The Little Pee Dee River is a
tributary of the
Pee Dee River
The Pee Dee River, also known as the Great Pee Dee River, is a river in the Carolinas of the United States. It originates in the Appalachian Mountains in North Carolina, where its upper course, above the mouth of the Uwharrie River
The Uwharri ...
(which originates in the
Appalachian Mountains
The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, (french: Appalaches), are a system of mountains in eastern to northeastern North America. The Appalachians first formed roughly 480 million years ago during the Ordovician Period. They ...
where it is known as the
Yadkin River). The Little Pee Dee technically arises near
Laurinburg, North Carolina as Gum Swamp, which flows southward, receiving several small tributaries, across the
South Carolina
)''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no)
, anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind"
, Former = Province of South Carolina
, seat = Columbia
, LargestCity = Charleston
, LargestMetro = ...
border into Red Bluff Lake, near
McColl, South Carolina
McColl is a town in Marlboro County, South Carolina, United States. It lies in the state's Pee Dee region, from the North Carolina border. The population was 2,174 at the 2010 census.
McColl is the home of the Pee Dee Indian Tribe. They are a ...
. The lake is at an elevation of above sea level, and from the outlet of the lake, the flow is called the Little Pee Dee River. The Little Pee Dee River is named after the Pee Dee Indian Tribe. In fact, today the tribe still occupies some of their ancestral lands, although the tribe only consists of just over 200 enrolled members.
The Little Pee Dee is a sluggish
meander
A meander is one of a series of regular sinuous curves in the channel of a river or other watercourse. It is produced as a watercourse erodes the sediments of an outer, concave bank ( cut bank) and deposits sediments on an inner, convex bank ...
ing
blackwater river that ranges between wide and deep in its upper reaches. It is navigable only by
canoe
A canoe is a lightweight narrow water vessel, typically pointed at both ends and open on top, propelled by one or more seated or kneeling paddlers facing the direction of travel and using a single-bladed paddle.
In British English, the term ...
or other small craft. Some parts of the Little Pee Dee River are nearly blocked by low-hanging tree branches. It is bordered by a
swamp
A swamp is a forested wetland.Keddy, P.A. 2010. Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation (2nd edition). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 497 p. Swamps are considered to be transition zones because both land and water play a role in ...
area that features
bald cypress,
sweetgum
''Liquidambar'', commonly called sweetgum
(star gum in the UK),
gum, redgum, satin-walnut, or American storax, is the only genus in the flowering plant family Altingiaceae and has 15 species. They were formerly often treated in Hamamelidaceae ...
,
oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably ''L ...
,
tupelo and other hardwoods. It flows southeastward, roughly paralleling the state border until it receives the somewhat larger
Lumber River (a
National Wild and Scenic River) near
Nichols, South Carolina
Nichols is a town in Marion County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 368 at the 2010 census.
Geography
Nichols is located at (34.232779, -79.148513).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , ...
, from which the much larger river flows more nearly southward until it joins with the Pee Dee near
Yauhannah, South Carolina.
Part of the lower section has been designated a
Scenic River by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. It features deep channels, slow moving water, and white sandy bars and beaches.
Cooters, sunning on logs, are a common sight. Other wildlife is abundant, including
alligator
An alligator is a large reptile in the Crocodilia order in the genus ''Alligator'' of the family Alligatoridae. The two extant species are the American alligator (''A. mississippiensis'') and the Chinese alligator (''A. sinensis''). Additiona ...
s,
beavers,
deer
Deer or true deer are hoofed ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. The two main groups of deer are the Cervinae, including the muntjac, the elk (wapiti), the red deer, and the fallow deer; and the Capreolinae, including the reindeer ...
, and
wood duck
The wood duck or Carolina duck (''Aix sponsa'') is a species of perching duck found in North America. The drake wood duck is one of the most colorful North American waterfowl.
Description
The wood duck is a medium-sized perching duck. A typi ...
s. Less common species like
bald eagle
The bald eagle (''Haliaeetus leucocephalus'') is a bird of prey found in North America. A sea eagle, it has two known subspecies and forms a species pair with the white-tailed eagle (''Haliaeetus albicilla''), which occupies the same niche as ...
s,
pileated woodpeckers, and
prothonotary warbler
The prothonotary warbler (''Protonotaria citrea'') is a small songbird of the New World warbler family. It is named for its plumage which resembles the yellow robes once worn by papal clerks (named prothonotaries) in the Roman Catholic church.
...
s, can be spotted with a little luck. The river also offers excellent fishing. A Boating Guide to the Little Pee Dee is available from the
South Carolina Department of Natural Resources
The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is a South Carolina state agency charged with regulating hunting, fishing, boating, duck stamp orders, and the conservation efforts of the state government.
It is directed by seven-member ...
. It covers the history of the river, its flora and fauna as well as a listing of access points and boating information
Paddle SChas list of 10 suggested trips on the Little Pee Dee listing difficulty and current runnability.
The Little Pee Dee runs its entire length through coastal lands of low relief that are pockmarked with
Carolina bays. Down river from
Dillon, South Carolina
Dillon is a city in Dillon County in eastern South Carolina, United States.
It is the county seat and largest city of Dillon County. It was established on December 22, 1888. Both the name of the city and county comes from James W. Dillon, an earl ...
is
Little Pee Dee State Park
Little Pee Dee State Park is a state park located near the town of Dillon in Dillon County, South Carolina. The park land includes a part of a Carolina Bay and adjacent sand rim. Recent work by the U.S. Geological Survey has interpreted the Carol ...
. Adjacent to this is the Little Pee Dee Heritage Preserve which is a Carolina bay that has been preserved as natural as possible.
References
External links
Little Pee Dee State Park and Little Pee Dee Bay Heritage PreserveBoating Guide to the Little Pee DeeTen Trips on the Little Pee Dee
{{authority control
Rivers of South Carolina
Rivers of North Carolina
Tributaries of the Pee Dee River
Rivers of Scotland County, North Carolina
Rivers of Marlboro County, South Carolina
Rivers of Marion County, South Carolina