Saluda River

river, South Carolina, United States
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Share
Share to social media
URL
https://www.britannica.com/place/Saluda-River
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

Saluda River, river rising in the Blue Ridge Mountains, west-central South Carolina, U.S., in North and South forks, which join 10 miles (15 km) northwest of Greenville. The main stream flows southeastward past Pelzer and, after a course of approximately 145 miles (235 km), joins the Broad River at Columbia to form the Congaree River. Saluda Dam (1930) impounds Lake Murray above Columbia, and Buzzard Roost Dam (1940) impounds Lake Greenwood. Both are used for hydroelectric power. The river is named for the Algonquian-speaking Indian tribe that occupied the lower reaches of the river in the 1670s. The name itself is an Indian word, probably meaning “river of corn.”

This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.