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SC Adopt-a-Stream

Program Reports

SC Adopt-a-Stream Program Reports

Each year, we dive into the SC Adopt-a-Stream Database to compile an annual report. View our most recent reports below to learn more about how the program has grown and evolved over the years!

A child using a magnifying glass to look at macroinvertebrates in sample bottles on a SC Adopt-a-Stream display table.

Reports Archive

Annual Reports

  • 2022

    SC Adopt-a-Stream celebrated its 5th anniversary as a statewide volunteer water quality monitoring program in 2022!

    A few 2022 Highlights:

    • 267 Active Volunteers
    • 681 Volunteers Certified
    • 813 Sampling Events
    • 241 Sites Sampled
    • 2517 Volunteer Hours
    • 40 Alerts Generated 

    Most Active Counties

    Greenville, Spartanburg, Anderson: Most sites per county

    Charleston, Beaufort, Oconee: Most new sites adopted in 2023

    Most Active Groups

    South Fork Edisto Paddlers, WEC, ARJWS, North Pacolet Area, Oak Grove Lakers, Lake Conestee NP, Denise & Andy Chesson, Lake Cunningham

    Highlights

    124 NEW Sites were adopted in 2022!

    We held our 1st annual “Reflections” Volunteer Appreciation Event in September. Thanks to all who joined!

  • 2021

    2021 marked South Carolina Adopt-a-Stream’s fourth full year as a statewide volunteer water quality monitoring program!

    Here are a few 2021 Highlights:

    • 220 Active Volunteers
    • 516 Volunteers Certified
    • 824 Sampling Events
    • 164 Sites Sampled
    • 1891 Volunteer Hours
    • 45 Alerts Generated

    Most Active Counties

    Greenville, Anderson, Richland, Oconee, Pickens, Spartanburg, and Charleston

    Most Active Groups

    South Fork Edisto Paddlers, Team Sybel for FOLR, Pam Torlina, North Pacolet Area, Greer City, CME Holston, Clemson Spider Lily, Sustaining Way, Gills Creek Watershed, and Crain K&G

    New Tidal Saltwater Monitoring

    A total of 62 volunteers became certified to monitor tidal saltwater, and 26 saltwater sites were adopted between June and December 2021.

    2017-2021 Summary

    • 2833 Sampling Events
    • 368 Sites Sampled
    • 1907 Volunteer Certifications
    • 5,230 Volunteer Hours
    • 162 Water Quality Alerts
    • $174,093 Volunteer Contributions
  • 2020

    2020 marked South Carolina Adopt-a-Stream’s third full year as a statewide volunteer water quality monitoring program. Despite the year’s unique challenges, we found ways to adapt, and volunteers continued to get certified and monitor local waterways.

    Here are a few 20 highlights:

    • 546 Sampling Events
    • 296 Volunteers Trained
    • 101 Sites Sampled 
    • 31 Workshops 
    • 1,069 Volunteer Hours
    • 42 Alerts Generated

    Most Active Trainers

    Jack Turner & Beth Button have been Trainers with SC AAS prior to 2017 and are a big reason for the number of volunteers in the upstate. They hosted eight workshops in 2020.

    Most Active Groups

    Powdersville Water, Everything Flows Downstream, Keep Aiken County Beautiful, South Fork Edisto Paddlers, Friends of the Reedy River, North Pacolet Area

    2017-2020 Summary

    • 2,013 Sampling events
    • 859 Volunteers trained
    • 240 Sites sampled
    • 107 Workshops
    • 3,344 Volunteer hours
    • 117 Water quality alerts
  • 2017-2019

    2017-2019

    South Carolina Adopt-a-Stream 2017-2019*
    Summary* denotes from 1/1/19 to 10/3/19

    1,271* Certifications & Recertifications

    Bacteria

    • 2017 -71
    • 2018 -207
    • 2019* -264

    Chem/Phys

    • 2017 –71
    • 2018 –209
    • 2019* -269

    Macroinvert

    • 2017 –32
    • 2018 –63
    • 2019* -85

    55 Alerts

    Automated emails related to observations of pollution or high bacteria in waterway

    • 2017 –15
    • 2018 –25
    • 2019* –15

    Participates in the SC AAS Program

    • 7 Colleges & Universities
    • 5 K-12 Schools
    • 5 Utilities
    • 5 Cities & Counties
    • 11 Non-Government Organizations

    SC AAS Training Partners

    • Anderson Soil & Water Conservation District
    • Anderson University
    • Clemson Cooperative Extension
    • Clemson University
    • Greenville Technical College
    • Richland County, South Carolina
    • University of South Carolina Upstate

    SC AAS across watersheds

    • 80% are from Anderson, Greenville, Pickens, Richland, & Spartanburg Counties
    • In total for this report term, most sampling events have been in the following watersheds (in descending order): Savannah, Broad, Saluda, Catawba, PeeDee, Edisto, and Santee.

    Co-lead by

    • SC DHEC
    • Clemson University Center for Watershed Excellence
The Center for Watershed Excellence
The Center for Watershed Excellence | 509 Westinghouse Rd, Pendleton, SC 29670