Columbia Canal
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Columbia Canal
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Columbia Canal Power Plant and Canal Races
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| Location | E bank of the Broad and Congaree Rivers from the Diversion dam to the Southern RR Bridge Richland County, South Carolina |
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| Nearest city | Columbia, South Carolina |
| Coordinates | 34°01′15″N 81°03′43″W / 34.02083°N 81.06194°WCoordinates: 34°01′15″N 81°03′43″W / 34.02083°N 81.06194°W |
| Built | 1824 & 1893 |
| NRHP reference # | 79002392 |
| Added to NRHP | 15 January 1979 |
The Columbia Canal is the surviving canal of a series of canals built by the State of South Carolina in 1824 using the labor of indentured Irishmen to provide direct water routes between the upstate settlements and the towns on the fall line. It is on the Congaree and Broad Rivers in Columbia, South Carolina. It is the focal point of the Riverfront Park in Columbia. The canal is now used to generate hydroelectric power by the South Carolina Electric & Gas Co.
The Columbia Canal is on the National Register of Historic Places, No. 79002392. The South Carolina Department of Archives and History has additional pictures and information, and copies of the nomination forms.
There are additional pictures, and information available from the Historic American Engineering Record at the Library of Congress.
In 1820, construction started on a canal to navigate the rapids where the Broad River and the Saluda River form the Congaree River. It used a natural ravine that was between the City of Columbia and the Congaree and Broad Rivers. The canal started between Lumber (currently Calhoun) and Richland Streets. It ran along the Congaree for about 3.1 mi (5 km). It ended across from Granby Landing just north of the current railroad bridges across the Congaree. The canal was completed in 1824. It was 12 ft (3.7 m) wide and 2.5 ft (0.8 m) deep north of Senate St. South of Senate St., the canal was 18 ft (5.5 m) wide and 4 ft (1.2 m) deep. It had an 8 ft (2.4 m) wide towpath on either side. The canal had four lifting locks and one guard lock for the 34 ft (10 m) descent of the river. A diversion dam was built across the Broad River to allow access from the Saluda Canal. There were three waste weirs to prevent flooding of the canal.
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