ACSEC E-Newsletter

May/June 2016

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New Resource!

Pond Management

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

Be Wise if You Fertilize

Pet Waste Management

Car Care

Septic System Maintenance

Clean Boating

Fats, Oils, and Grease

Hazardous Household Materials

Litter and Illegal Dumping

Construction Site Sediment

Programs and Resources

Carolina Rain Garden Initiative

Create Your Own Carolina Yard!

rain garden manual cover

Build Your Own Rain Garden!

Residential Rainwater Harvesting Manual

Coastal Friendly Living Guide and Links to other SC Sea Grant Publications

This booklet explores tidal creek ecosystems and the various threats to the valuable services they provide

Guide for Community Associations

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

Berkeley County

Charleston County

Dorchester County

KAB Affiliates

Keep Charleston Beautiful

Keep Dorchester County Beautiful

Keep North Charleston Beautiful

Surfrider Foundation- Charleston Chapter

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

SCORE Program

Top Pic: "From Seeds to Shoreline" Restoration Sites

From Seeds to Shorelines (S2S) program is lead by SC Sea Grant Consortium and offered in partnership with South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR), Clemson Extension and the ACSEC. South Carolina students and teachers learn about the coastal environment and help restore our salt marsh by growing and planting Spartina! Teachers interested in getting involved, click here to learn more and register for our summer teacher workshops!

Photo Stacey Weinstock

New Resource: Clemson Extension Virtual Rain Garden

Clemson Extension Virtual Rain Garden

Learn to build your very own rain garden in a step-by-step approach!
Visit Clemson Extension's Virtual Rain Garden to learn about soil analysis, site preparation, plant selection, maintenance and more.

clemson.edu/raingarden

Tip of the Month: Suds Your Car and Not the Stream (Car Wash Tips for Spring!)

Summer is almost here! Time to rid your car of winter and spring's grime. According to the Center for Watershed Protection and Southwest Car Wash Association, 25% of United States car owners wash their car every month, generating approximately 100 to 140 gallons of water per wash! This wash can contain soap, metals, oils, grease, sediment and other contaminants. When wash water is allowed to flow across our driveways, parking lots, and roads, it can enter the storm drainage system, ultimately discharging this pollution into the nearest waterway.

Keep a tab on your soapy suds and help keep our waterways clean by using the following tips when washing your own car or hosting a charity car wash:

When available, use an established commercial car wash. These facilities have the proper drainage in place to divert wash water to the sanitary sewer, not the storm drain. If hosting a charity car wash event, check to see if a commercial car wash is willing to provide vouchers or discounts.

If you wash your car yourself, wash it on a lawn, gravel lot or other natural surface. Keep wash water out of the storm drainage system. By allowing this wash water to soak back into the ground, you're letting natural chemical, biological, and physical processes slow and reduce runoff and manage pollution, keeping it out of our waterways.

Choose phosphate-free and non-toxic soap and other products. Look for products labeled "phosphate-free." Avoid products labeled "toxic", "hazardous", or "flammable."

Properly dispose of all car wash materials. Dump soapy water in the sink or grass and make sure all bottles are disposed or recycled properly.

Get free supplies! If you are planning to host a charity car wash, contact Charleston County Stormwater Division at 843-202-7639 for supplies.

4th Annual ACSEC IVY Rain Barrel Sale!

The FOURTH Annual ACSEC IVY Rain Barrel Sale is here!

Pre-order Your Rain Barrel Today.

This is a pre-order and pickup sale. Order your IVY rain barrel now for a discounted price of $68, and schedule your pick up at one of three locations in June. Pre-order is available until May 29, 2016. Pick up locations will take place at the following locations and dates:

June 2 - Summerville

June 3 - Goose Creek

June 4 - North Charleston

To order your barrel or to find out more information on the IVY Rain Barrel and the ACSEC-sponsored sale, visit the sale website.

Photo Courtesy Lynn Ruck

Photo K.Morganello

Master Pond Manager: Spring 2016!

The Spring 2016 Master Pond Manager course kicked off on March 26th,

with field day locations in the Florence and Lake City on May 11th and 25th. This Clemson Extension-sponsored course provides management strategies to stormwater and recreational pond owners and managers through online classroom and hands-on field training. The 22 participants taking part in the Spring 2016 course represent pond owners, management professionals, and government staff from across South Carolina and North Carolina. We're looking forward to sharing pictures from the field days in the next edition of the Ripple Effect!

Visit www.clemson.edu/watershed/mpm for more information on the Master Pond Manager program.

Interested in being notified of the next course? Email Guinn Wallover to be added to the Center for Watershed Excellence listserv.

The Master Pond Manager course is a program offered through partnership between Clemson Extension, the Center for Watershed Excellence, and Clemson Online.

Master Pond Manager, Spring 2015

Stormwater Jeopardy:

Schedule Your School Program Today!

Attention teachers! Are you looking for a fun way to engage your students about stormwater, watersheds and environmental stewardship!? The ACSEC education intern, Stacey, has created a new ACSEC educational offering, Stormwater Jeopardy!

Stormwater Jeopardy is an interactive learning presentation to teach students about our local waterways and the relationship between actions on land and the health of these water bodies. Schedule a classroom visit today with Stormwater Jeopardy by contacting Stacey Weinstock!

Photo courtesy Stacey Weinstock

Clean Marine Event

May 12th-14th

Take part in the upcoming Clean Marine event, May 12th to 14th! As part of this event, unwanted fishing and boating gear can be safely disposed, helping keep these items out of waterways. Clean Marine disposal locations will be hosted at ten marinas/boat landings across the coast. These sites will accept a wide array of items including monofilament, paints, oil, boating gear, crab traps and more.

Interested in helping out? Volunteers are needed! To find out more on the Clean Marine event, visit the SC Sea Grant Consortium Abandoned Vessels and Clean Marine Project.

Seeds to Shoreline Teacher Training Workshops:

June 29th and 30th

Attention teachers! We are excited to share two exciting workshop opportunities for teachers involved or interested in being involved in the "From Seeds to Shoreline" youth wetland restoration program. This standards-based curriculum is the only program of its kind in South Carolina that actively engages students in wetland restoration efforts. Participating in this summer's "From Seeds to Shoreline" teacher workshops is an important step to being involved.

From Seeds to Shoreline Teacher Training (For New Teachers)
June 29, 2016 from 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
SC Department of Natural Resources Charleston, SC

Deadline to Register: May 31, 2016

From Seeds to Shoreline Teacher Refresher Workshop (For Returning Teachers)
June 30, 2016 from 10 AM - 4 PM
McKenzie Field Station, Bennett's Point, SC

Deadline to Register: May 31, 2016

Learn more and register HERE.

Photos K.Morganello

4-H2O Summer Day Camp - Camp Full!

June 20-24, 2016

July 18-22, 2016

The 2016 Clemson 4-H2O "Exploring Lowcountry Waterways" Summer Day Camp is full. The 2016 camp sessions will provide an opportunity for Tri-County youth to learn about watershed stewardship and coastal ecology by exploring their local watersheds, from cypress knees to sandy beaches! Campers meet local watershed heroes along the way including experts from SC SeaGrant, SC DNR, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, CCPRC, and SC Audubon.

This camp is offered by Clemson Extension's Carolina Clear, Natural Resources, and 4-H programs and is open to youth in the Tri-County area ages 10-13.

To learn more, visit the 4H2O website. To place your child's name on the waiting list, email Angela Crouch.

Save The Date! 2016 Charleston Area Stormwater Pond Management Conference

November 3, 2016

Calling all stormwater pond owners and managers! Pull out those calendars and save the date for the 2016 Charleston Area Stormwater Pond Management Conference. The all-day conference will be held on November 3, 2016 at the Trident Technical College campus in North Charleston. Conference format will include specialized hands-on and lecture-style training for owners and professionals tasked with stormwater pond management. We hope to see you there!

CHS Pond Conference

The 2016 Charleston Area Stormwater Pond Management Conference is sponsored by the Ashley Cooper Stormwater Education Consortium. The conference is organized and hosted by Clemson Extension, Carolina Clear, SC DNR's ACE Basin NERR CTP, and SC Sea Grant Consortium.

ACSEC making a splash at spring festivals!

This spring was a busy time for our education intern, Stacey. She attended numerous festivals and events centered around earth day! She started off the season on April 6th at Berkeley County's Backyard Naturescope which was held at the picturesque Old Santee Canal park. There Stacey talked to youth from Berkeley County's Kids Who Care Environmental Project about stormwater in the Lowcountry. ACSEC was among numerous exhibitors in spreading the message of environmental stewardship to Berkeley's children! Stacey attended the annual MUSC Earth Day event on April 13th and chatted about ACSEC programs with MUSC staff, students and patients. The event had gorgeous weather and a great turn out! Then it was back to Berkeley county to attend Santee Cooper's Environmental Expo on April 20th. Stacey had a fantastic time talking to Santee Cooper employees about rainwater harvesting. There was so much interest about the upcoming rain barrel sale, it really was a treat! Lastly, Earth Day festivities ended at the annual Charleston County Earth Day Festival on April 23rd. The lovely weather brought out the crowds and allowed ACSEC to celebrate the day by conversing with attendees about stormwater management, rain barrels and sustainable gardening. Thank you to all for coordinating these events and allowing us to help in spreading the message of sustainability and environmental stewardship!

Photos Stacey Weinstock

Commercial Pesticide Applicator License Prep Course (Core, Category 3 and Category 5)

March 31, 2016

Proper pesticide application helps to prevent stormwater pollution in our community. On March 31, 2016, the Clemson Extension Service and Ashley Cooper Stormwater Education Consortium hosted a full-day workshop for landscape and pond management professionals pursuing their Category Three "Turf and Ornamental Pest Control" or Category Five "Aquatic Pest Control" commercial applicator license. With almost 30 professionals taking part, participants learned best practices for application and integrated pest management techniques from Extension agents and specialists.

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!

Storm Drains and Ditches Lead to SC Waterways

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.

For Protecting South Carolina's Waterways

Have a workshop or event request, or just want to know more? Please contact us!

Kim Counts Morganello

Water Resources Extension Agent

kcounts@clemson.edu

Guinn Wallover

Water Resources Extension Agent

cggarre@clemson.edu

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.