Besides electing legislative, judicial and school board representatives in November’s general election, Horry County residents also will decide on their next five watershed directors.

Most of the watersheds are in rural areas, except for much of Crabrtree, which includes the city limits of Conway, according to officials.

A watershed is land across which or under which water flows on its way to a nearby stream, lake or river, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service website. The watershed districts were established in the 1960s to maintain the canals built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The manmade canals were built to improve natural drainage and reduce flooding. The elected director of each watershed is responsible for directing how watershed taxes are spent in their district.

The director is not paid and serves a four-year term.

The following candidates are running for the position of watershed directors:

• Buck Creek | Lyles Thomas Bellamy; Sammy Holmes and Alan L. Little

• Crabtree | George H. Jenkins Jr.; Hunter Jenkins and Ray Reece

• Gapway | Durham H. Anderson; Hoyt D. Graham Jr. and Tommy Thompson

• Simpson Creek | Charles L. Cooke Sr.; Roger B. Cox and Jeff Todd

• Todd Swamp | Mark A. Branton; John F. Clardy and Barry D. Todd

Contact TONYA ROOT at 444-1723.