1.2 The Piedmont Region
The Piedmont Region is the largest of South Carolina’s six regions. This region got its name because Piedmont means “foot of the mountain.” This region has rolling hills and many valleys. At one time this land was good for farming. Poor farming practices led to the erosion, or wearing away, of the topsoil. Red clay was left behind. This red clay is not good for farming. There are many swift rivers and waterfalls in this region. The rapid rivers provided water power for early mills. This power was very helpful for the textile industry years ago.
|
In South Carolina, the Piedmont region covers about one-third of the state. It is rich in natural resources. Natural resources are materials from nature-like wood, stones, and water. The Pee Dee and Savannah Rivers start in the Piedmont. River basins also start in the Piedmont. A river basin is land drained by a river. Below is a photo of a river basin.
The Piedmont region has a lot of low, rolling hills. Some of the rocks that are located in these hills are more than 300 million years old.