Clean Water

Clean Water

water quality is our core priority.

We are on a mission to protect the quality and quantity of Upstate South Carolina’s most vital resource — our water. Across each of Upstate Forever's programs, water is the number one priority that drives our work and informs our positions. 

From clear mountain streams to cherished local lakes, Upstate Forever's Clean Water team works with a diverse group of stakeholders to preserve watershed lands critical to clean drinking water, monitor and take action on projects that threaten water quality, and expand access to waterways for recreation.

WaterSC

SC State Water Plan

Upstate Forever Executive Director Aldon Knight is working to represent the conservation sector as part of the WaterSC Resources Working Group. Established by Governor Henry McMaster in fall of 2024, WaterSC is charged with working across state agencies and with key stakeholders to develop a state water plan that balances South Carolina's economic and environmental interests to ensure the long-term protection of the state's water resources.

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Past projects

SC Adopt-a-Stream

We worked with SCDES and the Clemson Center for Watershed Excellence to help establish SC Adopt-A-Stream, a citizen-science program that trains residents to monitor water quality in their local waterways.

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Paddle SC

Upstate Forever led the creation of the interactive online map on this website, which connects blueways across the state and simplifies planning a paddle trip from the comfort of your home.

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Blueway mapping

Thanks to generous support from the Callie and John Rainey Foundation and other funders, Upstate Forever mapped blueways throughout the Upstate to provide paddlers with information needed to plan a fun river adventure.

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Saving Lake Greenwood

Since 2003, Upstate Forever has been dedicated to improving the health of the Saluda-Reedy Watershed, which culminates in Lake Greenwood.

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Twelve Mile River Restoration

For years, Upstate Forever diligently worked to ensure that the EPA Superfund cleanup of PCBs from the Twelve Mile River was successful.

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Recent Clean Water Blog Posts

clean water news in your inbox

Water is our planet's most precious natural resource, and Upstate Forever is working to safeguard both the quantity and quality of water in our region. Sign up to receive our Clean Water team's quarterly newsletter dedicated to clean water issues and advocacy. See past issues here

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