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ACSEC E-Newsletter |
November/December 2014
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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 |
| 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 | |
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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Top Pic: ACSEC Representatives Fall 2014 Meeting
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The Ashley Cooper Stormwater Education Consortium's fall 2014 meeting at the Clemson Coastal Research & Education Center's "Ed Shed." The group included representatives from Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester County Governments, City of Charleston, City of Goose Creek, Town of Mount Pleasant & City of North Charleston as well as Clemson Extension, Clemson University Center for Watershed Excellence, Community Pride, Charleston Soil and Water Conservation District, Charleston Waterkeeper, Keep Charleston Beautiful, Keep Dorchester County Beautiful, Surfrider Foundation, Charleston County Parks and Recreation Commission, SC Department of Natural Resources SCORE program, ACE Basin National Estuarine Research Reserve, SC SeaGrant Consortium, Woolpert and Bowman Consulting.
Photo M.Griffin
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Tip of the Month: FOG Management on Turkey Day & Every Day!
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Fats, oil and grease (FOG) in our sanitary sewer or stormdrain can contribute to blockages, resulting in sanitary sewer overflows or flooding. In addition, FOGs in the stormdrain can also end up in our local waterways, impacting water quality and ultimately, us.
The holidays are just around the corner! Remember the following tips to keep our water clean when frying your Thanksgiving turkey this year:
- Never pour FOGs down the sink, storm drain, or in the ditch. Pour cooking grease or oil and fats into a covered container. Let cool and harden and then dispose of with your household trash.
- Recycle your used cooking oil! Contact your local county recycling center to find out if they collect cooking oil as part of their program.
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Special Announcement
Low Impact Development for Coastal South Carolina Guide Finalized!
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The Low Impact Development in Coastal South Carolina: A Planning and Design Guide has been finalized! This document is a result of collaboration between stormwater experts throughout coastal South Carolina and is expected to be utilized for planning and design of low impact development projects. Questions? Email ACE Basin NERR Coastal Training Program Coordinator Blaik Keppler
To learn more or select topic(s) that apply to you visit HERE.
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Fall Rain Garden Workshops
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On October 21, 2014, Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission teamed up with Clemson Extension to offer a rain garden workshop as part of Master Naturalist in training program. Participants constructed a rain garden at SCDNR's "Gatehouse" located at Fort Johnson Marine Center. The workshop emphasized stormwater management, native plants & watershed stewardship. In partnership with SCDNR, this rain garden will continue to serve an educational purpose as a stormwater BMP demonstration site!
During their coursework, the Clemson Extension Master Gardeners in training have learned much about "water-wise" gardening this fall; training topics have included rainwater harvesting, irrigation analysis, pond problem solving, stormwater management and much more! Furthermore, on November 6, 2014, the Master Gardeners constructed a rain garden. The rain garden, created in partnership with the City of North Charleston, is located at the Felix C. Davis Community Center in Park Circle, adjacent to the Keep North Charleston Beautiful office. It will be frequented by KNCB volunteers as well as visitors to the North Charleston famers market.
Photos K.Counts
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This October, teachers and students from across the Lowcountry representing 38 schools hit the salt marsh to collect Spartina alterniflora seeds. This effort is part of the program entitled "From Seeds to Shoreline (S2S)," offered in partnership by SC SeaGrant Consortium, SCDNR and Clemson Extension. S2S enables students to learn about stewardship and the coastal environment through hands-on wetland restoration in which the students and teachers collect, store and germinate
Spartina alterniflora seeds and transplant into a salt marsh restoration site.
On October 30th, students from James Island Charter High School utilized kayaks to collect seeds from the Stono River vicinity.
Photos K.Counts & A.Scaroni
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Carolina Yards Lecture Series
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During October & November, Clemson Extension Agents and Master Gardeners teamed up to offer the pilot Carolina Yard lecture series! Programs were hosted by Charleston County Community Education at West Ashley High School. The overall focus of the series is to teach participants how to create an aesthetically pleasing landscape that is also environmentally friendly. As part of the series, classes cover(ed) a variety of home landscaping topics including design, healthy soils, right plant-right place, fruit trees, native plants and stormwater management.
To register for the two remaining classes click HERE.
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Low Impact Development in Coastal South Carolina: Tools, Guidance and Practical Applications
Training Workshops
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The newly published Low Impact Development in Coastal South Carolina guide was unveiled during a series of three workshops hosted by SC Department of Natural Resources, ACE Basin National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR), University of South Carolina, North Inlet Winyah Bay NERR, SC SeaGrant Consortium & the Center for Watershed Protection. The workshops were intended to teach user groups how to use the LID manual to protect natural resources and meet regulatory requirements for stormwater treatment.
Workshops were hosted in Conway, SC on 10/28, Charleston on 10/29 and Hardeeville on 10/30. Collectively, over 150 individuals attended the three workshops (60 of which attended the Charleston workshop)! Participants largely consisted of engineers, planners, landscape professionals, contractors and educators.
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Southeastern Stormwater Association Conference
Low Impact Development Tour
October 9, 2014
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This October, the annual Southeastern Stormwater Association's Conference was held locally. As part of the conference offerings, the ACSEC had fun showing off projects in Charleston and Mount Pleasant by hosting a Low Impact Development (LID) tour! The half-day tour was jam packed with green roof, floating wetland and shorescaping tours as well as bioretention cell visits and permeable pavement demonstrations. |
Sustainability Institute~ReThink Your Pet Event
October 10, 2014
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As part of The Sustainability Institute's monthly ReThink Series, the October offering focused on sustainable pet ownership. ACSEC & Carolina Clear were included in the event to talk with participants about pet waste and associated bacteria that can harm our waterways if not properly disposed of. Attendees learned of impairments in local waterways, highlights from pertinent research and proper management options. Of course the easy solution is to always pick up after our pets and dispose of waste properly so that it does not end up in area waterways; excess of bacteria in waterways can cause shellfish bed and swim closures. Participants in the event were encouraged to dress their dog in a Halloween costume. All received pet waste bag dispensers and "Do Your Duty" doggie bandannas.
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Pattison's D.R.E.A.M Academy
Outdoor Classroom Dedication October 13, 2014
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Pattison's D.R.E.A.M. Academy, located in West of the Ashley, works to improve the quality of life for children with multiple disabilities by providing comprehensive education and rehabilitation programs. The Council of Garden Clubs for Greater Charleston selected the school for a collaborative project utilizing Club funds, donations and time to create an outdoor learning facility at the school complete with classroom space, vegetable and flower garden, and many features for the senses (wind chimes, fountains, aromatic plants and bird feeders).
ACSEC had the wonderful opportunity to partner on the project and installed a 250 gallon cistern, in which harvested rainwater is distributed to six raised beds through drip irrigation. A dedication ceremony was held on October 13, 2014.
Photos provided by T.Binder & K.Counts
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SC Water Resources Conference
October 15-16, 2014
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The SC Water Resources Conference (SCWRC) occurs once every two years and took place this year on October 15-16 at the Columbian Metropolitan Convention Center in Columbia, SC. This year, over 340 people attended the conference! The focus of the SCWRC was on development of a comprehensive statewide water plan. Morning panel discussions included legislators, business leaders, regulatory entities and non-profit representatives with concurrent sessions following each day. The event is organized by the Clemson University PSA's Institute of Computational Ecology with major contributions from Clemson Public Service and Agriculture, Duke Energy, Santee Cooper, Greenville Water, Anderson Regional Joint Water System, Charleston Water System, SC Department of Natural Resources and YSI. A number of projects with ACSEC involvement were presented on at the SCWRC including the Carolina Clear telephone survey, Stormwater Pond Management Conference, From Seeds to Shoreline, and the ACSEC rainwater harvesting program & IVY rain barrel sale. We look forward to the next SCWRC in 2016!
To find out more information visit HERE . |
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Post Construction BMP Workshop
December 12, 2014
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Host: EPA Region 4
What: One-day workshop to discuss the use of green infrastructure and low impact development controls to manage post-construction stormwater runoff to maintain pre-development runoff conditions. The workshop will explain site design procedures, present examples and case studies, and discuss the costs and benefits of green infrastructure.
Where: Hilton Head
When: December 12, 2014
Who Should Attend: Municipalities, state representatives, developers, and other stormwater practitioners involved in the municipal stormwater program.
Cost: FREE
Registration Required: Click HERE for more information
Photos K.Counts
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Breaking Through Barriers Informational Workshop
January 14, 2014
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Host: ACE Basin NERR Coastal Training Program
What: The Breaking Through Barriers is a full day workshop series providing guidance on big concepts and practical tips to help participants reach out & communicate with "underserved" audiences from all walks of life. Training will include targeted outreach approaches for message delivery.
Where: USDA Vegetable Laboratory, West of the Ashley
When: January 14, 2014
Registration: Stay Tuned! Learn more HERE or email Blaik Keppler
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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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Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to people of all ages, regardless of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital or family status and is an equal opportunity employer.
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