South Carolina § 49-1-20 - Permitting logs and the like to obstruct or interfere with navigation of rivers or harbors.
Full text of South Carolina South Carolina Code of Laws § 49-1-20 — Permitting logs and the like to obstruct or interfere with navigation of rivers or harbors., with citation guidance and answers to common questions.
§ 49-1-20. Permitting logs and the like to obstruct or interfere with navigation of rivers or harbors.
Any person who shall be found guilty of cutting any trees or tree tops, brush or logs, or throwing any refuse material whatever into any navigable river or harbor or who shall float logs singly or in rafts in any manner whatsoever without being properly or plainly lighted at night and attended by day with a sufficient number of men to prevent such rafts and logs from negligently damaging property along the river banks, from catching on snags, sinking and forming obstructions or in any manner whatsoever interfering with the navigation of or obstructing such rivers or harbors shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and punished by fine not exceeding two hundred and fifty dollars or by imprisonment not exceeding two years. All such trees, logs, rafts, floating booms or pens of timber dangerous to navigation in any such river may be captured, secured, properly rafted to market and sold, one half of the net proceeds over the expense of capturing and marketing to be paid to the county treasurer of the county in which such timber may be captured and the other half to the person capturing it. But this section shall not apply to logs or timber accidentally drifting loose from a raft or from any stationary boom where timber is kept for proper use or for proper rafting or to any logs floated off from the owner by a sudden freshet before he shall have had an opportunity to raft them.
HISTORY: 1962 Code SECTION 70-2; 1952 Code SECTION 70-2; 1942 Code SECTION 1188; 1932 Code SECTION 1188; Cr. C. '22 SECTION 79; Cr. C. '12 SECTION 235; Cr. C. '02 SECTION 181; G. S. 2505; R. S. 175; 1894 (21) 715; 1897 (22) 426.
Editor's Note
2010 Act No. 247, SECTION 4.B, provides:
"Chapter 1, Title 49 of the 1976 Code is not affected by and supersedes Chapter 4, Title 49 of the 1976 Code, as amended by SECTION 1 of this act."
Source: official South Carolina text · Last verified 2026-08-27
Frequently Asked Questions About South Carolina § 49-1-20
What does South Carolina Code of Laws § 49-1-20 cover?
Section 49-1-20 ("Permitting logs and the like to obstruct or interfere with navigation of rivers or harbors.") is part of the South Carolina Code of Laws, the codified statutory law of South Carolina. It sets out the legal rule or procedure described in the text above. Statutes are amended regularly, so always verify against the official source.
How do I cite South Carolina § 49-1-20?
A common citation format is "South Carolina Code of Laws § 49-1-20" (South Carolina). Legal writing may require the code abbreviation, section number, and year or edition. Match the style required by your court, professor, or publisher.
Is this the official text of South Carolina law?
No. This page is for research and education and may not include the most recent amendments. For official current law, check the South Carolina official source linked on this page or consult a licensed South Carolina attorney.
How does South Carolina § 49-1-20 apply to my situation?
Statutes are interpreted in context, and application depends on your specific facts. Only a licensed attorney in South Carolina can advise on how this section applies to you. Contact your state or local bar association for a referral.
Sources & Verification
Not legal advice. Verify against the official source and consult a licensed attorney in South Carolina.