Additional Resource Links
The mission of Sustainable Midlands is to preserve and enhance quality of life in the Midlands of South Carolina by providing education and facilitating communication among citizens and community leaders about creating communities that have clean air and water and support principles of sustainability.
www.sustainablemidlands.org
Adopt-A-Waterway - Litter is a common source of pollution and threatens the health and beauty of far too many of our treasured lakes, streams and rivers. The Adopt-A-Waterway program offers volunteer groups the opportunity to address water-based litter issues in Richland and Lexington Counties. Please join us in protecting and cleaning up our creeks, rivers, lakes, boat landings and islands.
www.keepthemidlandsbeautiful.org
Congaree Riverkeeper
"We are a citizen based non-profit organization committed to protecting the Congaree, Saluda, and Broad Rivers for the enjoyment of the growing community of river enthusiasts in the Midlands. We plan to improve water quality, habitat, recreation, and ultimately public health throughout the Congaree Basin through the use of education, environmental monitoring, and advocacy."
www.congareeriverkeeper.org
River Network - Watershed protection starts with people. In communities all across the U.S., River Network engages, trains and empowers people and their local organizations to effectively protect, preserve and restore clean, healthy waters.
www.rivernetwork.org
The Center for Watershed Protection works to protect, restore, and enhance our streams, rivers, lakes, wetlands, and bays. We create viable solutions and partnerships for responsible land and water management so that every community has clean water and healthy natural resources to sustain diverse life.
www.cwp.org
The Congaree Swamp National Park - Welcome to the largest remnant of old-growth floodplain forest remaining on the continent! Experience national and state champion trees, towering to record size amidst astonishing biodiversity. Walk, paddle or just relax within this dynamic floodplain ecosystem. Beauty and tranquility reign supreme in the midst of this natural treasure.
www.nps.gov/cosw/
The Richland Countywide Stormwater Consortium
"The Richland Countywide Stormwater Consortium is comprised of Richland County, the Town of Arcadia Lakes, and the City of Forest Acres. The goal of the consortium is to support the restoration and protection of healthy waterways in Richland County through outreach, stormwater education, public involvement, and partnerships with local governments, citizens, businesses, schools, and organizations."
www.clemson.edu/public/carolinaclear/consortiums/richland_home
The RCSC is part of Carolina Clear, a comprehensive approach developed by Clemson University to inform and educate communities about water quality, water quantity, and the cumulative effects of stormwater.
DHEC Bureau of Water - The site includes information on the Water Quality Management Plan, water conservation, permits, swimming and fishing advisories, reported wastewater overflows, and many other water management topics. The toll-free 24-hour number for reporting chemical spills, oil spills or fish kills is 1-888-481-0125 (in Columbia, call 253-6488).
www.scdhec.gov/environment/water/
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds - We all live in a watershed - the area that drains to a common waterway, such as a stream, lake, estuary, wetland, aquifer, or even the ocean - and our individual actions can directly affect it. Working together using a watershed approach will help protect our nation's water resources.
www.epa.gov/owow/
Tetra Tech EC, Inc
"With more than 30 offices nationwide, Tetra Tech EMI offers environmental consulting and engineering services including site investigation and clean-up, emergency preparedness and response, disaster management, green services, energy management, hazardous waste/materials management, air and water quality, regulatory compliance, information management, and training to government agencies and private clients in the United States and internationally."
http://www.tetratech.com
CPAC (City of Columbia Climate Protection Action Campaign) is an exciting campaign to give everyone in Columbia the information and tools needed to start making a real difference in the areas of global warming, water conservation, energy conservation, air quality and recycling/waste reduction.
http://www.columbia.sc.gov/coc/index.cfm/cpac/
Clemson University Extension Service Stormwater Pond-Management Website
"Have a stormwater pond question? In response to an increasing number of requests from citizens looking for solutions, Clemson University Extension has launched a stormwater pond-management website to help communities manage their stormwater ponds. The website is very thorough and covers all of the more common pond questions, including nuisance wildlife, fish health, aquatic plants, shoreline erosion, water quality, and more. This page is designed as a diagnostic tool that you can refer homeowners and HOA's to for answers to their questions and detailed information about caring for their ponds."
http://www.clemson.edu/extension/natural_resources/water/stormwater_ponds
The University of South Carolina School of the Environment
The School of the Environment promotes a university-wide focus on the environment by:
- supporting interdisciplinary action among faculty and students,
- promoting awareness of environmental issues on the campus,
- providing environmental education for undergraduate and graduate students,
- coordinating basic and applied environmental research, and
- providing outreach to the broader public communities
The SOE represents a wide range of synergistic disciplines, with over 140 faculty cutting across the Columbia and regional USC campuses. Through the SOE's Masters in Earth and Environmental Resource Management (MEERM), graduate students are trained for management positions in earth and environmental resources, such as minerals, water, sustainable development within ecosystems, or safe and effective use of man-made materials in the environment. The joint MEERM/JD degree provides a streamlined program for students wanting both the Masters and Law degrees. Undergraduates have the opportunity to enrich their university experience through the minor in Environmental Studies, which provides an interdisciplinary curriculum and environmental perspective to their main courses of study. An undergraduate major in Environmental Science is currently in development. New faculty hires are expanding SOE interdisciplinary research in a range of critical environmental topics, including climate and weather, water resources, and environmental law, policy, and economics.
http://www.environ.sc.edu/
USGS South Carolina Water Science Center
"The South Carolina Water Science Center (WSC) is one of 48 Water Science Centers in the Water Resources Discipline of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The Water Science Center's mission is to collect, analyze and disseminate the impartial hydrologic data and information needed to wisely manage water resources for the people of the United States and the State of South Carolina."
http://sc.water.usgs.gov
Sustainable Carolina
"Welcome to The University of South Carolina's Sustainable Carolina. Sustainability is often described as a process rather than a product... and that is a good way to think about this web site. Check back often for upcoming events or new opportunities, or you can read on to find out how to get more involved with the University's effort to create a Socially, Environmentally and Economically Sustainable University Campus."
http://sc.edu/green
American Rivers
"American Rivers is the leading organization working to protect and restore the nation’s rivers and streams. Rivers connect us to each other, nature, and future generations. Since 1973, American Rivers has fought to preserve these connections, helping protect and restore more than 150,000 miles of rivers through advocacy efforts, on-the-ground projects, and the annual release of America’s Most Endangered Rivers."
http://www.americanrivers.org
The River Alliance
"Ten years ago, the Midlands’ Broad, Saluda and Congaree Rivers were an unknown resource. Today, they are the signature of the region and an expanding part of the daily life of the community. The River Alliance is the non-profit organization which makes it all possible. Representing the five local governments of Columbia, West Columbia, Cayce, Lexington and Richland County, The River Alliance's mission is to connect people to the rivers, making them accessible, yet protected.
Through the work of the River Alliance and its many partners, the rivers have become a stimulus for economic development, an attraction for regional tourism and an opportunity for local residents to enjoy the history, culture and natural surroundings of the Riverbank’s Region’s three rivers."
http://www.riveralliance.org
Environmental Groups in South Carolina at SCIWAY, South Carolina's Information Highway