Coastal Waccamaw Stormwater YourEducation Company Name Consortium FY 2007-2008 Annual Report of Activities 23 June 2008 Executive Summary The third year (fiscal year 2007—2008) of the Coastal Waccamaw Stormwater Education Consortium (CWSEC) was filled with growth. The addition of new personnel, an expansion in programming, and the launch of a new website raised the consortium to a new level of maturity. Cou- pled with the continuance of existing programs and adherence to the original goals established by the consortium’s founders, this new growth enables the education providers to enhance current initiatives as well as reach new audiences more effectively. The acquisitions of a new regional Cooperative Extension Agent, Benjamin Powell, and a new Research Specialist, Dr. Anand Jayakaran, “Regional education con- improved Clemson University’s ability to contribute to stormwater educa- tion throughout the Waccamaw watershed. Also, the Waccamaw sortia represent a way to Riverkeeper has a new, part-time assistant, Crystal Caschera. In addi- optimize limited resources, tion to providing more direct support for the activities of the other educa- tion providers, these newcomers are providing programming that assists both financial and tempo- the CWSEC’s current activities and broadens contact with new audiences. The sheer number of educational activities increased from approxi- ral, in addition to taking mately 100 in 2006-2007 to over 200 through the past year. This expan- advantage of the knowl- sion is symptomatic of the increased visibility of the education providers and their services. Home owners associations and other entities are now edge base which only exists seeking the consortium’s education providers for guidance with stormwa- among the local citizens.” ter issues in their communities. The most remarkable development through this past year was the launch of the consortium’s new website, www.cwsec-sc.org. The consor- tium now possesses an internet domain that is dedicated solely to the ful- Chris Laude fillment of public education and public involvement requirements of our County Engineer member organizations. The website stands alone as a portal to facilitate communication among education providers, consortium members, and the Georgetown County, SC general public. Designed to be adaptable to the changing needs of the consortium, the new website provides a dynamic medium that satisfies today’s essentials and meets the needs of tomorrow. In the past year, the success of the CWSEC is being realized in other parts of South Carolina. A similar consortium, the Ashley Cooper Stormwater Education Consortium (ACSEC) formed and has become ac- tive in the Charleston urbanized area. Modeled in many ways after the CWSEC and involving several of the same education providers, the ACSEC is well underway to providing comprehensive stormwater educa- tion in our neighboring coastal communities. Executive Summary i FY 07-08 Annual Report Coastal Waccamaw Stormwater Education Consortium CWSEC FY 2007-2008 Annual Report TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary ............................................................................ i Education Providers ........................................................................... 1 Consortium Goal and Objectives ....................................................... 2 CWSEC Partner Focus—City of Myrtle Beach ................................ 3 Public Education Activities ............................................................... 4 Brochures / Newsletters ................................................................................................. 4 Workshops / Seminars .................................................................................................... 5 Exhibits / Displays / Posters ........................................................................................19 Newspaper Articles ......................................................................................................23 Internet Resources .......................................................................................................24 Radio Ads / Interviews .................................................................................................25 Television Ads / Interviews ..........................................................................................26 Councils / Consults / Conferences / Meetings ..............................................................27 Public Involvement Activities ......................................................... 31 Community Clean-ups ..................................................................................................31 Demonstrations / Installations .............................................................. 33 Volunteer Monitoring ...................................................................................................34 Both Public Education and Involvement ........................................ 36 Summary of Activities ..................................................................... 38 Conclusions from Year 3 (2007-2008) ............................................. 39 Appendix A - CSREES Coastal Watershed Academy .................. A-1 Appendix B - www.cwsec-sc.org .................................................... A-2 Appendix C - Waccamaw River Volunteer Monitoring Program ............ A-3 Table of Contents ii FY 07-08 Annual Report Coastal Waccamaw Stormwater Education Consortium Education Providers The core education providers consist of the same people as last year with one addition to the Clemson Ex- tension staff. Coastal Carolina is represented by the consortium’s coordinator, Karen Fuss, and Dr. Susan Libes. Susan Sledz reports Murrells Inlet 2007’s activities. Nicole Saladin coordinates the Coastal Training Program and Beth Thomas serves as the Education Coordinator with the North Inlet-Winyah Bay National Estuarine Re- search Reserve. Christine Ellis remains as the Waccamaw Riverkeeper. Jack Whetstone serves as the local con- tact for SC Sea Grant Extension in concert with Clemson University. As for Clemson University, Cal Sawyer continues to contribute to the CWSEC, but Ben Powell has been hired to the local extension office to coordinate Clemson University’s contributions to the consortium. Two additions to the membership also need to be highlighted. Janet Wood has been hired with the City of Myrtle Beach and is working closely with the education providers to expand programming and reach new audi- ences. The City of Conway has acquired a new stormwater manager, Joe Dignam. Although Joe has only been in the position for a few months now, he has become acquainted with the education providers and is supporting them on several projects. Table 1 Summary of Local Education Service Providers Provider Programs Primary Services General Public Education Clemson University Carolina Clear Program General Public Involvement Volunteer monitoring Watershed management planning Coastal Carolina University Waccamaw Watershed Academy K-12 & public watershed education via in -class and field workshops Murrells Inlet 2007 K-5 environmental education programs In-class and in-field programs CWSEC website Coastal Training Program Technical workshops North Inlet-Winyah Bay National Es- Outreach programs and materials for tuarine Research Reserve public Public Education Program Classroom and field experiences focusing on watershed concepts Nonpoint Education for Municipal Offi- Stormwater education for elected and SC Sea Grant cials (NEMO) appointed officials Extension Program Public Education Land use and best management practices Community education and involvement Waccamaw RiverkeeperTM Public Education and Involvement and advocacy for water quality and quan- tity protections Education Providers 1 FY 07-08 Annual Report Coastal Waccamaw Stormwater Education Consortium Goal & Objectives CWSEC Strategic Goal—Develop and implement effective, out- comes-based stormwater education and outreach programs that will meet federal requirements and satisfy the environmental and eco- nomic needs of the community that they serve. Core Objectives 1. Maximize efficiency of stormwater education efforts using a re- gional watershed approach. 2. Help local SMS4s meet NPDES Phase II Stormwater Program permit requirements for public stormwater education, public in- First, have a definite, volvement, and illicit discharge detection by providing educa- clear practical ideal; a goal, an tional resources and services such as public education, outreach and community involvement. objective. Second, have the nec- 3. Develop a comprehensive stormwater education plan for the re- essary means to achieve your gion that capitalizes on local training resources to meet the needs of local SMS4s. ends; wisdom, money, materials, 4. Foster collaboration among local service providers to best meet and methods. Third, adjust your the educational needs of local SMS4s and their constituents. means to that end. 5. Serve as a model for collaborative stormwater education. Aristotle Goals and Objectives 2 FY 07-08 Annual Report Coastal Waccamaw Stormwater Education Consortium Partner Focus—City of Myrtle Beach As a premier destination for vacationers from across the country and around the world, the city of Myrtle Beach is the most well known beach- front community in South Carolina. Among the numerous recreational op- portunities available in Myrtle Beach, the expansive beaches are, by far, the community’s most vital resource. This means that