|
The Cooper River Basin encompasses 8
watersheds and 843 square miles. The Cooper River Basin incorporates the Lower
Coastal Plain and Coastal Zone regions. Of the half a million acres in the
Cooper River Basin, 52.7% is forested land, 15.8% is water, 14.5% is forested
wetland, 8.3% is urban land, 4.1% is scrub/shrub land, 2.6% is agricultural
land, 1.6% is nonforested wetland, and 0.4% is barren land. The urban land is
comprised chiefly of the greater City of Charleston area. There are a total of
471.2 stream miles in the Cooper River Basin, together with 60,188.5 acres of
lake waters, and 13,059.3 acres of estuarine areas. The diverted Santee River
flows through Lake Moultrie's Pinopolis Dam and joins Wadboo Creek to form the
Cooper River. The Cooper River merges with Mepkin Creek to form the West Branch
Cooper River, which then converges with the East Branch Cooper River to reform
the Cooper River. The Cooper River then accepts drainage from the Back River,
Goose Creek, and the Wando River before flowing into the Charleston Harbor and
the Atlantic Ocean. (Source:
1989-90 SPOT Imagery)
The Ashley River Basin incorporates 7
watersheds and 894 square miles. The Ashley River Basin consists of the Lower
Coastal Plain and Coastal Zone regions of the State, and of the half a million
acres in the basin, 47.6% is forested land, 15.1% is nonforested wetland, 9.8%
is urban land, 9.0% is water, 7.8% is forested wetland, 7.3% is scrub/shrub
land, 3.1% is agricultural land, and 0.3% is barren land. The urban land is
comprised chiefly of the greater City of Charleston area. There are a total of
239.6 stream miles in the Ashley River Basin, together with 4,232.0 acres of
lake waters, and 32,701.9 acres of estuarine areas. The Cypress Swamp drains
into the Great Cypress Swamp, which joins with Hurricane Branch to form the
Ashley River. The Ashley River accepts drainage from several streams including
Dorchester Creek, and communicates with the Stono River by way of Elliot Cut
before draining into the Charleston Harbor and the Atlantic Ocean. The
Charleston Harbor also accepts drainage from a portion of the Atlantic
Intracoastal Waterway (AIWW). |
