Keowee River
Encyclopedia
The Keowee River is created by the confluence of the Toxaway River
and the Whitewater River
in northern Oconee County, South Carolina. The confluence is today submerged beneath the waters of Lake Jocassee
, a reservoir created by Lake Jocassee Dam.
The Keowee River flows out of Lake Jocassee Dam and into Lake Keowee
, a reservoir created by Keowee Dam and Little River Dam. The Keowee River flows out of Keowee Dam to join Twelvemile Creek near Clemson, South Carolina
, forming the beginning of the Seneca River, a tributary of the Savannah River
. The Keowee River is 25.7 miles (41.4 km) long.
The boundary between the Seneca River and the Keowee River has changed over time. In Revolutionary War
period, the upper part of the Seneca River was often called the Keowee River.
In current times, the section of the Keowee River between the Keowee Dam and its confluence with Twelvemile Creek is called the Seneca River on many maps, including the official county highway map. Since this area is flooded by Lake Hartwell
formed by damming the Seneca and Tugaloo
rivers, it is natural to refer this section as the Seneca instead of its proper name.
The Keowee River was in the heart of the Cherokee
Lower Towns. The principal town of the Lower Towns was called, like the river, Keowee. Other Cherokee towns on the Keowee River included Etastoe and Sugartown (Kulsetsiyi).
Toxaway River
The Toxaway River is a waterway that flows south from headwaters in Transylvania County, North Carolina, into Lake Toxaway and over Toxaway Falls, after which it crosses into South Carolina and enters Lake Jocassee, the reservoir behind Lake Jocassee Dam....
and the Whitewater River
Whitewater River (Keowee River)
The Whitewater River is a river that flows south from headwaters in Transylvania County, North Carolina, over Upper Whitewater Falls and Lower Whitewater Falls before crossing into South Carolina and entering Lake Jocassee, the reservoir behind Lake Jocassee Dam.In Lake Jocassee the Whitewater...
in northern Oconee County, South Carolina. The confluence is today submerged beneath the waters of Lake Jocassee
Lake Jocassee
Lake Jocassee is a , deep reservoir located in northwest South Carolina created by the state in partnership with Duke Power in 1973. The lake is commonly known for the clean and cold Appalachian mountain rivers that feed the lake to keep its waters cool and clear water visibilities year-round. ...
, a reservoir created by Lake Jocassee Dam.
The Keowee River flows out of Lake Jocassee Dam and into Lake Keowee
Lake Keowee
Lake Keowee is a man–made reservoir in the United States in the state of South Carolina shaped somewhat like a Christmas tree. It is notable for having been created to serve the needs of a power utility called the Duke Energy company as well as public recreational purposes...
, a reservoir created by Keowee Dam and Little River Dam. The Keowee River flows out of Keowee Dam to join Twelvemile Creek near Clemson, South Carolina
Clemson, South Carolina
Clemson is a college town located in Pickens County in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 11,939 at the 2000 census and center of an urban cluster with a total population of 42,199...
, forming the beginning of the Seneca River, a tributary of the Savannah River
Savannah River
The Savannah River is a major river in the southeastern United States, forming most of the border between the states of South Carolina and Georgia. Two tributaries of the Savannah, the Tugaloo River and the Chattooga River, form the northernmost part of the border...
. The Keowee River is 25.7 miles (41.4 km) long.
The boundary between the Seneca River and the Keowee River has changed over time. In Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
period, the upper part of the Seneca River was often called the Keowee River.
In current times, the section of the Keowee River between the Keowee Dam and its confluence with Twelvemile Creek is called the Seneca River on many maps, including the official county highway map. Since this area is flooded by Lake Hartwell
Lake Hartwell
Lake Hartwell is a reservoir bordering Georgia and South Carolina on the Savannah, Tugaloo, and Seneca Rivers. The lake is created by Hartwell Dam located on the Savannah River seven miles below the point at which the Tugaloo and Seneca Rivers join to form the Savannah...
formed by damming the Seneca and Tugaloo
Tugaloo River
The Tugaloo River is a river bordering the U.S. states of Georgia and South Carolina. It is fed by the Tallulah River and the Chattooga River, which each form an arm of Lake Tugalo, on the edge of Georgia's Tallulah Gorge State Park. The Tugaloo then flows out of the lake via Tugaloo Dam,...
rivers, it is natural to refer this section as the Seneca instead of its proper name.
The Keowee River was in the heart of the Cherokee
Cherokee
The Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...
Lower Towns. The principal town of the Lower Towns was called, like the river, Keowee. Other Cherokee towns on the Keowee River included Etastoe and Sugartown (Kulsetsiyi).