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Congaree River at Congaree National Park

Highest listed crest 19.83 ftFlood stage 15.0 ft160 crests since 1983

The Congaree River at Congaree National Park crested above flood stage 158 times among the 160 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1983 to 2025. The highest, 19.83 ft on October 5, 2015, was moderate flooding, 4.83 feet above flood stage. 2 other gauges on the Congaree River crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
19.83 ft
October 5, 2015
Flood stage
15.0 ft
Major flooding from 20.0 ft
Crests at major
0
158 above flood stage
Most recent flood crest
August 14, 2025
17.16 ft, minor flooding
Location
Richland County
Near Cayce (13.8 mi)

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 Congaree National Park
Action stage14.01Apr 5, 2024The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)15.0148Aug 14, 2025Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage18.010Oct 1, 2024Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage20.00—Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

160 crests from 1983 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Congaree River at Congaree National Park, 1983 to 2025 1214161820ft Flood stage 15.0 ftMajor 20.0 ft Dec 9, 1983: 17.77 ft, minor floodingNov 24, 1985: 17.63 ft, minor floodingAug 22, 1986: 17.06 ft, minor floodingDec 6, 1986: 15.17 ft, minor floodingDec 27, 1986: 16.03 ft, minor floodingJan 3, 1987: 16.06 ft, minor floodingFeb 8, 1987: 16.85 ft, minor floodingFeb 12, 1987: 16.89 ft, minor floodingFeb 23, 1987: 16.84 ft, minor floodingMar 2, 1987: 16.89 ft, minor floodingMar 7, 1987: 16.91 ft, minor floodingApr 1, 1987: 15.95 ft, minor floodingSep 10, 1987: 16.71 ft, minor floodingSep 14, 1987: 17.49 ft, minor floodingDec 30, 1987: 16.50 ft, minor flooding; 28,524 cubic feet per secondMar 3, 1989: 15.83 ft, minor floodingMar 8, 1989: 16.52 ft, minor floodingMar 26, 1989: 17.41 ft, minor floodingJul 20, 1989: 15.18 ft, minor floodingMay 7, 1993: 15.11 ft, minor floodingFeb 26, 1994: 15.32 ft, minor floodingMar 4, 1994: 16.83 ft, minor floodingMar 31, 1994: 16.35 ft, minor flooding; 26,374 cubic feet per secondJun 8, 1994: 15.62 ft, minor floodingJul 1, 1994: 15.74 ft, minor floodingAug 22, 1994: 17.36 ft, minor floodingDec 25, 1994: 17.01 ft, minor floodingMar 11, 1995: 15.17 ft, minor floodingJun 7, 1995: 16.14 ft, minor floodingAug 31, 1995: 18.27 ft, moderate floodingOct 8, 1995: 16.34 ft, minor floodingNov 10, 1995: 16.08 ft, minor floodingNov 14, 1995: 17.06 ft, minor floodingJan 23, 1996: 15.55 ft, minor floodingJan 30, 1996: 17.34 ft, minor floodingFeb 5, 1996: 17.78 ft, minor floodingMar 9, 1996: 17.57 ft, minor floodingMar 21, 1996: 16.31 ft, minor flooding; 26,480 cubic feet per secondOct 2, 1996: 16.08 ft, minor floodingDec 4, 1996: 15.36 ft, minor floodingJan 12, 1997: 15.13 ft, minor floodingFeb 17, 1997: 17.41 ft, minor floodingMar 4, 1997: 17.22 ft, minor floodingMay 1, 1997: 16.62 ft, minor floodingJul 27, 1997: 15.86 ft, minor floodingDec 27, 1997: 16.72 ft, minor floodingJan 10, 1998: 16.29 ft, minor floodingJan 20, 1998: 17.09 ft, minor floodingJan 30, 1998: 17.69 ft, minor floodingFeb 6, 1998: 18.20 ft, moderate flooding; 80,276 cubic feet per secondFeb 20, 1998: 17.15 ft, minor flooding; 43,288 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 1998: 17.29 ft, minor floodingApr 28, 1998: 17.33 ft, minor floodingMay 10, 1998: 15.75 ft, minor floodingAug 13, 1998: 15.29 ft, minor floodingSep 15, 1998: 16.49 ft, minor floodingJan 27, 2000: 15.98 ft, minor floodingMar 23, 2000: 16.87 ft, minor floodingApr 1, 2001: 15.98 ft, minor floodingDec 15, 2002: 15.91 ft, minor floodingDec 27, 2002: 16.91 ft, minor floodingFeb 25, 2003: 16.71 ft, minor floodingMar 8, 2003: 17.52 ft, minor floodingMar 19, 2003: 16.63 ft, minor floodingMar 23, 2003: 18.65 ft, moderate floodingApr 13, 2003: 17.70 ft, minor flooding; 58,000 cubic feet per secondApr 21, 2003: 17.56 ft, minor floodingMay 10, 2003: 16.89 ft, minor floodingMay 25, 2003: 17.85 ft, minor floodingJun 11, 2003: 16.73 ft, minor floodingJun 20, 2003: 15.24 ft, minor floodingJul 4, 2003: 16.64 ft, minor floodingJul 16, 2003: 15.24 ft, minor floodingAug 8, 2003: 16.41 ft, minor floodingFeb 9, 2004: 16.34 ft, minor floodingSep 11, 2004: 18.16 ft, moderate flooding; 80,076 cubic feet per secondSep 30, 2004: 16.76 ft, minor floodingDec 12, 2004: 16.47 ft, minor floodingMar 2, 2005: 15.61 ft, minor floodingMar 31, 2005: 17.59 ft, minor floodingApr 15, 2005: 15.06 ft, minor floodingJun 4, 2005: 16.88 ft, minor floodingJul 10, 2005: 16.71 ft, minor floodingOct 10, 2005: 16.91 ft, minor floodingDec 17, 2005: 15.53 ft, minor floodingJan 6, 2006: 15.56 ft, minor floodingNov 24, 2006: 16.56 ft, minor floodingDec 27, 2006: 15.00 ft, minor flooding; 15,934 cubic feet per secondJan 10, 2007: 17.16 ft, minor floodingMar 5, 2007: 17.95 ft, minor flooding; 68,300 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 2008: 17.95 ft, minor flooding; 68,300 cubic feet per secondDec 13, 2008: 16.87 ft, minor floodingJan 9, 2009: 15.64 ft, minor floodingMar 4, 2009: 17.15 ft, minor flooding; 43,288 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 2009: 17.09 ft, minor floodingNov 14, 2009: 17.61 ft, minor floodingDec 5, 2009: 17.29 ft, minor floodingDec 12, 2009: 17.00 ft, minor flooding; 38,723 cubic feet per secondDec 20, 2009: 16.80 ft, minor flooding; 33,353 cubic feet per secondDec 28, 2009: 17.70 ft, minor flooding; 58,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 8, 2010: 17.85 ft, minor floodingJan 20, 2013: 17.03 ft, minor floodingFeb 28, 2013: 15.68 ft, minor floodingMay 1, 2013: 15.71 ft, minor flooding; 22,602 cubic feet per secondMay 9, 2013: 18.16 ft, moderate flooding; 80,076 cubic feet per secondOct 5, 2015: 19.83 ft, moderate floodingJan 1, 2016: 18.28 ft, moderate flooding; 85,476 cubic feet per secondFeb 10, 2018: 15.98 ft, minor floodingApr 27, 2018: 17.20 ft, minor flooding; 44,879 cubic feet per secondOct 14, 2018: 17.15 ft, minor flooding; 43,288 cubic feet per secondNov 18, 2018: 17.90 ft, minor flooding; 66,125 cubic feet per secondNov 30, 2018: 15.01 ft, minor flooding; 20,656 cubic feet per secondDec 4, 2018: 16.83 ft, minor flooding; 34,326 cubic feet per secondDec 11, 2018: 17.60 ft, minor flooding; 53,653 cubic feet per secondDec 18, 2018: 17.45 ft, minor flooding; 67,617 cubic feet per secondDec 23, 2018: 17.70 ft, minor flooding; 77,547 cubic feet per secondDec 30, 2018: 17.22 ft, minor flooding; 46,537 cubic feet per secondJan 7, 2019: 17.49 ft, minor flooding; 50,579 cubic feet per secondDec 16, 2019: 16.48 ft, minor flooding; 28,305 cubic feet per secondDec 26, 2019: 17.42 ft, minor flooding; 49,191 cubic feet per secondJan 7, 2020: 16.23 ft, minor flooding; 25,659 cubic feet per secondJan 16, 2020: 17.39 ft, minor flooding; 48,602 cubic feet per secondFeb 10, 2020: 19.54 ft, moderate flooding; 175,370 cubic feet per secondFeb 23, 2020: 16.63 ft, minor flooding; 30,036 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 2020: 17.19 ft, minor flooding; 44,561 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 2020: 17.37 ft, minor flooding; 48,219 cubic feet per secondApr 15, 2020: 15.88 ft, minor flooding; 22,325 cubic feet per secondMay 2, 2020: 17.79 ft, minor flooding; 44,561 cubic feet per secondMay 7, 2020: 15.99 ft, minor flooding; 23,316 cubic feet per secondMay 23, 2020: 17.81 ft, minor flooding; 62,359 cubic feet per secondSep 18, 2020: 15.75 ft, minor flooding; 21,497 cubic feet per secondOct 13, 2020: 16.22 ft, minor flooding; 25,556 cubic feet per secondNov 15, 2020: 17.95 ft, minor flooding; 68,300 cubic feet per secondDec 3, 2020: 16.31 ft, minor flooding; 26,480 cubic feet per secondOct 9, 2021: 13.88 ft, below flood stage; 15,288 cubic feet per secondJan 6, 2022: 16.10 ft, minor flooding; 24,364 cubic feet per secondMar 14, 2022: 15.80 ft, minor flooding; 21,689 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 2022: 17.45 ft, minor flooding; 49,786 cubic feet per secondApr 21, 2022: 16.67 ft, minor flooding; 30,549 cubic feet per secondDec 8, 2022: 16.32 ft, minor flooding; 26,585 cubic feet per secondDec 25, 2022: 16.16 ft, minor flooding; 24,957 cubic feet per secondJan 7, 2023: 17.57 ft, minor flooding; 52,790 cubic feet per secondJan 28, 2023: 16.65 ft, minor flooding; 30,292 cubic feet per secondFeb 14, 2023: 16.61 ft, minor flooding; 29,780 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 2023: 17.14 ft, minor flooding; 42,969 cubic feet per secondMay 1, 2023: 17.69 ft, minor flooding; 57,565 cubic feet per secondJun 24, 2023: 17.02 ft, minor flooding; 39,318 cubic feet per secondDec 29, 2023: 17.26 ft, minor flooding; 46,078 cubic feet per secondJan 13, 2024: 18.51 ft, moderate flooding; 97,778 cubic feet per secondJan 30, 2024: 16.86 ft, minor flooding; 34,908 cubic feet per secondFeb 15, 2024: 15.61 ft, minor flooding; 20,961 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 2024: 16.86 ft, minor flooding; 34,908 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 2024: 14.58 ft, action stage; 17,285 cubic feet per secondAug 10, 2024: 16.89 ft, minor flooding; 35,686 cubic feet per secondOct 1, 2024: 19.82 ft, moderate flooding; 197,543 cubic feet per secondDec 14, 2024: 16.45 ft, minor flooding; 27,978 cubic feet per secondFeb 15, 2025: 17.12 ft, minor flooding; 42,333 cubic feet per secondMay 14, 2025: 17.05 ft, minor floodingAug 7, 2025: 16.51 ft, minor floodingAug 14, 2025: 17.16 ft, minor flooding Highest, 19.83 ft, Oct 5, 2015 1990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Congaree River at Congaree National Park 1980s: 19 1990s: 37 2000s: 44 44 2010s: 20 2020s: 38 1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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 160 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Congaree River at Congaree National Park
1Oct 5, 201519.83+4.83Moderate—
2Oct 1, 202419.82+4.82Moderate197,543
3Feb 10, 202019.54+4.54Moderate175,370
4Mar 23, 200318.65+3.65Moderate—
5Jan 13, 202418.51+3.51Moderate97,778
6Jan 1, 201618.28+3.28Moderate85,476
7Aug 31, 199518.27+3.27Moderate—
8Feb 6, 199818.20+3.20Moderate80,276
9Sep 11, 200418.16+3.16Moderate80,076
10May 9, 201318.16+3.16Moderate80,076
11Mar 5, 200717.95+2.95Minor68,300
12Mar 5, 200817.95+2.95Minor68,300
13Nov 15, 202017.95+2.95Minor68,300
14Nov 18, 201817.90+2.90Minor66,125
15May 25, 200317.85+2.85Minor—
16Feb 8, 201017.85+2.85Minor—
17May 23, 202017.81+2.81Minor62,359
18May 2, 202017.79+2.79Minor44,561
19Feb 5, 199617.78+2.78Minor—
20Dec 9, 198317.77+2.77Minor—
21Apr 13, 200317.70+2.70Minor58,000
22Dec 28, 200917.70+2.70Minor58,000
23Dec 23, 201817.70+2.70Minor77,547
24Jan 30, 199817.69+2.69Minor—
25May 1, 202317.69+2.69Minor57,565
26Nov 24, 198517.63+2.63Minor—
27Nov 14, 200917.61+2.61Minor—
28Dec 11, 201817.60+2.60Minor53,653
29Mar 31, 200517.59+2.59Minor—
30Mar 9, 199617.57+2.57Minor—
31Jan 7, 202317.57+2.57Minor52,790
32Apr 21, 200317.56+2.56Minor—
33Mar 8, 200317.52+2.52Minor—
34Sep 14, 198717.49+2.49Minor—
35Jan 7, 201917.49+2.49Minor50,579
36Dec 18, 201817.45+2.45Minor67,617
37Apr 8, 202217.45+2.45Minor49,786
38Dec 26, 201917.42+2.42Minor49,191
39Mar 26, 198917.41+2.41Minor—
40Feb 17, 199717.41+2.41Minor—
41Jan 16, 202017.39+2.39Minor48,602
42Mar 28, 202017.37+2.37Minor48,219
43Aug 22, 199417.36+2.36Minor—
44Jan 30, 199617.34+2.34Minor—
45Apr 28, 199817.33+2.33Minor—
46Apr 11, 199817.29+2.29Minor—
47Dec 5, 200917.29+2.29Minor—
48Dec 29, 202317.26+2.26Minor46,078
49Mar 4, 199717.22+2.22Minor—
50Dec 30, 201817.22+2.22Minor46,537

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 5, 2015: 19.83 ft here, moderate flooding

October 1, 2024: 19.82 ft here, moderate flooding

February 10, 2020: 19.54 ft here, moderate 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 EastmanSC115.0126.95 ft, Oct 12, 19766
ColumbiaSC19.039.80 ft, Aug 27, 19088
Congaree National Park this gaugeSC15.019.83 ft, Oct 5, 20150

Other gauges in Richland County

Flood gauges in Richland County
Congaree NP Near Gadsden8.017.40 ft, Oct 5, 20150
US 766.719.60 ft, Oct 4, 20151
Pickens Street7.213.43 ft, Jul 4, 20220
Whaley Street7.312.90 ft, Jul 4, 202215
North Main St9.018.87 ft, Oct 4, 20151

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge GADS1, 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.