River Report

Santee River river

2 streamgauges 37% of normal Last updated 2026-05-16
Aggregate flow
2,733cfs
% of normal
37%
Daily volume
5,421AF
Seasonal avg
7,413cfs

Total streamflow across the Santee River was last observed at 2,733 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 5,421 acre-ft of water today; about 37% of normal. River levels are low and may signify a drought. Average streamflow for this time of year is 7,413 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2016-01-05 when daily discharge volume was observed at 166,900 cfs.

Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Santee River Nr Jamestown reporting a streamflow rate of 1,820 cfs. This is also the highest stage along the Santee River, with a gauge stage of 3.15 ft at this location. This river is monitored from 2 different streamgauging stations along the Santee River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 25 ft, the Santee River Near Pineville.

Max discharge

Santee River Nr Jamestown

1,820cfs
Highest stage

Santee River Nr Jamestown

3.15ft
Highest-elevation gauge

Santee River Near Pineville

25ft
Aggregate trend

River streamflow levels

Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Santee River. Use the range buttons to zoom in on a specific period.

Total streamflow

Sum of all monitored streamgauges · daily

Per-gauge breakdown

Every streamgauge along the Santee 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)
Santee River Near Pineville SC
USGS 02171500
603 1.99 -2.7 87% 227 155,000 25
Santee River Nr Jamestown SC
USGS 02171700
1,820 3.15 2.9 24% 11 100,000 2
Annual peaks

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

Profile

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

About this river

Santee River

The Santee River is a 143-mile-long blackwater river in South Carolina. The river has a rich history, having played a role in the American Revolution and the Civil War. It is the second-longest river in the state and flows into the Atlantic Ocean. The hydrology of the river is unique, as it is a blackwater river due to high levels of tannic acid in the water. The river is also known for its diverse fish population. Specific reservoirs and dams along the river include the Lake Marion Dam and Lake Moultrie Dam. These reservoirs are used for hydroelectric power generation and flood control. The river also has recreational uses, including fishing and boating, and is an important source of irrigation for agriculture in the surrounding areas.

Track the Santee 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.

FAQ

About the Santee River

Where does the data for the Santee 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.

Premium feature

Favorites and alerts are part of Snoflo Premium. Save rivers + gauges, set discharge thresholds, and get push notifications when conditions cross.

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Manage alerts in the Snoflo app

River-level alerts are configured per-gauge in the iOS app. Open any individual streamgauge from the table above and favorite it to set a discharge threshold.

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