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| ACSEC E-Newsletter |
May/June 2013
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For More Information on Consortium Related Activities, Don't Forget to Follow Us on Facebook!
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CLICK THE DROPS BELOW FOR MORE INFO
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Programs and Resources
 | | Create Your Own Carolina Yard |
 | | Rain Garden Manual |
 | | New! Residential Rainwater Harvesting Manual |
| | Coastal Friendly Living Guide and Links to other SC Sea Grant Publications |
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This booklet explores tidal creek ecosystems and the various threats to the valuable services they provide
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Guide for Community Associations
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Home and Garden Information Center  | | Certified Erosion Prevention and Sediment Control Inspector |
Free for Teachers: New SC Standards-Based Watershed Lessons and Interactive Whiteboard Activities SC Green Steps Program Disposing of Household Waste County Solid Waste and Recycling Center Info Berkeley County Charleston County Dorchester County Interactive Maps SC Watershed Stewardship Map SC NEMO LID Atlas  | | SC Coastal Information Network Website Search for Training Opportunities |
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Volunteer Opportunities
Litter Sweeps
 | | KAB Affiliates |
Storm Drain Marking
 | Mark Storm Drains In Your Neighborhood and Promote Awareness that Storm Drains and Ditches Connect to SC's Waterways
Email Angela Crouch |
Oyster Reef Restoration and Water Quality Monitoring
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SCORE Program
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Tip of the Month: Don't Blow It!
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Tip of the Month: Bag It, Compost It, Reuse it...but, Don't Blow it! It's springtime and if your lawn is anything like ours, your weekends may be spent raking the last of the fallen oak leaves and pollen pods. Remember to be kind to our waterways by never blowing or dumping this yard debris into the street, storm drain, or ditch; this can lead to clogged pipes, flooded neighborhoods, and poor water quality in our ponds and downstream waterways. Use the following tips to keep your yard and our water healthy this year: - Leave your grass clippings in place and return beneficial nutrients, like nitrogen, to the soil.
- Adjust your mower height to the type of grass you have growing. A good rule of thumb is to remove only 1/3 of the grass height at any one time. Learn More.
- Start a compost pile as an inexpensive way to reuse lawn debris and improve your soil. Learn More.
- Bag your lawn debris for pickup or drop-off. Contact your local or county government representative for more details to find out if curbside pickup or drop-off centers are available in your community.
- If you use a landscaping service in your home yard or office, make sure you are on the same page regarding proper disposal of debris in your yard.
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Order Now! Ivy Rain Barrels For Sale
Sale Ends May 27, Pick-up Date June 1
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Ivy Rain Barrels are available for purchase!
Cost: The ACSEC is offering Ivy rain barrels to residents at a discounted price, during the month of May the barrels will be offered for $63 and normally retail for $119.
How: Using a credit card, the rain barrels can be purchased directly through the program's website:
http://www.rainbarrelprogram.org/ashleycooper
There will also be a limited number of rain barrels on the day of the sale through a first-come, first-served basis.
When: The deadline to purchase rain barrels online is 11 p.m. on Monday, May 27, and the pick-up date is Saturday, June 1, between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m
Where: Pick-up Location: Charleston County's Public Services Building located at 4045 Bridge View Drive in North Charleston.
This offering is provided in partnership with Charleston County Government in an effort to encourage residents to conserve water resources and protect water quality.
Rain barrels offer a practical, cost-efficient way to gather and store rainwater at your home for outdoor, non-potable use. Other reasons to collect rainwater include the potential to save money on utility bills over the long term, the ability to control moisture levels around the foundation of your home, to water your garden, and to prevent stormwater pollution.
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Clemson 4H2O "Exploring Lowcountry Waterways"
Summer Camp
June 10-14
July 8-12
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4H2O summer campers aboard the SCDNR's E/V Discovery
Photo K.Counts
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Register today! Space is filling up fast!
Campers will experience a unique look at South Carolina's natural heritage and the role river systems play in this beautiful landscape. We will explore the ecology and history of the Ashley and Cooper Rivers by visiting a variety of sites by land and water. Many of the ACSEC partners are involved with this effort, allowing an opportunity for campers to learn from experts in the field!
When: Session One: June 10-14, Session Two: July 8-12
Who: Berkeley, Charleston, and Dorchester youth, ages 10 to 13
Time: 8:00am to 4:30pm
Cost: $125/per week
Learn more and Register: Here |
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Certified Erosion Prevention and Sediment Control (CEPSCI)
Spring/Summer Course Offerings
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Clemson University administers the South Carolina Certified Erosion Prevention and Sediment Control Inspector (CEPSCI) Program. CEPSCI provides an opportunity to educate field personnel on the proper installation, maintenance and inspection of erosion prevention and sediment control measures on construction sites. Preventing sediment-laden runoff not only protects our rivers, creeks and streams, but is a trademark of a quality construction projects. To learn about or register for the upcoming course offerings in your area, including the recertification course in Charleston on May 22nd, click HERE.
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Clemson University's Dr. Cal Sawyer demonstrates small scale erosion control practices
Photo K.Counts
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Carolina Yards Guide to Environmentally Friendly Gardening, Online Course
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Carolina Yards Online is a five week online course designed to help Carolina gardeners learn to grow and maintain an environmentally friendly garden that is also aesthetically pleasing. This pilot effort has had 40 individuals register to participate. Offering the class online allows participants to access information from the comfort of their own home and at their own pace. During the course, participants earn "inches" on their Carolina YardStick by performing environmentally friendly gardening activities in their own yard. At the end of the course, participants can obtain certification and recognize their yard as a Carolina Yard!
This course is a five week offering with the following Modules:
- Week One: Maintaining Healthy Soils (Soil Testing, Composting and Mulching)
- Week Two: Determine Right Plant for the Right Place (Garden Design, Native Vegetation, Invasive Species)
- Week Three: How to Fertilize; Managing Yard Pests
- Week Four: Smart Watering Techniques (Irrigation, Rain Gardens and Rainwater Harvesting)
- Week Five: How to Create a Backyard Wildlife Sanctuary
This course will be offered again in fall 2013. If interested in being notified when registration is open, please email kcounts@clemson.edu
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New Resource!
Geese Management Fact Sheets
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A new tool in the toolbox! Overpopulations of resident Canada Geese in the community may result in bacteria and pathogens in our waterways that can threaten our ponds, creeks, rivers, and ultimately, us. Learn how to develop a better, healthier geese management strategy by checking out the newest factsheets in the H2Ownership series.
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From Seeds to Shoreline
Restoration Days
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"Pluff Mud High Five"
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Photo K.Counts
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During the months of March, April and May, students from across the Lowcountry are participating in "Restoration Days" as part of the From Seeds to Shoreline (S2S) Program. S2S is offered in partnership between SC SeaGrant Consortium, SC Department of Natural Resources, Clemson Extension and the ACSEC. This program is the first of its kind in South Carolina, and spans the course of the school year as students actively participate in steps required for a wetland restoration effort, from Spartina alterniflora seed collection to germination, to caring for the plants and finally planting! We will provide a 2012-2013 S2S summary in the July/August Ripple Effect.
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Master Naturalist in Training~Stormwater Day
April 30th, 2013
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  Photos by G.Garrett On April 30th, the Lowcountry Master Naturalist in training group had a full day gaining hands-on experience with oyster reef restoration and a rain garden installation! The Charleston County Parks and Recreation Commission hosts the Charleston area Master Naturalist Program. In partnership with the CCPRC, the ACSEC, SCDNR and Clemson Carolina Clear worked together to offer the spring 2013 Master Naturalist this training opportunity hosted at the Fort Johnson Marine Center on James Island. The Master Naturalist in training learned about lowcountry oyster reefs, stormwater runoff pollution and best management practices for protecting water quality. The Master Naturalist were a huge help to SCDNR SCORE as the volunteers loaded 4 trailers of oyster shell for restoration efforts! And the Master Naturalist installed a rain garden at the Fort Johnson Community Garden, offering a place for visitors to the site to learn more about this practice. Needless to say, we are pretty sure the Master Naturalist slept well that night! Click here to see more photos! |
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April was Festival Month!
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Photo K.Giacalone
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The month of April was a busy one! The Ashley Cooper Stormwater Education Consortium hosted tables at three festival events, including: - Flowertown Festival in Summerville on April 6th
- MUSC Earth Day Festival in Charleston on April 16th
- Charleston County Earth Day Festival at Riverfront Park in North Charleston on April 20th.
We enjoyed the opportunity to get out in our Lowcountry community and chat with you about our unique water resources! |
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Berkeley County Kids Who Care-Naturescope
March 27, 2013
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Photo G. Garrett
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The Ashley Cooper Stormwater Education Consortium had a great time at this year's Berkeley County's Kids Who Care Naturescope event. This two-day event, held at the Old Santee Canal State Park, brought together almost 4,000 Berkeley County students to encourage environmental awareness and stewardship in the community! The ACSEC and SC SeaGrant used the Enviroscape to help students learn about stormwater, where it goes, and easy things we can do to help clean our waterways clean.
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Surfrider Foundation
Kayak Marsh Island Clean-up
March 9, 2013
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  March 9th was an inspiring day for all involved with this effort. Over 40 volunteers participated in the Surfrider Foundation's first ever marsh island sweep! Participants reached the marsh island via kayak which were generously supplied by local outfitters Coastal Expeditions and Flipper Finders Boat & Sea Kayak Tours. The group removed hundreds of pounds of litter from marsh islands in the Folly River vicinity. See below picture of trash removed.  | |
Photos K.Counts
Litter removed from the Folly River vacinity during Surfrider's Marsh Island Kayak Sweep |
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Clemson Extension
Carolina Yard Gardening School
March 16, 2013
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The 3rd Annual Carolina Yard Gardening School was a huge success and sold out at 106 participants! Clemson Extension and the Tri-County Master Gardeners hosted this one-day gardening event that included lectures, workshops, vendors and much more. The event took place at the Charleston Exchange Park in Ladson on March 16 from 8AM to 4:30PM. Topics included growing shitake mushrooms, orchids and tomatoes, permaculture basics, beekeeping and edible gardening. New to the lineup this year, the ACSEC and Clemson Carolina Clear provided a rain garden installation workshop, native plant lecture with emphasis on watershed stewardship and best management practices, rain barrels for sale and tabled the event to provide stormwater information! This was an event not to be missed, we are already looking forward to next year!
Photos G.Garrett |
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For More Information on Consortium Related Activities, Don't Forget to Follow Us on Facebook!
www.facebook.com/ashleycooperstormwater |
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Thank you! for reading this edition of the Ripple Effect, the Ashley Cooper Stormwater Education Consortium (ACSEC) E-newsletter. Like ripples on the water, we hope you will pass on your knowledge, and this newsletter, to others.
Thank You! for protecting SC's water resources!
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Storm Drains and Ditches Lead to SC Waterways
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THE ACSEC MISSON
The ACSEC is a regional partnership between counties, municipalities, universities, state and local agencies, non-profits and other organizations in the Tri-County region.
The ACSEC mission: Improve water quality within the Ashley and Cooper River basins by providing educational opportunities on stormwater impacts and our community roles in supporting healthy, fishable, and swimmable waterways.
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For Protecting South Carolina's Waterways
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Have a workshop or event request, or just want to know more? Please contact us!
Water Resources Extension Agent
Water Resources Extension Agent
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