The Water Log: Upstate Adventures

There are few finer ways to enjoy the Upstate during these hot summer months than exploring and relaxing in the area’s many diverse water recreation areas. For this month’s issue of The Water Log, we have gathered a list of water-related adventures in the Upstate. 

UF works to protect and restore water quality for all uses through our advocacy efforts and project work. Many of the Upstate’s waters serve not only as great recreation areas but also as important wildlife habitat and drinking water sources. Read on to get a refresher on where we are focusing our Clean Water work and suggested adventures for you, your family, and friends.  

Until next time,

Erika Hollis
Clean Water Director
Upstate Forever

Where we are working, and places to explore! 

Upstate Forever’s Clean Water team has the privilege of safeguarding water quality for recreational purposes, natural habitat, and drinking water. We carry out this work at several locations spanning the Upstate.  

Whether it is writing and completing watershed-based plans in the Twelvemile Creek and Lake Greenwood watersheds or implementing 319 best management practices in the North, Middle, and South Tyger River and Three & Twenty Creek watersheds, we help ensure our beautiful waterways are protected to enjoy and explore. Below are some examples of locations and suggested adventures in watersheds where we are currently working.

Cateechee Point on Twelvemile River

Our team has been involved with Twelvemile River since there was a Superfund cleanup to remove Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB) contamination and restore the health of the river. UF involvement began in 2009 when we intervened to ensure the river was successfully cleaned up. We helped oversee the successful removal of two dams known as Woodside I and II, which allowed for clean sediment to cover and encapsulate the PCB contamination. Click HERE to learn more about Twelvemile River Restoration.  

Since April 2022, we have been working in partnership with Clemson University's Center for Watershed Excellence constructing a watershed-based plan for the Twelvemile Creek Watershed area, and we were introduced to a new Pickens County Park during our windshield survey.

Cateechee Point is a 9-acre site located at 1109 Norris Highway in Central. This is an incredible spot for whitewater kayaking, fishing, picnicking, and photography. While our team was not equipped for a whitewater paddling expedition during our visit, this kayak put-in is a great spot to explore the scenic and ecologically diverse areas of the Twelvemile River.

Lake Robinson

Paddling Lake Robinson is a personal favorite pastime of Clean Water Associate Rebecca Wade. Lake Robinson is an 800-acre fishing lake fed by the Tyger River in Greer, just off Highway 101. Being a short, 20-minute drive from downtown Greenville, this lake is one of the closest flat water paddling locations in the Greenville area.  

Located at 2544 Mays Bridge Road, this recreation area features a boat ramp, three fishing piers, and a picnic area open to the public. In addition to being one of Greer CPW’s drinking water resources, it is known for its abundance of fish and scenic views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. 

Lake Greenwood

Since 2003, Upstate Forever has been dedicated to improving the Saluda-Reedy Watershed, which culminates in Lake Greenwood. To learn more about this work which has spanned decades, click here. This beautiful lake features over 212 miles of shoreline and 11,000 acres of water bordering Greenwood, Laurens, and Newberry Counties. This lake offers opportunities for recreational boating, fishing, and camping.

One of the best ways to access the lake is to enter through Lake Greenwood State Park, which features a fishing pier, two boat ramps, 125 paved campsites, a nature trail, and 914 acres of parkland in Greenwood County. Our team has gotten very familiar with this lake through writing the Lake Greenwood Watershed-Based Plan that we finished earlier this spring. For more information about Lake Greenwood the Lake Greenwood State Park website.  

Lake Hartwell

The Clean Water team has an ongoing partnership with the Lake Hartwell Partners for Clean Water to help with projects pertaining to clean water.

Lake Hartwell is a man-made reservoir bordering Georgia and South Carolina where the waters we work with in the Three and Twenty Creek Watershed drain to. This lake encompasses nearly 56,000 acres and is considered one of the Southeastern United States’ largest recreational lakes. Lake Hartwell is a recreational hub with nine campgrounds that include 524 campsites, 7.6 miles of hiking trails, diverse fish species, water sports, and boating.

Until next time

Thanks for joining us for The Water Log, Upstate Forever's periodic newsletter dedicated to clean water issues and advocacy!

If you would like to receive The Water Log in your inbox or know someone who might like to receive this newsletter as an email, please send them to this link to sign up: upstateforever.org/email

Have clean water questions or comments? Contact me at ehollis@upstateforever.org.