Mean High Water


A project documenting the impacts of sea level rise & flooding across the South Carolina Lowcountry.
more


INSTAGRAM
NEWSLETTER
CONTACT






TABLE OF CONTENTS

01. Ghost Creeks of Charleston
02. A Primer on Flooding in Charleston
03. Elevations on MLLW Datum
04. Photographic Archive of Flooding
05.  Flooding Resources





USEFUL LINKS

National Water Level Prediction Service
NOAA Observed Water Levels
NWS Coastal Flood Event Database
Charleston TideEYE Dashboard






RECORDS & STATISTICS





Tidal Flood Records & Statistics
Charleston Harbor, Cooper River Entrance
1

Coastal Floods (>7-ft MLLW)2
  1. 89 (2019)
  2. 75 (2023)
  3. 70 (2022)
  4. 68 (2020)
  5. 58 (2015)

Major Coastal Floods (>8-ft MLLW)2
  1. 7 (2020)
  2. 6 (2023, 2015)
  3. 4 (2021, 2019)
  4. 3 (2022, 2018)
  5. 2 (2009, 1947)

Peak Tide Crests (ft, MLLW)3
  1. 12.52-ft 09/22/1989 (Hugo)
  2. 10.23-ft 08/11/1940
  3. 09.92-ft 09/11/2017 (Irma)
  4. 09.86-ft 12/17/2023 (Nor’easter)
  5. 09.29-ft 10/08/2016 (Matthew)

Statistics current as of 08/31/2023

Sea Level Rise Trend (1901-2022)1

Sea level trend of 1.13-ft per 100 years (1901-2022)


References
1 Tidal Benchmark Station - Charleston, Cooper River Entrance, SC - Station ID: 8665530

2 NWS Coastal Flood Event Database

3 Advanced Hydrologic Predictions Service, Charleston, SC


Last Updated 24.10.31
© 2025 All Rights Reserved