Service Projects

Cleanups that focus on trash removal in our local rivers, streams and wetlands are sponsored by local organizations. For a listing of local river cleanups sponsored by the Waccamaw Riverkeeper, please go to http://www.winyahrivers.org/.

The Grand Strand of South Carolina includes miles of beaches. CWSEC hosts beach cleanups on an undeveloped, barrier island north of Cherry Grove called Waties Island. Waties Island is partially owned by Coastal Carolina University and is accessible when accompanied by CCU staff or faculty. Please check this website for upcoming beach sweeps.

The Waccamaw River Volunteer Monitoring Program involves volunteers who participate in twice monthly water sampling at several locations along the Waccamaw River. Volunteers help to establish water quality information for the Waccamaw River and assist the local municipalities with meeting their NPDES Phase II Minimum Control Measure 2 permit requirement for public involvement. This program is an initiative of Coastal Carolina University's Waccamaw Watershed Academy and the Waccamaw Riverkeeper^® Program. For more information on the program, go to http://www.coastal.edu/wwa. To volunteer, contact the Waccamaw Riverkeeper at http://www.winyahrivers.org/.

Clemson Extension faculty conduct one-day workshops on rain garden design and installation so that homeowners can manage rainfall runoff on their property. CWSEC Education Providers have also sponsored several rain garden demonstration projects throughout the area. Participants learn valuable yet simple tips about how to minimize resources needed for their home garden and/or landscape. Workshops include a hands-on demonstration and installation of a rain garden (a landscape feature that is not only attractive as a garden but also functional for treating polluted runoff).

A rain garden is a natural way of reducing stormwater runoff and pollution while creating an appealing landscape. A rain garden is a bowl-shaped depression created in an area that tends to collect rainwater from roofs and other impervious (hard) surfaces such as parking lots and sidewalks. As stormwater collects in the rain garden, the growing plants take up the water and pollutants are filtered out instead of flowing into storm drains or drainage ditches. Building rain gardens are a great way to involve all ages in a stormwater best management practice as well as provide an on-going educational resource.

Please visit the Fact Sheets Section of our Reference Tools & Resources Page for more information on how to build rain gardens and which species to plant.

The Grand Strand Master Gardener Association, in cooperation with Clemson Extension Service, is actively sampling five sites along the Grand Strand for phytoplankton each week. The MG Association is a group of local Master Gardeners who teach the general public proper, environmentally-safe gardening techniques. This group is very concerned about water quality issues and members who become trained by NOAA staff use their knowledge to educate the public on the fact that our coastal waters are full of microscopic flora and fauna that can be affected by actions in our landscapes. To date, 3 previously undiscovered (in SC) species were confirmed through the work of Gary Forrester and his monitoring team.