Community Stewardship

Winyah Rivers embraces as one of its core values the education and engagement of our community in efforts to protect our rivers and clean water. We host a variety of education and engagement programs designed to promote community stewardship. Some of these programs are listed below.

Check out our calendar for upcoming events and activities.

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Keep Our Rivers Litter Free

Proud To Be On The Front Lines Combating Pollution In Our Rivers​

Our rivers, wetlands, and riparian lands deserve to be litter free. Our Riverkeepers regularly host litter cleanups and invite you to help in our efforts to cleanup litter throughout our greater Winyah Bay Watershed!

Most litter is single-use items like plastic bottles and fast food packaging. It starts out as trash in our communities and then stormwater runoff flushes it through storm drains or directly into our rivers, and eventually to the ocean.

Our Riverkeepers facilitate spring and fall cleanups through our Adopt-A-Landing program, partnering with local organizations, businesses, and groups to keep our public boat landings and rivers clean.

Join or organize a cleanup in your community! 

Perfect for church groups, school groups, businesses, and anyone who wants to join with hundreds of local residents working together to help keep our communities and our waterways free of litter.

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Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring

Several of our volunteer programs offer citizens the opportunity to participate in volunteer water quality monitoring. These programs, run through our Riverkeeper programs, include:

• Waccamaw Volunteer Monitoring Program – twice monthly at 18 sampling locations from Lake Waccamaw to Winyah Bay
• Swim Guide – monitoring our Winyah Rivers to provide information about the presence of E. coli bacteria at our recreational sites
• Bacteria Blitz – a one day event on World Water Monitoring Day to determine the presence of E. coli bacteria in our local rivers

Learn more about our Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Programs here>>

Carolina Blue Stewards

Formerly RIVERKEEPER® Challenge, the Carolina Blue Stewards program offers a youth water monitoring program that seeks to build awareness of an engagement in the protection of our water resources through basic water quality monitoring activities. Participants will learn about the health of their local water bodies and become better stewards of our local water resources!

Youth teams (e.g., school groups, after-school programs, clubs, etc.) are welcome. Teams work together to conduct water monitoring tests, using FREE kits provided, and complete additional activities throughout the year to accrue points, advance up the program tiers, and receive benefits!

Interested? Carolina Blue Stewards_Intro Packet

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Stormwater Education

The Waccamaw RIVERKEEPER® is one of six core education providers for the Coastal Waccamaw Stormwater Education Consortium. Established in 2004, the CWSEC assists local governments in meeting their stormwater education and public involvement requirements under the federal Clean Water Act.

Click here to learn more about the Coastal Waccamaw Stormwater Education Consortium.

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Waccamaw River Blue Trail

In 2009, the Waccamaw Riverkeeper, in partnership with American Rivers, Pee Dee Land Trust and other stakeholders, launched the Waccamaw River Blue Trail effort with a goal of using recreation to increase conservation in the Waccamaw watershed. In 2012, the Waccamaw River Blue Trail was listed as a priority project for both North and South Carolina as part of President Obama’s America’s Great Outdoors Rivers Initiative. In 2013, the South Carolina portion of the Waccamaw River Blue Trail was designated a National Water Trail.

Visit the Waccamaw River Blue Trail.

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Waccamaw Week

Waccamaw Week, formerly The Waccamaw Conference, is an annual public education event hosted by the Waccamaw Riverkeeper and partners.

Designed to raise awareness about our natural resources and protection efforts, Waccamaw Week is normally held during the week of World Water Day, bringing together stakeholders involved in natural resources protection with the public at large.

Learn more about Waccamaw Week here>>

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Cape Fear Arch Conservation Collaboration

The Cape Fear Arch is a special geologic feature stretching from Cape Lookout, NC to Cape Romain, SC and containing nationally significant animal and plant communities. Created in 2006, the Cape Fear Arch Conservation Collaboration’s mission is to develop and implement a community conservation vision to build awareness, protection and stewardship of the region’s important natural resources. Winyah Rivers is a signatory to this partnership of organizations and individuals interested in protecting this region while balancing the needs of man and nature.

Learn more about the Cape Fear Arch Conservation Collaboration.

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Kindness Rocks

Winyah Rivers launched the Kindness Rocks Project on the Waccamaw River in 2017.

Created to help inspire others through randomly placed kindness rocks, its goal is to connect with our community, highlight the beauty and natural splendor of the Waccamaw River and to create a ripple effect of kindness and connection along our riverbanks.

Create your own kindness rock and place it at your favorite spot.