Columbia's Topography

[Hybrid0NE]

I got inspired after seeing a topo-map in a Greenville thread (and general boredoom) but I now know more detail about the land under all of those pine trees here in Columbia. You can check it out at Richland County GIS but I've noted some popular areas (in feet).

Downtown (CBD) - 310

Vista (following Gervais, from the River-Assembly) - 160-290

Finlay Park - 250-330

USC (Horseshoe) - 300 (Campus ranges 180-320)

Five Points - 220

Benedict College/Allen University - 290

Bull Street Campus - 290

State Street - 200

Earlewood - 310

Shandon - 270

Eau Claire - 300

Richland Mall - 270

Columbia College - 320

Dutch Square - 300

State Fairgrounds/Williams Brice - 190

Fort Jackson (main base area) - 250

Midlands Tech - 160

Columbia Mall - 260

Columbiana Centre Mall - 280

Spring Valley - 290

Columbia International University - 380

Radio Tower on Fort Jackson - 500

Village at Sandhill - 460

Blythewood - 500

Lower Richland High - 250

Hopkins - 160

Cedar Creek (famous cold spot in North Richland) - 560

NW Richland (near Newberry County line) - 510

Congaree National Park - 80 (lowest point)

I also found that two of my favorite highpoints (one off I-20 [with powerlines running up it's slope] and the other [on Two Notch Road near the PO, good view of the distant dwtn skyline] are both at 350 above sea level.

[sonofaque86]

Interesting..Thanks!

[waccamatt]

Cool facts. I live in Earlewood and I thought it was higher than downtown. That's some good info!

[Hybrid0NE]

Cool facts. I live in Earlewood and I thought it was higher than downtown. That's some good info!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You could be higher than downtown, I just got the average height for the entire area. If you're on one of those hills you probably have more elevation.

[Hybrid0NE]

I missed out on the Columbia-vs-Greenville Piedmont thread, so here's an oldie...

[CorgiMatt]

I got inspired after seeing a topo-map in a Greenville thread (and general boredoom) but I now know more detail about the land under all of those pine trees here in Columbia. You can check it out at Richland County GIS but I've noted some popular areas (in feet).

Downtown (CBD) - 310

Vista (following Gervais, from the River-Assembly) - 160-290

Finlay Park - 250-330

USC (Horseshoe) - 300 (Campus ranges 180-320)

Five Points - 220

Benedict College/Allen University - 290

Bull Street Campus - 290

State Street - 200

Earlewood - 310

Shandon - 270

Eau Claire - 300

Richland Mall - 270

Columbia College - 320

Dutch Square - 300

State Fairgrounds/Williams Brice - 190

Fort Jackson (main base area) - 250

Midlands Tech - 160

Columbia Mall - 260

Columbiana Centre Mall - 280

Spring Valley - 290

Columbia International University - 380

Radio Tower on Fort Jackson - 500

Village at Sandhill - 460

Blythewood - 500

Lower Richland High - 250

Hopkins - 160

Cedar Creek (famous cold spot in North Richland) - 560

NW Richland (near Newberry County line) - 510

Congaree National Park - 80 (lowest point)

I also found that two of my favorite highpoints (one off I-20 [with powerlines running up it's slope] and the other [on Two Notch Road near the PO, good view of the distant dwtn skyline] are both at 350 above sea level.

There's only a band of sandhills running through Columbia's metro. Columbia itself and most of Richland County are not sandy. The sandy band runs through northeast Richland County. Just to clear up any misconceptions.

[BrasilnSC]

Nice info, thanks.

My favorite hill is where 77 and 26 come together. Nice view of the entire skyline.

[krazeeboi]

I definitely agree.

I like the houses on the hill in the Arsenal Hill neighborhood that overlook Finlay Park.

[waccamatt]

I couldn't find exact elevations on there. I'd like to see the elevation at the top of what I call Sesqui Mountain. I may drive out there today to take a picture of it.

In the meantime, here's some eye candy for those that say Columbia is not hilly.

Look at the difference in elevation from Devine Street down to 5 Points and back up to where Capstone is.

This is from Hyatt Park looking downhill and then back up towards downtown

[Hybrid0NE]

I couldn't find exact elevations on there.

What links did you click on? Once your on www.richlandmaps.com? Did you try...

Mapping>Click Here to Open Richland County Internet Mapping Service and then under layers open the Elevations folder then select...

10ft and 2ft contours and it's show every 10 foot elevation change numerically but you'll have to add up the 2 ft contours to get a more precise height.

I'd like to see the elevation at the top of what I call Sesqui Mountain. I may drive out there today to take a picture of it.

Are you referring to that steep hill behind the old Movies at Polo theater? If so, I found it on richland maps and your Sesqui Mountain is 460 ft. tall.

[sonofaque86]

Also Devine St/Garners Ferry Rd!!! That is a big hill near Target

[BrasilnSC]

I think that's called Hampton Hill but not sure. I know the apartments behind there are called that.

There are some hilly neighborhoods around Monticello Rd that are around 370 ft. Driving on I-20, you can see these hills.

[Hybrid0NE]

Also Devine St/Garners Ferry Rd!!! That is a big hill near Target

It's 258 ft. tall, if I got the location right. I haven't been on that side of the city in awhile...

[waccamatt]

Thanks Hybrid. In New Jersey there are some hills considered mountains that are between 400 and 600 feet tall so I will continue to refer to it as the 460 foot Sesqui Mountain or does Mount Sesqui sound better?

[sonofaque86]

Mt. Pleasent Reset in Fort Jackson is around 540 ft.

[krazeeboi]

Parts of N. Main are pretty hilly too.

I wonder where exactly does the abrupt change take place, from coastal plain to upland terrain? Anyone know?

[BrasilnSC]

Mount Sesqui sounds good.

From looking at the topographical map and elevations, it looks like it starts just south of Downtown. Around Capital City stadium you see elevation in the 100's and as you go up Assembly they go to the 200's and so forth. Then there is the hill going up Rosewood and Whaley St.

[Spartan]

The change is where the land goes from hilly to flat. Its location is not a straight line. You can clearly see that its flatter when comparing downtown to the stadium area.

[waccamatt]

I may take some pictures of Columbia's hills to illustrate how hilly it actually is here.

[Spartan]

Ok, check out this map. See the light green that comes up from the coast? that is generally speaking flat land. Its much flatter than the land above it. Thats the coastal plain. The plain comes up to Columbia on the left park of that fork (goign towards lake murray). The fall line follows that line.

[sonofaque86]

That has to be around Lower Richland with the Congaree Swamp and everything cause it's very flat land down there

[teshadoh]

Ok, check out this map. See the light green that comes up from the coast? that is generally speaking flat land. Its much flatter than the land above it. Thats the coastal plain. The plain comes up to Columbia on the left park of that fork (goign towards lake murray). The fall line follows that line.

On that map you can see some of the sand hill ridges that make up the Fall Line. But of course there are hill ridges that extend beyond the Fall Line into the coastal plain. What is interesting is I've never come across an 'official' decleration of where the Fall Line is. It's usually assumed to be the point where the river hits shoals or a waterfall. That from what I understand is the only real determination of where the line is. Otherwise, more than the physical elevation definition - it's simply where two very distinct geologic areas meet.

Curious how much about the Fall Line was taught in geography at USC? Unfortunately my college didn't cover much about regional physical geography.

[Hybrid0NE]

The nearest "mountain" in the midlands is little mountain in Newberry County. Not sure how tall it is though, but there are lakes, rivers, streams, hiking, biking, kayaking, throughout the midlands of SC.

Little Mountain is 810 feet tall and is the most isolated peak in all of South Carolina (You have to travel almost 50 miles before you find another peak as high). I couldn't find a real picture of Little Mountain but Google Earthed the I-26/Pomaria St (It's about 400 higher than that intersection). exit and it gives you an idea of how it would appear.

[monsoon]

The difference between the flat part of SC and the hilly part where Columbia is right on the cusp, is one part was under the ocean in pre-historic times and the other wasn't. Over the eons the ocean receeded and the continental shelf, which is fairly flat due to erosion from the sea water, was exposed and later became part of SC.

The difference is most evident in the 3 fairly large lakes on either side of Columbia. You can see them on that map. All three are artificial lakes made by putting up a dam and the resulting flood created the lakes in the valleys behind the rivers.

Lake Murray is the single lake to the west of Columbia and clearly in the hilly part of SC. It's maximum depth is 191 feet. This is a pretty deep lake due to the elevation changes in the surrounding land.

On the other hand, Lake Moultrie and Lake Marion are the two connected lakes to the East between Columbia and Charleston. They are clearly in the former continental shelf of the Atlantic Ocean. Lake Marion, the round lake closest to Columbia is only 50 feet deep even though it is a sizeable lake and the same holds true for lake Moultrie. One has to watch for submerged trees and other junk in those lakes due the the shallow depth.

[The_sandlapper]

Little Mountain is 810 feet tall and is the most isolated peak in all of South Carolina (You have to travel almost 50 miles before you find another peak as high). I couldn't find a real picture of Little Mountain but Google Earthed the I-26/Pomaria St (It's about 400 higher than that intersection). exit and it gives you an idea of how it would appear.

Thanks, I knew that was the midland's tallest "mountain/hill" I just didn't know how tall it was. But I remember learning about it way back in elem. or middle school one.