Hurricane Season Begins: SCDES Helps Keep Communities Storm-Ready

As South Carolinians welcome the start of summer, it’s also time to remember the beginning of the Atlantic hurricane season and the importance of hurricane preparedness.

SCDES plays a critical role in statewide preparedness and response efforts as a vital member of the State Emergency Response Team. SCDES helps protect people, property and the environment before, during and after a storm in several ways.

• Dam Safety and Flood Preparedness: We alert dam and reservoir owners before major rainfall events and monitor dam conditions throughout storms.
• Water System Support: Our teams assist public water and wastewater systems impacted by storm events.
• Private Well Protection: We offer resources to help well owners safeguard water quality before and after a storm.
• Storm Debris Management: We work with local governments to identify and manage temporary storm debris collection sites.
• Hazardous Materials Response: Our emergency response staff are trained to manage storm-related spills and incidents involving hazardous materials.
• Shellfish Harvesting Closures: We issue temporary closures in flood-affected coastal areas to protect public health.
• GIS & Mapping Tools: Our GIS specialists provide real-time mapping tools to support emergency response and long-term recovery.
• Agricultural Assistance: We help permitted agricultural operations manage flood impacts on animal waste lagoons.
• Coastal Damage Assessments: Our teams use aerial surveillance to assess coastal damage following storm events.
• Emergency Coastal Orders: We issue emergency orders to authorize sandbagging and marine debris removal in impacted coastal areas.

South Carolinians are encouraged to make a hurricane plan now. The 2025 South Carolina Hurricane Guide, produced by the S.C. Emergency Management Division, includes evacuation routes, emergency supply checklists, and more. To learn more about how SCDES supports storm preparedness and recovery efforts, visit des.sc.gov/storms.

Air Quality Staff Connect with EPA

SCDES staff attended the Spring EPA Region 4 Air Directors and Grants Meeting, during which air quality professionals from 10 states discussed program successes and challenges and heard updates from EPA Region 4 leadership. The meeting was sponsored by the Southeastern States Air Resources Mangers (SESARM) and Metro 4. Rhonda Thompson, SCDES' Air Quality Bureau Chief, currently serves as Vice Chair of SESARM.

Charleston Waterkeeper Shouts-Out SCDES's Lab Certification Team

The Charleston Waterkeeper took time to show support for SCDES's Environmental Laboratory Certification team during a recent lab certification.

The agency's Environmental Laboratory Certification program reviews equipment, methods and records at private and public environmental laboratories around the state to ensure a lab's operations comply with quality standards and regulations. These important certifications help ensure laboratories are producing quality data that are used to guide actions and decision-making on a variety of environmental matters.

SCDES Water Experts Discuss Environmental Education and More

Several SCDES employees participated in the Environmental Education Association of South Carolina’s annual conference at the Francis Marion University Freshwater Ecology Complex

Dave Chestnut, Sandra Snyder, Ray Holberger, Dr. Matt Baumann, and Taylor Shearer presented informative sessions, while Jaclin DuRant, Erin Rosebrock, and Chanda Cooper hosted an exhibit featuring SC Adopt-a-Stream and Champions of the Environment. This year’s conference theme was "Making Waves: Innovation and Creativity in Environmental Education."