6 Most Snake-Filled Bodies Of Water In South Carolina

Watersnakes. Garter snakes. Cottonmouths. Eastern diamondback rattlesnakes. All of them are found in South Carolina. All of them are capable swimmers found close to or in the water. The Savannah River rises in the Appalachian Mountains and flows towards the Atlantic Ocean. The ACE Basin covers 1.6 million acres of wetlands and tidal marshes on the Atlantic Coast, where Eastern diamondback rattlesnakes swim in saltwater between barrier islands. Snakes are thriving in South Carolina’s waters, and the six bodies of water that follow are where the highest concentration of them lives.

Congaree River

The Congaree River is formed by the confluence of the Broad and Saluda Rivers in downtown Columbia. It flows southeast for 50 miles into Congaree National Park, where it merges with the Wateree River. The park contains the largest intact expanse of old-growth bottomland hardwood forest in the southeastern United States. The Congaree River flows through the floodplain, carrying nutrients which benefit the ecosystem. The park is home to the black rat snake (Elaphe obsoleta), rough green snake (Opheodrys aestivus), red-bellied watersnake (Nerodia erythrogaster), black racer (Coluber constrictor), Northern brown snake (Storeria dekayi dekayi), and the Eastern cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus piscivorus).

All of these snakes are found within wetland habitats, and two of them are strongly associated with aquatic habitats. Eastern cottonmouths are commonly found in freshwater habitats, including cypress swamps, river floodplains, vegetated wetlands, and slow-moving bodies of water. Red-bellied watersnakes frequently inhabit rivers, lakes, creeks, wetlands, and swamps where there is an abundance of amphibians for them to prey on.

Savannah River

The Savannah River is formed by the confluence of the Tugaloo and Seneca Rivers at Hartwell Dam in Georgia. From there, it forms the boundary between Georgia and South Carolina as it flows southeast for 314 miles from the Appalachian Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean. The timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus) and the green watersnake (Nerodia floridana) are found along the Savannah River.

The timber rattlesnakes inhabit hardwood forests, pine ridges, rocky outcrops, bluffs, and swamps in the upstream portions of the Savannah River near its source in the Appalachian Mountains. Green watersnakes, on the other hand, are limited to two isolated populations in western and southern South Carolina. One of these populations thrives in the backwaters of the central Savannah River and the swamps on the lower coastal plain.

Great Pee Dee River

The Pee Dee River rises as the Yadkin River in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. After flowing for a course of 200 miles, it becomes the Pee Dee River. It continues flowing southeast for another 230 miles into South Carolina, where it is referred to as the Great Pee Dee River. It winds through the Piedmonts, Sandhills, and Coastal Plain of South Carolina, which provide suitable habitat for wildlife, including snakes.

The banded watersnake (Nerodia fasciata fasciata) and the eastern cottonmouth are found within the Pee Dee River. The banded watersnake is active during the day and night in aquatic habitats. During the day, they will bask on logs and branches overhanging the water, and during the night, they will hunt in shallow waters, searching for fish and amphibians.

Lake Murray

Lake Murray is a 48,000-acre reservoir in the lower piedmont region with 620 miles of shoreline. It is one of the largest freshwater lakes in South Carolina. The surrounding forests and grasslands encompassing the lake create optimal nesting sites for both aquatic and non-aquatic snakes. The majority of snakes found around Lake Murray are nonvenomous species that belong to the Colubridae family.

These include the Eastern kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula), scarlet kingsnake (Lampropeltis elapsoides), Southern black racer, scarlet snake (Cemophora coccinea), eastern coachwhip (Masticophis flagellum), rough green snake, eastern corn snake (Pantherophis guttata), eastern ribbon snake (Thamnophis sauritus), and eastern garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis). Eastern garter snakes are common around Lake Murray. They can be found in a variety of habitats, although they are usually found near wetland edges such as ponds, lakes, ditches, and streams.

There are also four species of venomous snake found around Lake Murray, including the pygmy rattlesnake (Sistrurus miliarius), timber rattlesnake, Northern copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix), and Eastern cottonmouth.

Lake Hartwell

Lake Hartwell is a manmade reservoir on the Savannah River. It was created by the Hartwell Dam. It's 56,000 acres and 962 miles of shoreline stretch over South Carolina and Georgia. The most commonly encountered nonvenomous snakes found around Lake Hartwell are the watersnake, rat snake, Dekays brown snake (Storeria dekayi), and ringneck snake (Diadophis punctatus). These snakes work to control local rodent populations by preying on rats, mice, squirrels, and moles.

Venomous snakes are also common around Lake Hartwell. The most common being the Northern copperhead. The pygmy rattlesnake and timber rattlesnake are less likely to be observed around the lake, although they are still present.

ACE Basin

The ACE Basin watershed comprises 1.6 million acres. It is one of the largest areas of an undeveloped wetland ecosystem left on the Atlantic Coast. It is comprised of connected ecosystems including forested uplands, wetlands, tidal marshes, managed wetlands, barrier islands, and peatlands. There are 36 species of snakes that are found within the ACE Basin.

The Eastern diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus) is common around the barrier islands of the ACE Basin. Although they do not typically favor wet areas, Eastern diamondbacks are strong swimmers and are known to enter saltwater to move between barrier islands and along edges of swamps. Common species of snakes in the freshwater areas of the ACE Basin include the cottonmouth, red-bellied watersnake, banded watersnake, and brown watersnake (Nerodia taxispilota).

Snake-Filled Waters in South Carolina

South Carolina’s bodies of water are home to healthy populations of snakes. From upland rivers in the Appalachian Mountains to the seemingly unlikely habitat of saltwater coastal regions, snakes of South Carolina know no bounds. While the majority of snakes people encounter are nonvenomous, that does not mean there are not thriving populations of venomous snakes. Whether you are hiking atop bluffs overlooking the Savannah River in the Appalachian Mountains or paddling on the Atlantic Coast, always check where you place your next step. There could be a snake nearby.