The Reedy River is a

tributary A tributary, or affluent, is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream or main stem (or parent) river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries and the main stem river drain the surrounding drainage ...

of the

Saluda River The Saluda River is a principal tributary of the Congaree River, about 200 mi (320 km) long, in northern and western South Carolina in the United States. Via the Congaree River, it is part of the watershed of the Santee River, which f ...

, about long, in northwestern

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 = ...

in the United States. Via the Saluda and Congaree rivers, it is part of the watershed of the

Santee River } The Santee River is a river in South Carolina in the United States, and is 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 ...

, which flows to the Atlantic Ocean.

The Reedy River Falls: Big Brother

Big Brother, or "The Falls", is a large waterfall that flows through Falls Park in

Greenville, South Carolina Greenville (; locally ) is a city in and the seat of Greenville County, South Carolina, United States. With a population of 70,720 at the 2020 census, it is the sixth-largest city in the state. Greenville is located approximately halfway be ...

. It is overseen by the Liberty Bridge. Sliding down the falls is illegal according to Greenville law, but it is still practiced by many kayakers and other adventure seekers.

Course

The Reedy River rises in

Greenville County Greenville County is located in the state of South Carolina, in the United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 525,534, making it the most populous county in the state. Its county seat is Greenville. The county is also home to the ...

in the

foothills Foothills or piedmont are geographically defined as gradual increases in elevation at the base of a mountain range, higher hill range or an upland area. They are a transition zone between plains and low relief hills and the adjacent topograp ...

of the

Blue Ridge Mountains The Blue Ridge Mountains are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains range. The mountain range is located in the Eastern United States, and extends 550 miles southwest from southern Pennsylvania through Maryland, West Virgin ...

, about northwest of the city of Greenville, and flows generally south-southeastwardly through Greenville,

Lake Conestee Nature Park Conestee Nature Preserve, formerly Lake Conestee Nature Preserve/Park, opened in 2006, is a preserve along three miles of the Reedy River in Conestee, South Carolina, with of trails, more than of them paved and of boardwalk. The Preserve conta ...

, and the

Piedmont it, Piemontese , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = , demographics1_title2 ...

region into Laurens County. It joins the Saluda River in Laurens County, northeast of Greenwood, as part of Lake Greenwood, which is formed by a

dam A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use ...

on the Saluda.

Pollution

The pollution in the river was identified to be unfit for humans because of E. coli. Children were commonly seen sliding down rocks in a section of the river in Falls Park and the practice is now discouraged by signage and mild policing. Though it's not necessarily unsafe to wade in the waters, it's under studied. There are ongoing efforts to improve water quality along the whole of the Reedy River by the city, volunteers, and private companies. Educating on clean water practices (e.g. Cleaning up after pets in the park) and Enacting programs such as 319 grant that offer grants to people with septic malfunctions instead of letting the issue go without maintenance, polluting ground water.

Crossings

The following is a list of crossings of the Reedy River from Greenville downstream starting in downtown Greenville at US 123. This list may at times be incomplete. * City of Greenville ** US 123/S Academy Street **River Street bridge **Pedestrian bridge at the

Peace Center The Peace Center is a performing arts center located in Greenville, South Carolina. It is composed of a concert hall, theater, and amphitheatre. Located adjacent to Falls Park, the center hosts over 300 events each year, including classical mus ...

, converted from a former railroad bridge **Main Street bridge at Camperdown ** Liberty Bridge **

US 29 U.S. Route 29 (US 29) is a north–south United States highway that runs for from Pensacola, Florida to the western suburbs of Baltimore, Maryland in the Southern United States, connecting the Florida Panhandle to the Baltimore-Washington ...

/S Church Street **McDaniel Avenue **Woodland Way in Cleveland Park **E Faris Road **Cleveland Street **S Pleasantburg Drive, SC 291 **

Interstate 85 Interstate 85 (I-85) is a major Interstate Highway in the Southeastern United States. Its southern terminus is at an interchange with I-65 in Montgomery, Alabama; its northern terminus is an interchange with I-95 in Petersburg, Virginia, n ...

**Mauldin Road ** Conestee Road **Ashmore Bridge Road ** Interstate 185 **Log Shoals Road **W Georgia Road **New Harrison Bridge Road **Jenkins Bridge Road and SC 418 **McKelvey Road in Fork Shoals **McKittrick Bridge Road **Hillside Church Road **Dunklin Bridge Road * Laurens County **

US 76 U.S. Route 76 (US 76) is an east–west U.S. highway that travels for approximately from Chattanooga, Tennessee, to Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. Route description , - , TN , 8.9 , 14.3 , - , GA , 150.7 , 242.5 , - , SC , 297.9 , 479.4 ...

in Hickory Tavern **SC 252 **Ekom Beach Road **Indian Mound Road **Riverfork Road over Lake Greenwood

Sources

Columbia Gazetteer of North America entry
*

DeLorme DeLorme is the producer of personal satellite tracking, messaging, and navigation technology. The company’s main product, ''inReach'', integrates GPS and satellite technologies. ''inReach'' provides the ability to send and receive text messages ...

(1998). ''South Carolina Atlas & Gazetteer''. Yarmouth, Maine: DeLorme. . *
American Whitewater

References