Our Water Features South Carolina’s beautiful landforms include rivers, lakes and the ocean. Each river system is made up of many small rivers. South Carolina has four major river systems. Along the rivers are many lakes. All of South Carolina’s major lakes are man-made. This means that they were made by people. People make lakes by damming the large rivers.

The Savannah River The Savannah River forms the border, or edge, between South Carolina and Georgia. This river starts in the Blue Ridge Mountains and empties into the Atlantic Ocean. The Strom Thurmond Lake was created by damming the Savannah River. Label the Savannah River and the lake on the map below.

The Edisto River This river system is

completely inside South Carolina. It is the only major river system that does not flow into another state. Label the Edisto River that is drawn on the map below.

The Saluda and Santee Rivers

The Saluda / Santee River is South Carolina’s longest river. The water flows down from the Blue Ridge Mountains forming the Saluda River. In the middle of the state, The Saluda River meets smaller rivers and forms the Santee River. The Santee River then empties into the Atlantic Ocean. The Santee River was dammed to create two major lakes, Lake Marion and Lake Moultrie. Lake Marion is the largest lake in South Carolina. Label the Santee/ Saluda Rivers

and the two lakes on the map drawn below.

The Pee Dee River

The Pee Dee River is located in the northeastern part of our state. It flows through South Carolina from North Carolina, then all the way to the Atlantic Ocean. Label the Pee Dee River that is drawn on the map below.