2012 SC Water Resources Conference

Columbia, SC

October 11, 2012

Karen Fuss

Center for Marine & Wetland Studies

Coastal Carolina University

Encouraging LID Through Public Education, Outreach

and Involvement

CWSEC Goal

Develop and implement effective, outcomes-based stormwater education and outreach programs to

meet federal requirements and satisfy local environmental and economic needs.

Participating Communities

These municipalities encompass over 2,000

square miles of land with approximately

300,000 residents.

Core Education Providers

Coastal Carolina University’s Waccamaw Watershed Academy

North Inlet-Winyah Bay NERR Coastal Training and Public Education Program

Clemson University’s Carolina Clear Program

SC Sea Grant Extension Program

Waccamaw Riverkeeper®

Murrells Inlet 2020

Objectives for Encouraging LID

1. Collaborate with local SMS4s to promote and demonstrate local LID projects to general public and development community.

2. Provide opportunities for citizens to assist with LID installations.

3. Encourage residents and development professionals to utilize LID practices.

4. Empower elected and appointed officials to require LID.

Prep Site for Constructed Wetland

Failed biorention cell at new county recreation facility

Involved near-by middle school science club

Removal of invasive cattails and grasses

Planting of Constructed Wetland

Native plants – water canna, sweet

flag, lizard’s tail, seashore mallow

Most kids love to get muddy!

Photos courtesy of The Sun News

Media Coverage of Constructed Wetland

Local TV stations, including interview on Coastal Today, and newspapers along with their corresponding websites

Picked up by SFGate of the San Francisco Chronicle via Associated Press

Growth of Constructed Wetland

Planting date – March 6, 2012 2 Weeks Later

7 Weeks Later 3 Months Later

Floating Wetland Drop-In Workshop

Stormwater on Wheels

Targeting elected and appointed officials on 2 tours

Different speakers along tour

Municipal and private sites

Technical Training

LID workshops for professionals

Experts sharing local projects and those from other areas

Rainwater Harvesting

Small scale – rain barrels for individual homeowners

Large scale – cisterns for businesses

Bioretention at Schools

Involving students and local community

9 Rain gardens installed at local schools over 2 year period

Bioretention at Government Facilities

Outreach Materials

Signage

Manuals and brochures

Materials from workshops on website

Conclusions & Recommendations

LID Manual for Coastal South Carolina – NERRS Science Collaborative Grant

Continue drop-in workshops at installations

Monitoring of existing LID sites

Contact Information

Karen Fuss, CWSEC Coordinator Waccamaw Watershed Academy Center for Marine & Wetland Studies Coastal Carolina University kfuss@coastal.edu 843-349-4058 Website at www.cwsec-sc.org