, plotted by streamflow (x-axis) and elevation (y-axis), sized by gauge stage. Reading top-down traces the river from headwaters to mouth -- you can see flow build as elevation drops.
Can I get alerts when a specific gauge crosses a threshold?
Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app on a per-gauge basis. Open any individual streamgauge from the table above and favorite it to set a discharge threshold.