Welcome to The Water Log!

The Water Log is Upstate Forever's periodic email newsletter dedicated to Clean Water issues and advocacy. Below is an archived copy of the newsletter. To sign up to receive The Water Log in your email inbox, please click here.

Welcome to The Water Log, Upstate Forever's new email newsletter dedicated to clean water issues and advocacy.

Water is our planet's most precious natural resource, and Upstate Forever's Clean Water team is working to safeguard both the quantity and quality of water in our region. We advocate at the local, state, and federal levels to advance policies that protect our drinking water, as well as the places we love to fish, hunt, swim, and explore.

After a year in my role as Clean Water Advocate at Upstate Forever, I’ve seen firsthand the collective power of all our voices in advancing conservation goals with utilities, local governments, regulators, and at the Statehouse. I hope this newsletter serves as a resource for you to stay informed about clean water issues and equips you with the tools needed to become an advocate for our region's precious water resources.

After the Flood: Changing views on floodwater policy

The link between Upstate growth and downstream flooding

Recent flooding around the Upstate has sparked a conversation about how land use and rapid growth have led to increased runoff from storm events. Erika Hollis, our Clean Water Director, talked about this connection and local efforts to curb flooding impacts in a recent article in the Greenville Journal: How will development impact future flooding and water quality?

Experts working to reduce flooding in SC

South Carolina has experienced four catastrophic flood events following hurricanes and tropical storms since 2015 (Joaquin, Matthew, Irma, and Florence), and this trend is expected to continue. With rising sea levels and a dramatic loss in areas that provide natural floodwater retention, South Carolina has seen unprecedented flooding in both coastal and inland communities. The South Carolina Floodwater Commission was created in 2018 to respond to growing floodwater issues throughout our state.

Learn about how the Commission is planning for future flood events and what needs to be done at the local level to support those efforts.

National water policy news: Attacks on the Clean Water Act

The EPA’s recent attacks on the Clean Water Act have made national headlines, leaving many of us wondering how this impacts our local waterways and drinking water sources. The short of it: Our water resources are left vulnerable by these rollbacks.

Learn about the controversy surrounding these rollbacks and how they will affect your local waterways and drinking water sources.

Let your voice be heard

Protection of our waterways is only possible with the support from citizens across the Upstate, and there are many ways to get involved:

1. We are all responsible for the health of our waterways. Help monitor your local waterways by becoming a citizen scientist through SC’s Adopt-a-Stream program or by keeping a log of what’s happening in your local creek, river, wetland, or lake. Click here to learn more about citizen science opportunities.
    
2. Attend your local city and county council meetings to voice your opinion on proposals and plans that affect water quality. Remember, many policies governing how we manage land, construction, and transportation can impact our local waterways in major ways.
    
3. Tell your state representatives about the water issues that matter to you and your community. Our state legislators like to hear from their constituents – and this is an election year, so they will be paying attention. Use this link to find out who represents you.
    
4. Be on the lookout for alerts from Upstate Forever and our partner organizations when action is needed on issues affecting our water resources. Action could be in the form of writing to your elected leaders or state agencies, showing up to city and county council meetings, signing on to petitions, and even joining us at the Statehouse.