Wanderlust World Wanderlust World The entire boundary between South Carolina and Georgia follows the Savannah River for approximately 200 miles, from the northern tripoint with North Carolina to the Atlantic Ocean.
The border begins at the confluence of the Tugaloo and Seneca Rivers (forming the Savannah) near the SC-GA-NC tripoint (Ellicott Rock). It flows southeast, widening into reservoirs—Lake Hartwell, Lake Russell, and Lake Thurmond (Clarks Hill)—created by Army Corps of Engineers dams. Below Augusta, the river becomes tidal and navigable, passing Savannah's historic port before reaching the Atlantic at Tybee Island, GA.
The 1787 Treaty of Beaufort established the boundary as the river's thalweg (main channel). Disputes over island ownership and shifting channels led to Supreme Court cases (Georgia v. South Carolina, 1990). Today, the river supports hydroelectric power, drinking water, industry, and recreation for both states.