The Water Log: Local solutions to flooding and pollutant runoff

The Water Log is Upstate Forever's periodic email newsletter dedicated to Clean Water issues and advocacy. Below is an archived copy of the newsletter. To sign up to receive The Water Log in your email inbox, please click here.

Greetings and welcome to the latest edition of the Water Log, Upstate Forever's email newsletter dedicated to clean water issues and advocacy.

This summer, we’ve seen big cuts to federal protections of our waterways, massive flooding, and an even greater need for clean water to keep our communities healthy. As we search for the perfect swimming spot to escape the August heat, consider how you can take actions to preserve and protect the quality of our waterways.

Local solutions to flooding and pollutant runoff

Greenville County has already experienced two 10-year floods in 2020 alone, and has nearly reached its 50.1-inch average annual rainfall with 49.5 inches of rain since January.

In March, we talked about how land use and rapid growth have led to increased runoff from storm events, and local policy recommendations to curb flooding. As reported in a recent Greenville News article, flooding issues are becoming more commonplace across the Upstate as the result of increased development and the destruction of wetland and stream systems.

Stormwater and flooding tools

Wondering what you can do on your property to prevent flooding and sediment runoff into nearby waterways? Consider ways to slow the flow of water and increase the amount that goes back into the soil.

A great local resource is Carolina Clear, a Clemson Extension program that provides stormwater education, outreach, workshops, and public involvement opportunities, including a guide to managing water in the home landscape.

Clemson’s Stream Bank Repair Program is another resource for homeowners, land managers, park staff and landscape professionals looking to address erosion and instability on stream banks and riparian areas. While in-person workshops have been postponed, they are planning to host webinars this Fall/Winter and will continue to share resources through their website and newsletter.

This online interactive tool allows you to enter your address and information about your property to determine best management practices to reduce runoff. It walks you through how to figure out where stormwater is generated, how it flows, and how much stormwater comes from your property.

Lastly, this tool will help you determine the flood risk of your property and neighborhood, and will provide guidance on local solutions you can advocate for within your community.

Volunteer Opportunity: Become a citizen scientist

The South Carolina Adopt-a-Stream (SC AAS) program creates a network of volunteers who can play an important role in monitoring and tracking water quality while sharing information about local water resources with their communities. SC AAS is hosting a FREE certification workshop to those interested in hands-on citizen science. You can learn more about the program and register for the workshops here.

New content and opportunities from the South Carolina Conservation Coalition

Conversations with Conservationists

The South Carolina Conservation Coalition launched a free webinar series in March that gives citizens an opportunity to learn more about environmental policy topics from advocates, experts, and policymakers.

The next webinar is Tuesday, August 18 at 12:30 pm - Representative Gary Clary, Senator Mia McLeod, and Lynn Teague with the League of Women Voters will be discussing safe voting in the time of COVID Register here.

You can also catch up on these past water-related webinars: 

• Runoff and rain gardens
• Will South Carolina have enough water in 20 years? Update on the State Water Plan
• What’s Washington DC doing to SC water?

New Podcast

You can also tune into the Coalition’s latest ‘Public Concern’ podcast. New shows come out every Friday afternoon on your favorite podcast app and on publicconcernpodcast.org.