Forum to bring morning full of watershed moments, education

As reiterated by the historic flooding across South Carolina in early October, everyone across Horry and Georgetown counties shares an interconnectivity with area waterways.

A reminder of that reality – and on the importance and protection of natural resources – will reign 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Saturday during the “2016 Waccamaw Conference: Weather and Climate in Your Watershed,” Horry-Georgetown Technical College Grand Strand Campus Conference Center, 950 Crabtree Lane (Building 600), Myrtle Beach, near The Market Common.

This gathering for the public is coordinated by Waccamaw Riverkeeper Program of the Winyah Rivers Foundation, and Coastal Waccamaw Stormwater Education Consortium, both based in Conway at the Coastal Carolina University Center for Marine and Wetland Studies; and North Inlet-Winyah Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, based at Hobcaw Barony, north of Georgetown. All the groups’ outreach and awareness continue year round, too.

Lisa Prendergast Swanger, the stormwater consortium’s coordinator of education programs, and Emma Gerald Boyer, the Waccamaw Riverkeeper, elaborated earlier this month on the preparations for, and mission, of this conference.

Question | What drove the theme and team for this 2016 conference?

Boyer | We had been pondering themes, but in the throes of the flooding in October, we opted for a weather and climate theme, also incorporating the stormwater drainage issues.

Swanger | This year, the conference is hosted by not just the Waccamaw Riverkeeper, but the Coastal Waccamaw Stormwater Education Consortium and North Inlet-Winyah Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. ... We will have a number of entities serving as presenters, and we’ll also have exhibitors from different organizations, and they will provide education booths.

Boyer | The Waccamaw River is past of the Winyah Bay Watershed, which covers so much land with passages that drain into the Winyah Bay in Georgetown. It really is a big area. ... We’re bringing all of our parts to the table, which allows us to have a more thorough approach to these discussing these things.

Q. | How intertwined are the groups in complementing one another?

Boyer | The North Inlet-Winyah Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve crew does more Winyah Bay-related work, and the consortium focuses on stormwater work, and the Riverkeeper is concerned with water quality.

Swanger | The North Inlet-Winyah Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve and Riverkeeper both serve as educators for our stormwater consortium. We collaborate on a number of different projects and efforts, and it’s really great to bring our respective skills factors and specialists to the table for the conference on March 5, to make this a more comprehensive type event that will attract a number of people because of such severe historic flooding events, even if we’re not in another flooding stage at the time. It’s definitely on the forefront on many people’s minds.

Q. | To reach Georgetown from Pawleys Island, motorists cross two rivers, back to back, in seconds. May we relay to readers some geography on how vast a watershed drains into Winyah Bay?

Boyer | Winyah Bay ultimately receives water from five major rivers: the Waccamaw, Black, Pee Dee, Sampit and Lynches. People might not realize how interconnected they are to our watershed.

Q. | Are perception and recognition of the importance of, with values instilled for, being good stewards for Mother Nature, by recycling, cleanup projects through scouting groups, and the like, resonating more automatically and innately with youngsters in this 21st century?

Swanger | We do a number of programs in schools where we get them involved. ... with hands-on activities, and they’re not just for students; it can be any interested group or a homeowners’ association. Crew will go out into neighborhoods ... place markers near storm drains, just to remind individuals that water runoff flows into our local waterways. They seem to really get into that, and it’s exciting to be with them in an “a-ha moment.”

Boyer | The Riverkeeper team did a big cleanup this past fall in Conway, and the majority of helpers were younger individuals. ... The whole message is about being connected to our waterways and watershed, and just because you don’t live near a river doesn’t mean you don’t impact it.

Q. | What are some other easy ways that residents can ensure water runoff is cleaner, such as keeping suds from car washes at home from rolling down the driveway into roads and catch basins so they roll onto the grass for better absorption?

Boyer | When an area is developed, it is obstructing the natural flow and quality of the water. Use of pervious concrete – which is porous, letting rainwater sink through and cut down on runoff from the surface – and simple things such as car wash adaptation, and picking up after your dog – those are great messages right there. ...

What is running off the road and into the rivers: That’s something many people don’t think about. ... Our drinking water comes out of the Waccamaw River. It’s a lot of interconncectivity.

Swanger | Also, be mindful of chemicals you use, how you wash your car, rake your leaves – there are a number of things, and the consoriotum has a great section on its website, called “What Can I Do?” – cwsec-sc.org/21/what-can-i-do/.

This story was originally published February 28, 2016 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Forum to bring morning full of watershed moments, education."