Welcome to Sumter Stormwater Solutions!
Sumter Stormwater Solutions includes Sumter County and the City of Sumter. The goal of this consortium is to enhance water resource protection and stewardship through education, pubic involvement, and partnerships.
Announcements:
Stormwater Basics Workshop for Professionals
If you are an engineer, developer, contractor, or other professional who deals with stormwater management issues, you need to attend this FREE workshop. Including both classroom instruction and field demonstrations, this workshop will illustrate proper stormwater management at construction sites and effective use of BMP's. Click here for more information.
Rain Garden Update
Last April, Sumter Master Gardeners installed a rain garden at the Sumter County Public Works Department to catch water washing off a parking area and fueling station for county vehicles. The garden is doing wonderfully, and successfully holding the runoff, allowing it time to infiltrate into the soil where pollutants can be broken down naturally, rather than going into streams. The newly added river rocks slow the water as it enters the garden and prevent mulch from washing away. For more information on rain gardens, click here.
Recent Events:
Stormwater goes to the Sumter County Fair
Stormwater solutions made a big splash at this year's Sumter County Fair, Sept. 29-Oct. 3, with a booth by Public Works featuring rain barrels and rain gardens. Their beautiful display included a barrel like the ones made at the August rain barrel workshop, complete with gutter and running water! Other education partners who took part in the fair included the Sumter County Master Gardeners with a display on mulch, and the Sumter Soil and Water Conservation District with an exhibit on soils and their importance to farmers.
Sumter Residents Catch Every Drop!
On Friday August 21, Sumter County residents learned how rain barrels reduce stormwater runoff, conserve water, and save money. There were 20 in attendance and everyone made their own rain barrel to use at home. Carolina Clear held the workshop at Sumter County Public Works, with assistance from the Sumter County Extension office. Rain barrels catch and hold rain water that would normally wash across lawns and roads, picking up and carrying pollutants into streams and rivers. The water can be used later to water flowerbeds, wash cars, and many other uses. Carolina Clear holds many rain barrel workshops throughout the state each year, so look for one near you soon!
Sumter Teacher's Environmental Workshop Features Lesson on Stormwater Quality
On June 10, as part of a two-week environmental workshop for elementary teachers, Carolina Clear presented two lessons that teacher could use to introduce their students to non-point source stormwater pollution. The activities were designed for Kindergarten through 6th grade students, and featured fun, hands-on activities. The workshop was hosted by the Sumter Soil and Water Conservation District, and took place at Pocalla Elementary School, from June 8th - 22nd. Teachers receive graduate level credits for attending the course. Other topics covered in the workshop include rocks and minerals, electricity, weather, and coastal ecosystems.
Sumter Conservation District Teaches Boy Scouts about Water Pollution
On May 28, 2009, the Sumter Soil & Water Conservation District conducted an Environmental Science Badge Workshop for Boy Scout Troop 339 of the American Legion Post 13 in Sumter. The workshop included an demonstration of the EnviroScape non-point source pollution model. The model shows a variety of runoff pollution sources, in areas such as a farm, factory, housing develpment, golf course, and construction site. Above Left: Kimberly Arrington with SCD uses the EnviroScape to point out several examples of non-point source pollution. Above Right: Ryan, a boy scout in Troop 339, demonstrates pollutants leaving a farm site through stormwater runoff after replicating a storm event.
Page maintained by: Mary Nevins, mnevins@clemson.edu