COLUMBIA, S.C. — Rivers are continuing to flood in the Midlands as rain rolls through and residual runoff hits our waterways.
Friday wasn't the average daily run for Mike Harley and his dog. He arrived at the Broad River dam and was welcomed by massive flood waters.
"In the afternoon we saw river water run over part of the Broad River dam by I-20, completely covering a section that would normally have a walking path and an overlook," he said.
According to data from the United States Geological Survey, the broad crested at 164 feet on Friday, almost ten feet above the average for this time of year.
"I come out here several times a week, I have been for years, and maybe one or two other times have I ever seen it this high, it's pretty wild," he said. "You can normally walk much further out; you can walk all along the bank; it's totally covered in this raging water right now; it's really something to see."
Flooding was also the story over at the Congaree River.
Data from the National Weather Service shows the Congaree River rose to just under 18.5 feet on Friday, putting the river at a moderate flood stage. The water has flooded the West Columbia Riverwalk, drawing people from around the area to look.
Jane Salter and her mom stopped by to take pictures of the flooded Riverwalk.
"We were driving around and we saw the bridge back here, and we saw the area like flooded all the way and we had to check it out," she says
The Congaree Riverkeeper said the water is not safe to swim in. Although it may seem fun and enjoyable, it is very risky.
"We ride our bikes on the trail a lot, so it's weird to see. This is really a giant hill to come, you go really fast on a bike so it's weird to see the water filling up to that level," Salter said.
Local businesses felt the impact of the weather too.
Elliot Stegall is the general manager at the Black Rooster, he said the rain did lower the number of walk-in diners.
"Taking a hit a little bit, just on the walk-in business that we've had, but the reservations have been pretty consistent; most of the time, we can get stand-alone tables reserved until 8:45 or 9 o'clock at night; that's the case tonight, and tomorrow night as well," he said.
He says they've been working to combat some of the weather and make it a welcoming spot even through the storms.
"We got the tarps, we drop them down, we got some Black Rooster blankets, and we get some strong cocktails to keep things going," he said.
