288
NOUS42 KCAE 231643 CCA
PNSCAE
CAEPNSCAE
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA, SC
940 AM EDT TUE APR 21 2026
TO: SUBSCRIBERS – FAMILY OF SERVICES AND NOAA WEATHER WIRE SERVICE
AND OTHER NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PARTNERS, USERS AND EMPLOYEES
FROM: BRAD CARLBERG - HYDROLOGY PROGRAM MANAGER
SUBJECT: UPGRADING RIVER FORECAST SERVICES FROM FLOOD-ONLY TO DAILY
ISSUANCE FOR SELECTED LOCATIONS IN EAST CENTRAL GEORGIA AND CENTRAL
SOUTH CAROLINA
EFFECTIVE JUNE 1, 2026, THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE (NWS) COLUMBIA
OFFICE IN COORDINATION WITH THE SOUTHEAST RIVER FORECAST CENTER
(SERFC) WILL UPGRADE HYDROLOGIC SERVICES FOR 3 RIVER GAUGE
LOCATIONS. SERVICES WILL TRANSITION FROM “FLOOD-ONLY” FORECASTS TO
DAILY ROUTINE FORECASTS.
PREVIOUSLY, THESE LOCATIONS WERE DESIGNATED AS FLOOD-ONLY FORECAST
POINTS, MEANING THE FIVE-DAY FORECAST WAS ONLY PROVIDED BY SERFC
HYDROLOGISTS WHEN RIVER LEVELS WERE EXPECTED TO RISE NEAR OR ABOVE
MINOR FLOOD STAGE. FOLLOWING INQUIRIES FROM PARTNERS AND USERS, THE
SERFC WILL NOW PROVIDE DAILY, YEAR-ROUND FORECAST INFORMATION FOR
THESE SITES.
THIS TRANSITION PROVIDES SEVERAL BENEFITS: ENHANCED SITUATIONAL
AWARENESS: PROVIDES VALUABLE DATA DURING DROUGHT AND/OR LOW FLOW
CONDITIONS, NOT JUST FLOOD EVENTS.
RECREATIONAL SAFETY: SUPPORTS ENHANCED SERVICES FOR RECREATIONAL
INTERESTS AND PUBLIC SAFETY ALONG RIVER REACHES.
CONSISTENCY: DAILY MODELING OF POINTS SITUATED BETWEEN OR ABOVE
EXISTING DAILY FORECAST LOCATIONS ENSURES A MORE SEAMLESS HYDROLOGIC
PROFILE ACROSS THE AREA.
THE ENHANCED FORECASTS WILL BE INTEGRATED INTO THE EXISTING SERFC
WORKFLOW AND DISTRIBUTED THROUGH THE LOCAL NWS OFFICE TO THE ONLINE
NATIONAL WATER PREDICTION SERVICE (WATER.NOAA.GOV). NOTE: NOT ALL
SERFC FORECAST POINTS WILL TRANSITION TO A DAILY FORECAST FREQUENCY.
IN SOME CASES, A RIVER GAUGE LOCATION WILL REMAIN "FLOOD-ONLY" DUE
TO HYDROPOWER RELEASES, LOW-FLOW MODELING COMPLEXITIES, OR INSTANCES
WHERE FORECASTS ARE GENERATED LOCALLY BY THE NWS COLUMBIA OFFICE
RATHER THAN THE SERFC.
THE FOLLOWING GAUGES WILL TRANSITION TO DAILY ISSUANCE. SITES ARE
LISTED BY FORECAST GROUPING, NAME, NWS ID, AND USGS ID.
SAVANNAH RIVER GROUP
-STEVENS CREEK NEAR MODOC | MODS1 | 02196000
SANTEE RIVER GROUP
-ENOREE RIVER AT WHITMIRE | WHMS1 | 02160700
-SALUDA RIVER AT CHAPPELLS | CHAS1 | 02167000
FOR QUESTIONS REGARDING THESE CHANGES, PLEASE CONTACT:
BRAD CARLBERG
HYDROLOGY PROGRAM MANAGER
EMAIL: BRAD.CARLBERG@NOAA.GOV
OFFICE PHONE: 803-822-8135
CLICK HERE TO GO TO PREVIOUS BULLETINS.
Main Text Page