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| ACSEC E-Newsletter |
November/December 2015 |
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For More Information, Follow Us on Facebook!
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| CLICK THE DROPS BELOW FOR MORE INFO |
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Programs and Resources
Create Your Own Carolina Yard!
Build Your Own Rain Garden!
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| Residential Rainwater Harvesting Manual |
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| Coastal Friendly Living Guide and Links to other SC Sea Grant Publications |
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This booklet explores tidal creek ecosystems and the various threats to the valuable services they provide
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Guide for Community Associations
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Home and Garden Information Center
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| Certified Erosion Prevention and Sediment Control Inspector |
Free for Teachers:
New SC Standards-Based Watershed Lessons and Interactive Whiteboard Activities SC Green Steps Program Disposing of Household Waste County Solid Waste and Recycling Center Info Berkeley County Charleston County Dorchester County Interactive Maps SC Watershed Stewardship Map SC NEMO LID Atlas
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| SC Coastal Information Network Website Search for Training Opportunities |
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Volunteer Opportunities
Litter Sweeps
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| KAB Affiliates |
Storm Drain Marking
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Mark Storm Drains In Your Neighborhood and Promote Awareness that Storm Drains and Ditches Connect to SC's Waterways
Email Angela Crouch |
Oyster Reef Restoration and Water Quality Monitoring
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| SCORE Program |
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During the historic rain event in October, Clemson Extension lost the Berkeley County Extension Office to flooding and water damage. As plans are in place to relocate the office, we wanted to share a picture of one of our favorite local rain gardens! This pocket rain garden captured the water from a portion of the Berkeley County Extension Office roof, it served as a wonderful demonstration to visitors & staff alike.
Photo by Guinn Wallover
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Tip of the Month: Apply Harvested Rainwater Safely to Home Vegetable Gardens
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Best Management Practices
for Application of Harvested Rainwater on Edibles
Using harvested rainwater on vegetable gardens and other edibles can be done safely, if certain precautions are adhered to. Learn more about rainwater harvesting system design and maintenance, as well as application recommendations by visiting the Clemson Extension Home and Gardening Information Center (HGIC) fact sheet
HGIC 1728.
Photo by Kim Counts Morganello
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Rain Garden for Professionals
Workshop
November 5
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The
Rain Garden for Professionals Workshop is a hands-on workshop intended for landscape architects, landscape professionals, nursery professionals and contractors interested in learning more about the design, installation and maintenance of rain gardens as a runoff management practice. As part of the workshop, participants will install a rain garden at a Mount Pleasant fire station as well as have the opportunity to be recognized as a
Professional Rain Garden Installer as part of the
Carolina Rain Garden Initiative.
This workshop is provided in partnership with the ACSEC, ACE Basin Coastal Training Program, Clemson Extension Service, & SC Department of Natural Resources. And special thanks to the Town of Mount Pleasant for hosting! This workshop is currently full. Please Email Kim Counts Morganello to be placed on the wait list or to be notified of future opportunities.  
Photos by Dr. Amy Scaroni |
Storm Drain Marking on Sullivans Island
November 16
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Come join us as we partner with the Surfrider Foundation to install metal storm drain markers in the business district of Sullivans Island at 6:30pm on Monday, November 16th. The metal markers are used to educate pedestrians and other passers by that storm drains lead to local waterways! Learn more and sign up today to volunteer by contacting
Angela Crouch.
Photos by Kim Counts Morganello |
Don't be a Turkey this Thanksgiving!
Properly dispose of your cooking grease.
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Help keep
fat, oils, and grease out of our sink drains, storm drains and, backyard ditches. Fats, oil and grease (FOG) in our sanitary sewer or storm drain can contribute to blockages, resulting in sanitary sewer overflows. In addition, FOGs in the stormdrain can also end up in our local waterways, impacting water quality and ultimately, us.
With Turkey Day just around the corner, remember the following tips to keep our water clean when cooking your Thanksgiving dinner:
- Never pour FOGs down the sink, storm drain, or in the ditch. Pour cooking grease or oil and fats into a covered container. Let cool and harden and then dispose of with your household trash.
- Recycle your used cooking oil! Contact your local county recycling center to find out if they collect cooking oil as part of their program.
Wishing you a very happy Thanksgiving! 
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Master Pond Manager Program -
Fall 2015 Stormwater Pond Management Field Day
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On October 28th, the Master Pond Manager program hosted its Fall 2015 Stormwater Pond Management Field Day at the South Strand Recreation Center in Horry County. In attendance there were 19 participants from across the state with representatives from professional pond management companies, government agencies, property management companies and pond owners. We enjoyed a day spent in the field performing pond maintenance inspections, water quality monitoring, designing an integrated plant management, and lastly, installing a shoreline planting project. Thanks to all involved, with special thanks to Horry County for partnering with Clemson Extension to host this field day!
Photos by Kim Counts Morganello & Dr. Dan Hitchcock.
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Master Gardener and Master Naturalist
"Green Gardening" Trainings
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As part of the local Master Gardener and Master Naturalist training programs, participants take a course on "Green Gardening" which covers watershed stewardship and best management practices, with particular emphasis on rain gardens, rainwater harvesting, gardening for wildlife, healthy soils and native plants. All participants have the opportunity to work with native vegetation and install a rain garden. This is an excellent opportunity to train the trainer as both the Master Gardeners and Master Naturalists provide recommendations to thousands of individuals from the public each year.
Master Gardeners in training learn about health soils and lateral sheet composting (AKA lasagna gardening) at the Clemson Research and Education Center's "Ed Shed."
Photo by K.Counts Morganello
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Shorescaping Workshop
October 14, 2015
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On October 14, 2015, we spent a fun-filled afternoon with participants at our Fall 2015 Shorescaping Workshop. We kicked off the day discussing the benefits of "shorescaping" and how a community can implement this pond-friendly practice in their neighborhood. Next, it was time to get our "green thumbs" a little wet! Participants had the hands-on opportunity to help plant a shoreline buffer at the large stormwater pond at
Charleston County Government Public Services Building (4045 Bridge View Drive, North Charleston). We're looking forward to hosting this workshop again in the future! To find out more about the benefits of shorescaping, visit the SC WaterWays factsheet series.
This program was sponsored by the Ashley Cooper Stormwater Education Consortium, SCDNR ACE Basin Coastal Training Program, Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service, and Charleston County Government.
Photos Dr. Amy Scaroni.
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Master Naturalist Statewide Conference
October 9, 2015
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Charleston Green Fair
September 20, 2015
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On September 20th our ACSEC Education intern, Stacey,
was out and about at the Carolina Green Fair! She had a great time talking to the public about what clean water means to them. She was ecstatic to discover that most were familiar with the work of Ashley Cooper Stormwater Education Consortium and many already had their own rain barrels. It was a fun and sunny afternoon at James Island County Park and we look forward to next year's event!
Photos courtesy of Stacey Weinstock
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Charleston County School District Sustainability
Symposium
September 18
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On September 18th we had the
privilege of participating in the Charleston County School District's Sustainability Symposium. The theme of this years event was "
thinking green, so our waters stay blue
" stressing the importance of sustainability in keeping our local waters clean. Nearly 400 middle and high school students representing 17 different schools in the Charleston County School District attended, it was quite a turnout!
We spoke alongside other passionate conservationists from Oceana, SC Department of Natural Resources, Lowcountry Maritime Society, SC Aquarium and the Citadel. The ACSEC presentation focused on ways stormwater pollution can negatively impact our water resources; we even took the kids fishing without ever leaving their seats! Thank you Charleston County School District for putting this event together and bringing sustainability to the forefront of young minds!
Photos courtesy K.Counts Morganello
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| Thank you! for reading this edition of the Ripple Effect, the Ashley Cooper Stormwater Education Consortium (ACSEC) E-newsletter. Like ripples on the water, we hope you will pass on your knowledge, and this newsletter, to others.
Thank You!
for protecting SC's water resources!
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Storm Drains and Ditches Lead to SC Waterways
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THE ACSEC MISSON
The ACSEC is a regional partnership between counties, municipalities, universities, state and local agencies, non-profits and other organizations in the Tri-County region.
The ACSEC mission: Improve water quality within the Ashley and Cooper River basins by providing educational opportunities on stormwater impacts and our community roles in supporting healthy, fishable, and swimmable waterways.
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For Protecting South Carolina's Waterways |
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Have a workshop or event request, or just want to know more? Please contact us!
Water Resources Extension Agent
Water Resources Extension Agent
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Clemson University
Cooperative
Extension Service offers its programs to people of all ages,
regardless
of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital or family status and is an equal opportunity employer.
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