DHEC, Clemson partner to improve water quality of SC streams and rivers

The first step in protecting South Carolina's rivers and streams is better monitoring. The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control hopes a new program is the solution to keeping a closer watch on the state's waterways.

In partnership with the Clemson University Center for Watershed Excellence, DHEC is forming the South Carolina Adopt-a-Stream (SCAAS) program.

DHEC and Clemson will work together on providing a website for information and a database to record/research water quality monitoring data training classes, materials and other resources. In a press release issued Monday, DHEC announced several volunteer organizations from around the state have already agreed to participate in the program.

"Volunteer river stewards will spend a few hours each month documenting stream conditions and alerting local authorities of exceedance of water quality standards or evidence of illegal and illicit discharges," DHEC stated in the announcement.

RELATED: 2 areas still not meeting water quality standards after new tests

"South Carolina is home to some of the most beautiful streams, rivers, and watersheds in the world, and we are committed to doing our part to protect these beloved natural resources," said Catherine E. Heigel, DHEC Director. "Our citizens deserve the opportunity to fish, swim, and play in clean rivers and streams and this program helps make that a reality."

The SCAAS volunteers will be certified in collecting the following types of stream data:

Visual - documenting the conditions of a river, streambed, streambanks, and floodplain.

Chemical - basic stream conditions are tracked over time, clarity, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, and more.

Bacteria - volunteers monitor for the indication of the presence of fecal pollution and how this may be affected by storm events and, over time, watershed changes. This important monitoring is also used for reporting of potential wastewater pollution or other bacteria-laden pollution to surface waters.

Macroinvertebrate - the canaries in the coal mine of water quality, macroinvertebrates and their community species richness and population are indicators of healthy or polluted waterways. This special monitoring tracks changes over time to a stream and streambed's conditions and ecosystem health or stress.

Learn more about the program www.scadoptastream.org.