Drainage outside town limits and county-maintained channels

For unincorporated Charleston County, the County states that drainage channels and ditches 'are routinely cleaned and maintained by the Public Works Department' and that residents are encouraged 'to assist in maintaining the drainage channels and ditches by removing or reporting obstructions (i.e. shopping carts, debris, trash, etc.) at (843) 202-7600.' The County has adopted an ordinance prohibiting dumping of trash, landscape debris or other materials into stream channels, ponds, basins or ditches that regularly carry or store stormwater in the unincorporated areas. County Public Works also takes work order requests through a SeeClickFix portal. For real-time water levels the County points to USGS stream gauges including Cooper River at Highway 17 (021720709), Cooper River at Customs House (021720711), Cooper River at Filbin Creek (021720677) and Ashley River near N. Charleston (021720869), noting 'These stream gage elevations are to be used for approximations only.' Checked 2026-09-04.