The Santee River is a river in South Carolina in the United States, and is 143 miles (230 km) long. The Santee and its tributaries provide the principal drainage for the coastal areas of southeastern South Carolina and navigation for the central coastal plain of South Carolina, emptying into the Atlantic Ocean about halfway between Myrtle Beach and Charleston near the community of McClellanville. The farthest headwaters are 440 miles (708 km) away on the Catawba River in North Carolina. Besides the Catawba, other principal rivers of the Santee watershed include the Congaree, Broad, Linville, Saluda and the Wateree. The watershed drains a large portion of the Piedmont regions of South and North Carolina. The Santee River is the second largest river on the eastern coast of the United States, second only to the Susquehanna River in drainage area and flow.[2] Much of the upper river is impounded by the expansive, horn-shaped Lake Marion reservoir, formed by the 8-mile (13 km)-long Santee Dam. The dam was built during the Great Depression of the 1930s as a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project to provide a major source of hydroelectric power for the state of South Carolina.
The Santee is formed in central South Carolina 25 miles (40 km) southeast of Columbia by the confluence of the rivers Wateree and Congaree. It flows southeast for 5 miles (8 km) before entering the northwest corner of Lake Marion, which stretches in a long wide arc to the southeast for approximately 30 miles (48 km) to Santee Dam. A navigable diversion canal first built during the 1970s at the southern end of the lake connects to Lake Moultrie, a reservoir on the nearby Cooper River. The modern canal is operated by the Santee Cooper agency as part of the larger hydroelectric project on both rivers. The dam was finished in 1941.
Downstream from the reservoir it flows east, then southeast, forming the northeast boundary of Francis Marion National Forest. Approximately 10 miles (16 km) from its mouth it bifurcates into two channels, named the North Santee and South Santee, that flow parallel and separated by approximately 2 miles (3 km), creating Cedar Island. The two channels reach the ocean at Santee Point, approximately 15 miles (24 km) south of Georgetown, and not far from the outlet of the Pee Dee River.
Historyedit
Wee Tee Lake, an oxbow of the Santee River valley, SC.
The river was named by early English settlers for the Santee tribe, which inhabited areas on the middle part of the river. The first European contact was by a Spanish party commanded by Lucas Vázquez de Ayllón in 1526.[citation needed] The early Spaniards may have named the river the Jordan (in honor of the Jordan River).[citation needed]
After suffering a defeat by the English and their allies during the Yamasee War in 1715–1716, the Santee were relocated. Many were shipped as slaves to the West Indies, opening the river for British settlement as part of the Province of Carolina.
During the late 18th century, the upper river was the site of the homestead of Francis Marion, a patriot of the American Revolutionary War. The original site of his homestead has been flooded by the reservoir Lake Marion, which is named in his honor.
Construction of the 22-mile (35 km)-long Santee Canal, linking the river to the Cooper, was begun in 1793 and finished in 1800. It allowed direct water transportation between the upcountry of central South Carolina and the port city Charleston, at the outlet of the Cooper River. The canal operated for 50 years before being made obsolete by the introduction of railroads.
During the Great Depression, the state of South Carolina created the power utility Santee Cooper. The main source of electric power for the utility was a hydroelectric system inland from Charleston, built by the federal government during the administration of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Starting in 1939, the Santee River was dammed, forming lakes Marion and Moultrie, and diverting the river's flow into the Cooper River through a hydroelectric plant at Pinopolis. The WPA project was completed in 1941.
Though the project succeeded in providing cheap electricity to modernize rural South Carolina, unintended consequences were changes to the character of both the Cooper and Santee rivers below the project. Deprived of most its water flow, the Santee River became more saline and its ecosystem gradually changed below the dam. The Cooper River received more of the freshwater and sediment loads that used to flow into the Santee and carried them downstream. This has resulted in greatly increasing the dredging costs to keep Charleston Harbor operating as a port. During the 1980s, the Army Corps of Engineers built a "rediversion" canal to send most of the water back into the Santee, partially mitigating this problem.
This is a partial list of crossings of the Santee River.
Lake Marion
Railroad bridge (CSX Orangeburg Subdivision) between Lone Star and Rimini. (note: This location has been proposed by representative James Clyburn for a new automobile bridge; there is considerable controversy over the project because of its potential environmental effects.)
U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Santee River
South Atlantic Water Science Center Santee River Basin Study
May 01, 2024
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For other uses see Santee disambiguation The Santee River is a river in South Carolina in the United States and is 143 miles 230 km long The Santee and its tributaries provide the principal drainage for the coastal areas of southeastern South Carolina and navigation for the central coastal plain of South Carolina emptying into the Atlantic Ocean about halfway between Myrtle Beach and Charleston near the community of McClellanville The farthest headwaters are 440 miles 708 km away on the Catawba River in North Carolina Besides the Catawba other principal rivers of the Santee watershed include the Congaree Broad Linville Saluda and the Wateree The watershed drains a large portion of the Piedmont regions of South and North Carolina The Santee River is the second largest river on the eastern coast of the United States second only to the Susquehanna River in drainage area and flow 2 Much of the upper river is impounded by the expansive horn shaped Lake Marion reservoir formed by the 8 mile 13 km long Santee Dam The dam was built during the Great Depression of the 1930s as a Works Progress Administration WPA project to provide a major source of hydroelectric power for the state of South Carolina Santee RiverI 95 over Lake MarionThe Santee River WatershedLocationCountryUnited StatesStatesSouth CarolinaCitiesSantee SC Cross SC Bonneau SC Moncks Corner SCPhysical characteristicsSourceConfluence of Congaree River and Wateree Rivers locationNear Fort Motte SC coordinates33 44 31 78 N 80 37 02 42 W 33 7421611 N 80 6173389 W 33 7421611 80 6173389 elevation75 ft 23 m MouthAtlantic Ocean locationCharleston County SC Georgetown County SC coordinates33 07 48 96 N 79 15 31 73 W 33 1302667 N 79 2588139 W 33 1302667 79 2588139 elevation0 ft 0 m Length143 mi 230 km 1 Contents 1 Description 2 History 3 Crossings 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksDescription editThe Santee is formed in central South Carolina 25 miles 40 km southeast of Columbia by the confluence of the rivers Wateree and Congaree It flows southeast for 5 miles 8 km before entering the northwest corner of Lake Marion which stretches in a long wide arc to the southeast for approximately 30 miles 48 km to Santee Dam A navigable diversion canal first built during the 1970s at the southern end of the lake connects to Lake Moultrie a reservoir on the nearby Cooper River The modern canal is operated by the Santee Cooper agency as part of the larger hydroelectric project on both rivers The dam was finished in 1941 Downstream from the reservoir it flows east then southeast forming the northeast boundary of Francis Marion National Forest Approximately 10 miles 16 km from its mouth it bifurcates into two channels named the North Santee and South Santee that flow parallel and separated by approximately 2 miles 3 km creating Cedar Island The two channels reach the ocean at Santee Point approximately 15 miles 24 km south of Georgetown and not far from the outlet of the Pee Dee River History edit nbsp Wee Tee Lake an oxbow of the Santee River valley SC The river was named by early English settlers for the Santee tribe which inhabited areas on the middle part of the river The first European contact was by a Spanish party commanded by Lucas Vazquez de Ayllon in 1526 citation needed The early Spaniards may have named the river the Jordan in honor of the Jordan River citation needed After suffering a defeat by the English and their allies during the Yamasee War in 1715 1716 the Santee were relocated Many were shipped as slaves to the West Indies opening the river for British settlement as part of the Province of Carolina During the late 18th century the upper river was the site of the homestead of Francis Marion a patriot of the American Revolutionary War The original site of his homestead has been flooded by the reservoir Lake Marion which is named in his honor Construction of the 22 mile 35 km long Santee Canal linking the river to the Cooper was begun in 1793 and finished in 1800 It allowed direct water transportation between the upcountry of central South Carolina and the port city Charleston at the outlet of the Cooper River The canal operated for 50 years before being made obsolete by the introduction of railroads During the Great Depression the state of South Carolina created the power utility Santee Cooper The main source of electric power for the utility was a hydroelectric system inland from Charleston built by the federal government during the administration of President Franklin D Roosevelt Starting in 1939 the Santee River was dammed forming lakes Marion and Moultrie and diverting the river s flow into the Cooper River through a hydroelectric plant at Pinopolis The WPA project was completed in 1941 Though the project succeeded in providing cheap electricity to modernize rural South Carolina unintended consequences were changes to the character of both the Cooper and Santee rivers below the project Deprived of most its water flow the Santee River became more saline and its ecosystem gradually changed below the dam The Cooper River received more of the freshwater and sediment loads that used to flow into the Santee and carried them downstream This has resulted in greatly increasing the dredging costs to keep Charleston Harbor operating as a port During the 1980s the Army Corps of Engineers built a rediversion canal to send most of the water back into the Santee partially mitigating this problem nbsp A grand old bald cypress tree in the Santee River valley near Andrews South Carolina Crossings editThis is a partial list of crossings of the Santee River Lake Marion Railroad bridge CSX Orangeburg Subdivision between Lone Star and Rimini note This location has been proposed by representative James Clyburn for a new automobile bridge there is considerable controversy over the project because of its potential environmental effects Former US 15 and US 301 bridge at Santee Interstate 95 US 15 and US 301 bridge between Santee and North Santee Lower Santee Highway 52 bridge Railroad bridge CSX Charleston Subdivision near St Stephen ALT US 17 bridge and adjacent railroad bridge US 17 bridge S Fraser Street over North Santee River and South Santee RiverSee also editList of South Carolina rivers South Atlantic Gulf Water Resource RegionReferences edit The Santee River The Sumter Item Retrieved 14 May 2020 National Water Quality Assessment Program NAWQA Santee River Basin Study U S Geological Survey Retrieved 29 Jan 2022 External links editSouth Carolina Dept of Health and Environmental Control Santee Basin Santee Nation History Santee Cooper Lake System Old Santee Canal Park Carolina Living History of the Carolina Lakes Santee Canal U S Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System Santee River South Atlantic Water Science Center Santee River Basin Study Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Santee River amp oldid 1178825450, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
