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Congaree River at Carolina Eastman

Highest listed crest 126.95 ftFlood stage 115.0 ft149 crests since 1971

The Congaree River at Carolina Eastman crested at major flood stage 6 times among the 149 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1971 to 2025. The highest, 126.95 ft on October 12, 1976, was major flooding, 11.95 feet above flood stage. 1 other gauge on the Congaree River crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
126.95 ft
October 12, 1976; 156,693 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
115.0 ft
Major flooding from 126.0 ft
Crests at major
6
14th of 79 gauges in South Carolina
Most recent flood crest
August 13, 2025
120.03 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Calhoun County
Near Cayce (5.2 mi), West Columbia (9.1 mi), Forest Acres (11.0 mi)
Identifiers
NWS CEAS1
No USGS station

Flood stages

The thresholds the National Weather Service uses for this gauge today, and how many listed crests reached each.

Flood categories, Congaree River at Carolina Eastman
Action stage114.03Apr 4, 2024The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)115.062Aug 7, 2025Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage119.077Aug 13, 2025Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage126.06Sep 30, 2024Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

149 crests from 1971 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Congaree River at Carolina Eastman, 1971 to 2025 110115120125130ft Flood stage 115.0 ftMajor 126.0 ft Mar 5, 1971: 123.70 ft, moderate floodingDec 18, 1972: 124.00 ft, moderate floodingApr 3, 1973: 125.40 ft, moderate floodingJan 3, 1974: 121.50 ft, moderate floodingMar 16, 1975: 126.00 ft, major floodingOct 12, 1976: 126.95 ft, major flooding; 156,693 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 1977: 122.30 ft, moderate floodingJan 28, 1978: 124.20 ft, moderate floodingFeb 27, 1979: 126.90 ft, major floodingMar 31, 1980: 121.50 ft, moderate floodingFeb 13, 1981: 117.00 ft, minor floodingJan 7, 1982: 123.70 ft, moderate floodingDec 8, 1983: 123.20 ft, moderate floodingFeb 16, 1984: 123.00 ft, moderate floodingNov 13, 1995: 120.20 ft, moderate floodingMar 9, 1996: 122.40 ft, moderate floodingFeb 17, 1997: 121.70 ft, moderate floodingFeb 6, 1998: 124.40 ft, moderate floodingAug 18, 1998: 117.10 ft, minor floodingSep 5, 1998: 118.70 ft, minor floodingJan 6, 1999: 117.20 ft, minor floodingJan 26, 1999: 117.20 ft, minor floodingFeb 4, 1999: 116.50 ft, minor floodingJan 27, 2000: 117.50 ft, minor floodingMar 22, 2000: 119.50 ft, moderate floodingNov 19, 2002: 115.50 ft, minor floodingDec 15, 2002: 118.00 ft, minor floodingDec 27, 2002: 120.20 ft, moderate floodingFeb 25, 2003: 119.20 ft, moderate floodingMar 1, 2003: 117.90 ft, minor floodingMar 8, 2003: 122.40 ft, moderate floodingMar 19, 2003: 119.30 ft, moderate floodingApr 13, 2003: 123.20 ft, moderate floodingApr 21, 2003: 123.00 ft, moderate floodingApr 26, 2003: 116.10 ft, minor floodingMay 8, 2003: 120.20 ft, moderate floodingMay 25, 2003: 124.00 ft, moderate floodingJun 10, 2003: 120.40 ft, moderate floodingJul 4, 2003: 119.40 ft, moderate floodingJul 16, 2003: 115.90 ft, minor floodingAug 3, 2003: 116.40 ft, minor floodingAug 8, 2003: 119.20 ft, moderate floodingJun 28, 2004: 115.60 ft, minor floodingSep 11, 2004: 124.60 ft, moderate floodingSep 30, 2004: 119.60 ft, moderate floodingDec 12, 2004: 119.80 ft, moderate floodingMar 2, 2005: 116.50 ft, minor floodingMar 30, 2005: 122.30 ft, moderate floodingApr 10, 2005: 115.81 ft, minor floodingApr 16, 2005: 116.10 ft, minor floodingJun 3, 2005: 120.90 ft, moderate floodingJun 30, 2005: 117.80 ft, minor floodingJul 10, 2005: 119.40 ft, moderate floodingOct 10, 2005: 121.20 ft, moderate floodingDec 17, 2005: 117.60 ft, minor floodingNov 23, 2006: 118.50 ft, minor floodingDec 27, 2006: 116.10 ft, minor floodingJan 3, 2007: 115.70 ft, minor flooding; 26,008 cubic feet per secondJan 10, 2007: 121.10 ft, moderate flooding; 49,732 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 2007: 124.00 ft, moderate flooding; 82,216 cubic feet per secondAug 28, 2008: 115.80 ft, minor floodingDec 13, 2008: 120.00 ft, moderate floodingJan 9, 2009: 116.50 ft, minor floodingMar 4, 2009: 120.70 ft, moderate flooding; 41,273 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 2009: 120.50 ft, moderate flooding; 39,636 cubic feet per secondNov 14, 2009: 122.80 ft, moderate flooding; 75,420 cubic feet per secondDec 4, 2009: 121.90 ft, moderate flooding; 53,661 cubic feet per secondDec 11, 2009: 121.00 ft, moderate flooding; 42,995 cubic feet per secondDec 20, 2009: 119.70 ft, moderate flooding; 37,293 cubic feet per secondDec 27, 2009: 123.20 ft, moderate flooding; 75,929 cubic feet per secondDec 31, 2009: 115.70 ft, minor flooding; 20,849 cubic feet per secondJan 19, 2010: 118.20 ft, minor flooding; 27,513 cubic feet per secondJan 27, 2010: 123.70 ft, moderate flooding; 72,824 cubic feet per secondFeb 8, 2010: 123.80 ft, moderate flooding; 73,949 cubic feet per secondJun 2, 2010: 115.70 ft, minor flooding; 20,849 cubic feet per secondMay 17, 2012: 115.70 ft, minor flooding; 20,849 cubic feet per secondJan 20, 2013: 120.70 ft, moderate flooding; 41,273 cubic feet per secondFeb 28, 2013: 116.50 ft, minor flooding; 22,269 cubic feet per secondApr 30, 2013: 116.50 ft, minor flooding; 22,269 cubic feet per secondMay 9, 2013: 124.50 ft, moderate flooding; 82,294 cubic feet per secondJul 9, 2013: 120.20 ft, moderate flooding; 37,293 cubic feet per secondJul 18, 2013: 115.20 ft, minor flooding; 21,660 cubic feet per secondJul 23, 2013: 115.00 ft, minor flooding; 21,339 cubic feet per secondJul 29, 2013: 115.90 ft, minor flooding; 22,817 cubic feet per secondJan 14, 2015: 117.00 ft, minor flooding; 25,993 cubic feet per secondApr 10, 2015: 115.20 ft, minor flooding; 21,660 cubic feet per secondOct 5, 2015: 126.90 ft, major flooding; 154,992 cubic feet per secondJan 1, 2016: 124.90 ft, moderate flooding; 100,510 cubic feet per secondJan 18, 2016: 116.30 ft, minor flooding; 24,474 cubic feet per secondFeb 9, 2018: 116.80 ft, minor floodingApr 18, 2018: 115.10 ft, minor flooding; 21,323 cubic feet per secondApr 26, 2018: 119.70 ft, moderate flooding; 34,236 cubic feet per secondOct 13, 2018: 119.80 ft, moderate flooding; 34,750 cubic feet per secondNov 17, 2018: 122.80 ft, moderate flooding; 62,868 cubic feet per secondNov 30, 2018: 114.70 ft, action stage; 20,305 cubic feet per secondDec 4, 2018: 118.70 ft, minor flooding; 30,040 cubic feet per secondDec 11, 2018: 122.00 ft, moderate flooding; 53,605 cubic feet per secondDec 17, 2018: 121.40 ft, moderate flooding; 47,529 cubic feet per secondDec 23, 2018: 122.40 ft, moderate flooding; 58,063 cubic feet per secondDec 31, 2018: 120.10 ft, moderate flooding; 36,547 cubic feet per secondJan 6, 2019: 121.80 ft, moderate flooding; 51,501 cubic feet per secondJan 15, 2019: 115.50 ft, minor flooding; 22,389 cubic feet per secondDec 15, 2019: 117.90 ft, minor flooding; 28,070 cubic feet per secondDec 25, 2019: 120.60 ft, moderate flooding; 40,447 cubic feet per secondJan 5, 2020: 117.40 ft, minor flooding; 26,898 cubic feet per secondJan 15, 2020: 121.00 ft, moderate flooding; 43,851 cubic feet per secondFeb 9, 2020: 126.40 ft, major flooding; 139,191 cubic feet per secondFeb 23, 2020: 117.60 ft, minor flooding; 27,361 cubic feet per secondFeb 27, 2020: 116.20 ft, minor flooding; 24,264 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 2020: 119.40 ft, moderate flooding; 32,762 cubic feet per secondMar 27, 2020: 120.70 ft, moderate flooding; 41,273 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 2020: 115.20 ft, minor flooding; 21,585 cubic feet per secondApr 15, 2020: 117.00 ft, minor flooding; 25,993 cubic feet per secondMay 2, 2020: 120.00 ft, moderate flooding; 35,812 cubic feet per secondMay 7, 2020: 116.50 ft, minor flooding; 24,900 cubic feet per secondMay 23, 2020: 123.00 ft, moderate flooding; 65,422 cubic feet per secondMay 30, 2020: 117.10 ft, minor flooding; 26,216 cubic feet per secondSep 18, 2020: 116.00 ft, minor flooding; 23,790 cubic feet per secondOct 13, 2020: 117.90 ft, minor flooding; 28,070 cubic feet per secondNov 15, 2020: 122.90 ft, moderate flooding; 64,136 cubic feet per secondDec 3, 2020: 116.30 ft, minor flooding; 26,669 cubic feet per secondOct 9, 2021: 113.50 ft, below flood stage; 17,484 cubic feet per secondJan 5, 2022: 116.95 ft, minor flooding; 25,993 cubic feet per secondMar 14, 2022: 116.72 ft, minor flooding; 23,000 cubic feet per secondApr 7, 2022: 121.78 ft, moderate flooding; 51,297 cubic feet per secondApr 20, 2022: 118.90 ft, minor flooding; 30,552 cubic feet per secondDec 7, 2022: 114.10 ft, action stage; 18,862 cubic feet per secondDec 17, 2022: 117.90 ft, minor flooding; 28,070 cubic feet per secondDec 25, 2022: 118.10 ft, minor flooding; 28,551 cubic feet per secondJan 6, 2023: 122.50 ft, moderate flooding; 59,231 cubic feet per secondJan 10, 2023: 115.10 ft, minor flooding; 21,323 cubic feet per secondJan 27, 2023: 118.50 ft, minor flooding; 29,536 cubic feet per secondFeb 13, 2023: 118.60 ft, minor flooding; 29,787 cubic feet per secondApr 10, 2023: 120.40 ft, moderate flooding; 38,841 cubic feet per secondApr 30, 2023: 123.10 ft, moderate flooding; 66,939 cubic feet per secondJun 24, 2023: 119.70 ft, moderate flooding; 34,236 cubic feet per secondDec 29, 2023: 121.10 ft, moderate flooding; 44,744 cubic feet per secondJan 12, 2024: 125.20 ft, moderate flooding; 107,316 cubic feet per secondJan 29, 2024: 119.00 ft, moderate flooding; 30,810 cubic feet per secondFeb 14, 2024: 115.70 ft, minor flooding; 22,940 cubic feet per secondMar 3, 2024: 119.00 ft, moderate flooding; 30,810 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 2024: 114.10 ft, action stage; 18,862 cubic feet per secondAug 10, 2024: 119.30 ft, moderate flooding; 32,237 cubic feet per secondSep 30, 2024: 126.90 ft, major flooding; 155,010 cubic feet per secondDec 13, 2024: 117.70 ft, minor flooding; 27,596 cubic feet per secondFeb 15, 2025: 119.60 ft, moderate flooding; 33,726 cubic feet per secondMay 14, 2025: 119.50 ft, moderate floodingAug 7, 2025: 118.40 ft, minor floodingAug 13, 2025: 120.03 ft, moderate flooding Highest, 126.95 ft, Oct 12, 1976 19801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Congaree River at Carolina Eastman 1970s: 9 1980s: 5 1990s: 9 2000s: 48 48 2010s: 32 2020s: 42 1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  1. These are the crests the local National Weather Service office lists for the gauge: the highest on record and recent crests. Lesser floods between them may be missing, so counts by decade are a floor.
  2. Categories use today's flood stages. Levees, dams and channel changes since a crest can make old and new stages not directly comparable.

Highest crests

The 50 highest of 149 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Congaree River at Carolina Eastman
1Oct 12, 1976126.95+11.95Major156,693
2Feb 27, 1979126.90+11.90Major—
3Oct 5, 2015126.90+11.90Major154,992
4Sep 30, 2024126.90+11.90Major155,010
5Feb 9, 2020126.40+11.40Major139,191
6Mar 16, 1975126.00+11.00Major—
7Apr 3, 1973125.40+10.40Moderate—
8Jan 12, 2024125.20+10.20Moderate107,316
9Jan 1, 2016124.90+9.90Moderate100,510
10Sep 11, 2004124.60+9.60Moderate—
11May 9, 2013124.50+9.50Moderate82,294
12Feb 6, 1998124.40+9.40Moderate—
13Jan 28, 1978124.20+9.20Moderate—
14Dec 18, 1972124.00+9.00Moderate—
15May 25, 2003124.00+9.00Moderate—
16Mar 4, 2007124.00+9.00Moderate82,216
17Feb 8, 2010123.80+8.80Moderate73,949
18Mar 5, 1971123.70+8.70Moderate—
19Jan 7, 1982123.70+8.70Moderate—
20Jan 27, 2010123.70+8.70Moderate72,824
21Dec 8, 1983123.20+8.20Moderate—
22Apr 13, 2003123.20+8.20Moderate—
23Dec 27, 2009123.20+8.20Moderate75,929
24Apr 30, 2023123.10+8.10Moderate66,939
25Feb 16, 1984123.00+8.00Moderate—
26Apr 21, 2003123.00+8.00Moderate—
27May 23, 2020123.00+8.00Moderate65,422
28Nov 15, 2020122.90+7.90Moderate64,136
29Nov 14, 2009122.80+7.80Moderate75,420
30Nov 17, 2018122.80+7.80Moderate62,868
31Jan 6, 2023122.50+7.50Moderate59,231
32Mar 9, 1996122.40+7.40Moderate—
33Mar 8, 2003122.40+7.40Moderate—
34Dec 23, 2018122.40+7.40Moderate58,063
35Apr 1, 1977122.30+7.30Moderate—
36Mar 30, 2005122.30+7.30Moderate—
37Dec 11, 2018122.00+7.00Moderate53,605
38Dec 4, 2009121.90+6.90Moderate53,661
39Jan 6, 2019121.80+6.80Moderate51,501
40Apr 7, 2022121.78+6.78Moderate51,297
41Feb 17, 1997121.70+6.70Moderate—
42Jan 3, 1974121.50+6.50Moderate—
43Mar 31, 1980121.50+6.50Moderate—
44Dec 17, 2018121.40+6.40Moderate47,529
45Oct 10, 2005121.20+6.20Moderate—
46Jan 10, 2007121.10+6.10Moderate49,732
47Dec 29, 2023121.10+6.10Moderate44,744
48Dec 11, 2009121.00+6.00Moderate42,995
49Jan 15, 2020121.00+6.00Moderate43,851
50Jun 3, 2005120.90+5.90Moderate—

The worst floods along the Congaree River

For this gauge's highest crests, the other gauges on the Congaree River that crested above flood stage within a week.

October 12, 1976: 126.95 ft here, major flooding

  • ColumbiaSC · Oct 11, 1976 · 29.74 ft · Moderate

February 27, 1979: 126.90 ft here, major flooding

  • ColumbiaSC · Feb 26, 1979 · 23.46 ft · Minor

October 5, 2015: 126.90 ft here, major flooding

Gauges on the Congaree River

Flood gauges sharing the river's name, linked within 80 miles of one another.

Flood gauges on the Congaree River
Carolina Eastman this gaugeSC115.0126.95 ft, Oct 12, 19766
ColumbiaSC19.039.80 ft, Aug 27, 19088
Congaree National ParkSC15.019.83 ft, Oct 5, 20150

Other gauges in Calhoun County

Flood gauges in Calhoun County
Trezesvants Landing83.087.02 ft, Oct 7, 19891

Calhoun County: every hazard · River floods across the country · South Carolina

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge CEAS1, retrieved October 30, 2026. Stages in feet on the gauge's own datum, not elevation. Crests are as the National Weather Service lists them; preliminary values may be revised.