Federal Documents on South Carolina’s Savannah River Site

This October, the South Carolina State Library highlights one of the state’s most significant and storied places, the Savannah River Site (SRS). Stretching across the South Carolina and Georgia border along the Savannah River, the area holds a layered history shaped by the land, the water, and the people who once called it home.

Federal documents capture the many dimensions of this unique location. Environmental studies chart its soils, waterways, and wildlife. Field guides introduce the plants and animals that flourish here, from wildflowers to bats. Historical and archaeological reports preserve the stories of communities that lived near the river for generations, along with accounts of the changes brought by large-scale development. Scientific research delves into the geology, hydrology, and ecological shifts that continue to shape the region.

This month’s selection of titles reflects those varied perspectives, from detailed surveys and technical studies to richly illustrated cultural histories. Together, they provide insight into the Savannah River Site’s past and present, and into the broader story of South Carolina’s land and people.

Explore the list below to learn more about the Savannah River Site through these federal publications.
 

Federal Documents

Cover of Soil survey of Savannah River Plant Area, parts of Aiken, Barnwell, and Allendale counties, South Carolina

Soil survey of Savannah River Plant Area, parts of Aiken, Barnwell, and Allendale counties, South Carolina

United States Department of Agriculture

Provides a detailed soil survey of the Savannah River Plant Area, covering parts of Aiken, Barnwell, and Allendale counties in South Carolina. Includes descriptions of soil types, maps, land use, and suitability for agricultural and conservation purposes.

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Cover of Wildflowers of the Savannah River Site

Wildflowers of the Savannah River Site

United States Department of Agriculture

This guidebook is a resource to help field personnel (nonbotanists) identify plants on the Savannah River Site (SRS) premises. Although not a complete flora guide, this publication contains information about 123 plant species found on the SRS. Plants are listed by their common names and arranged by the color of the flower.

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Cover of Bats of the Savannah River Site and vicinity

Bats of the Savannah River Site and vicinity

United States Department of Agriculture

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Savannah River Site supports a diverse bat community. Nine species occur there regularly, including the eastern pipistrelle (Pipistrellus subflavus), southeastern myotis (Myotis austroriparius), evening bat (Nycticeius humeralis), Rafinesquegass big-eared bat (Corynorhinus rafinesquii), silver-haired bat (Lasionycteris noctivagans), eastern red bat (Lasiurus borealis), Seminole bat (L. seminolus), hoary bat (L. cinereus), and big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus). There are extralimital capture records for two additional species: little brown bat (M. lucifigus) and northern yellow bat (Lasiurus intermedius). Acoustical sampling has documented the presence of Brazilian free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis), but none has been captured. Among those species common to the Site, the southeastern myotis and Rafinesque's big-eared bat are listed in South Carolina as threatened and endangered, respectively. The presence of those two species, and a growing concern for the conservation of forest-dwelling bats, led to extensive and focused research on the Savannah River Site between 1996 and 2002. Summarizing this and other bat research, we provide species accounts that discuss morphology and distribution, roosting and foraging behaviors, home range characteristics, habitat relations, and reproductive biology. We also present information on conservation needs and rabies issues; and, finally, identification keys that may be useful wherever the bat species we describe are found.

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Cover of In those days: African-American life near the Savannah River.

In those days: African-American life near the Savannah River

United States Army Corps of Engineers

A richly illustrated account of African American life near the Savannah River, based on oral histories and historical research conducted before the construction of the Richard B. Russell Dam and Lake. The work explores community traditions, family life, agricultural labor, land ownership, leadership, and cultural resilience across generations in Georgia and South Carolina.

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Cover of Beneath these waters: archeological and historical studies of 11,500 years along the Savannah River

Beneath these waters: archeological and historical studies of 11,500 years along the Savannah River

United States Army Corps of Engineers

Presents an in-depth archeological and historical narrative of the Savannah River region, tracing 11,500 years of human activity from Paleoindian societies to early settlers. Based on extensive excavations and research conducted prior to the construction of the Richard B. Russell Dam and Lake, the work explores Indigenous People life, frontier settlements, land use, and cultural change across Georgia and South Carolina.

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Cover of Ground-water levels, predevelopment ground-water flow, and stream-aquifer relations in the vicinity of the Savannah River Site, Georgia and South Carolina.

Ground-water levels, predevelopment ground-water flow, and stream-aquifer relations in the vicinity of the Savannah River Site, Georgia and South Carolina

United States Department of the Interior

Ground-water levels, predevelopment ground-water flow, and stream-aquifer relations in the vicinity of the U.S. Department of Energy Savannah River Site, Georgia and South Carolina, were evaluated as part of a cooperative study between the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Department of Energy, and Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

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Cover of Ground-water flow study in the vicinity of the Savannah River Site, South Carolina and Georgia

Ground-water flow study in the vicinity of the Savannah River Site, South Carolina and Georgia

United States Department of the Interior

Summarizes the results of a U.S. Geological Survey study on ground-water flow near the Savannah River Site, which spans parts of South Carolina and Georgia. The study evaluates how groundwater moves through the region and assesses potential impacts on water quality, particularly in relation to contamination concerns around the Savannah River.

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Cover of Geology and hydrogeology of Cretaceous and Tertiary strata, and confinement in the vicinity of the U.S. Department of Energy Savannah River Site, South Carolina and Georgia.

Geology and hydrogeology of Cretaceous and Tertiary strata, and confinement in the vicinity of the U.S. Department of Energy Savannah River Site, South Carolina and Georgia

United States Department of the Interior

Nine geologic units are defined in the Cretaceous and Tertiary section of east-central Georgia. Cretaceous geologic units include the Cape Fear Formation, the Middendorf Formation, the Black Creek Group, and the Steel Creek Formation. The Tertiary geologic units include the Ellenton Formation, the Snapp Formation, the Fourmile Branch/Congaree/Warley Hill unit, the Tinker/ Santee unit, and the Barnwell unit. The Middendorf Formation and the Black creek Group are divided into subunits. The geologic units provide a spatial framework for identification and correlation of the Upper Three Runs aquifer, five aquifers and five confining units in the Dublin and Midville aquifer systems, and a basal confining unit.

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Cover of Determination of the 100-year flood plain on Fourmile Branch at the Savannah River Site, South Carolina, 1996

Determination of the 100-year flood plain on Fourmile Branch at the Savannah River Site, South Carolina, 1996

United States Department of the Interior

A hydrologic analysis was made to estimate the 100-year recurrence-interval flow for Fourmile Branch. The analysis showed the South Carolina upper Coastal Plain regional rural-and urban-regression equations were applicable for the Fourmile Branch drainage basin. This was verified by analysis of the flood-frequency data collected from U.S. Geological Survey gagging station 02197342 on Fourmile Branch.

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Cover of Savannah River Site at Fifty

Savannah River Site at Fifty

United States Department of Energy

The heart of the book is a historical treatment of Savannah River Site’s operations its peak period of production, 1953 to 1979. Developments in reactor technology and chemical separations, heavy-water production, waste management, and the research goals of the Savannah River Laboratory are described in layman’s terms and are amply illustrated. This history profiles the individuals who brought the plant to maturity and explores the two themes that define the nuclear weapons workplace, safety and security.

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Upcoming Event

Robert Mills designed courthouse, Camden, SC.

From Colony to Community: Three Centuries of South Carolina Culture

October 16, 2025, 10:30 AM

This webinar provides an overview of South Carolina's cultural transformation through key historical moments. While not every significant event will be covered, we'll explore pivotal periods including the Revolutionary War, Civil War, federal tariffs, both World Wars, and the post-war era through today.

This Week