After October's flood, there was a decrease in attendance at Congaree National Park. The park's Chief Interpreter Scott Teodorski said the timing of the flood, and not necessarily it's size, can explain the decrease.
But flooding is not a rare occurrence at Congaree National Park. Waters from the adjacent Congaree and Wateree rivers periodically sweep through the park’s floodplain. Park officials say this is a good thing.
Thelisha Eaddy talks with experts during a Big Tree Hike at the park, to learn about the pros and possible cons of last year's flood on the park.
Approximately 11,000 of the park’s 27,000 acres are considered old- growth, or undisturbed throughout the years. John Cely is a retired biologist from the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and volunteers at Congaree National Park.
“There are probably close to two dozen state champion trees in here, meaning the biggest of its kind in South Carolina.”
Cely said the park has a loblolly pine tree that is close to 170 feet tall and adds Congaree is known as “one of the tallest hardwood forests in the temperate world.” Cely said the trees have everything they need.
“The trees have got pretty much everything they need. They’ve got moisture, they’ve got very fertile soil. The one thing they really need and that they really have to fight for is sunlight.”
While the trees at Congaree grow to impressive heights to reach the sunlight they desperately need, their roots are planted into the fertile soil of the floodplain. Dr. David Shelley, Education Coordinator at the Old Growth Bottom Land Forest Research and Education Center at Congaree National Park said the richness of the soil is where flooding plays an important role in the life of the Congaree.
