Great Falls (Catawba River)
Encyclopedia
The Great Falls of the Catawba River
mark the point at which the river encounters a series of rapid
s while coursing across the Piedmont Plateau on the border of Lancaster County, South Carolina, and Chester County, South Carolina
, near the town of Great Falls
. Prior to the creation of the Fishing Creek Reservoir and other artificial lakes by Duke Power, the falls were a major landmark on the river. The rapids could be heard from long distances away, while a major pre-Columbian trading path ran near the left bank. Historically the Great Falls of the Catawba were approximately 4 miles long, with a total elevation drop of 121 feet. (The word "falls" was an 18th century appellation, when any river rapids and vertical waterfalls alike were both referred to as falls.) The creation of the dams at Great Falls, South Carolina
has resulted in the top 2 miles of it being completely dry (dewatered) except during times of very high flow. The bottom portion of historical Great Falls is drowned by Cedar Creek dam, another hydroelectric project. As of 2006, interest groups have formed in the Carolinas to restore the Great Falls by altering the dam and restoring flow to the dewatered stretch of Great Falls as part of a major restoration project of the Catawba River
. As of 2007, a new licensing arrangement has been agreed to by Duke Energy and several interested parties.
Below the Great Falls, the river flows into Lake Wateree
where it becomes the Wateree River
.
Catawba River
The Catawba River is a tributary of the Wateree River in the U.S. states of North Carolina and South Carolina. The river is approximately 220 miles long...
mark the point at which the river encounters a series of rapid
Rapid
A rapid is a section of a river where the river bed has a relatively steep gradient causing an increase in water velocity and turbulence. A rapid is a hydrological feature between a run and a cascade. A rapid is characterised by the river becoming shallower and having some rocks exposed above the...
s while coursing across the Piedmont Plateau on the border of Lancaster County, South Carolina, and Chester County, South Carolina
Chester County, South Carolina
Chester County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. In 2000, its population was 34,068; in 2005 the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that its population had dropped to 33,228. Its county seat is Chester.-Geography and climate:...
, near the town of Great Falls
Great Falls, South Carolina
Great Falls is a town in Chester County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 2,194 at the 2000 census.-Geography and climate:Great Falls is located at ....
. Prior to the creation of the Fishing Creek Reservoir and other artificial lakes by Duke Power, the falls were a major landmark on the river. The rapids could be heard from long distances away, while a major pre-Columbian trading path ran near the left bank. Historically the Great Falls of the Catawba were approximately 4 miles long, with a total elevation drop of 121 feet. (The word "falls" was an 18th century appellation, when any river rapids and vertical waterfalls alike were both referred to as falls.) The creation of the dams at Great Falls, South Carolina
Great Falls, South Carolina
Great Falls is a town in Chester County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 2,194 at the 2000 census.-Geography and climate:Great Falls is located at ....
has resulted in the top 2 miles of it being completely dry (dewatered) except during times of very high flow. The bottom portion of historical Great Falls is drowned by Cedar Creek dam, another hydroelectric project. As of 2006, interest groups have formed in the Carolinas to restore the Great Falls by altering the dam and restoring flow to the dewatered stretch of Great Falls as part of a major restoration project of the Catawba River
Catawba River
The Catawba River is a tributary of the Wateree River in the U.S. states of North Carolina and South Carolina. The river is approximately 220 miles long...
. As of 2007, a new licensing arrangement has been agreed to by Duke Energy and several interested parties.
Below the Great Falls, the river flows into Lake Wateree
Lake Wateree
Lake Wateree is a reservoir in Kershaw, Fairfield, and Lancaster counties, South Carolina, in the United States. It is one of South Carolina's oldest man-made lakes. It has of shoreline and includes Lake Wateree State Recreation Area, a bird refuge, and Shaw Air Force Base Recreation center...
where it becomes the Wateree River
Wateree River
The Wateree River, about 75 mi long, is a tributary of the Santee River in central South Carolina in the United States, which flows to the Atlantic Ocean...
.