Winyah Rivers Alliance

06/23/2026

🌊 DID YOU KNOW?

The Lynches River is home to South Carolina's longest State Scenic River designation!

Of its roughly 140-mile length, 111 miles are designated as a State Scenic River under South Carolina's Scenic Rivers Act. This 111 mile corridor also includes the SC Revolutionary Rivers Trail, which serves not only to highlight beautiful portions of the river for paddlers, but also the Lynches' place in the history of the American Revolution!

06/22/2026

This Friday, June 26th!
We’re launching at 9AM from Conway Marina (arrive by 8:30).
Equipment is limited — 8 of our 12 kayaks are already spoken for, so RSVP is required if you need one.
Bringing your own kayak? Great — just let us know you’ll be attending.

We’ll travel upstream to Kingston Lake before heading downstream to the remediated Grainger coal ash ponds.

06/22/2026

Attention Georgetown! Final reading for the proposed Wetlands Ordinance tomorrow- come out and show your support.

We're almost at the finish line.

Georgetown County's Wetland Protection Ordinance heads to its third and final reading on Tuesday, June 23. After years of advocacy and a planning process shaped by community input, this is the moment that matters most. Showing up sends a clear message: the people of Georgetown County value their wetlands and expect their leaders to protect them.

📅 Tuesday, June 23 at 5:30 pm
📍 Historic Council Chambers at 129 Screven St.

Can't attend? Reach out to your County Councilor directly to share why wetland protection matters to you and to Georgetown's future. Contact info is available at gtcountysc.gov/directory.aspx?did=90.

🔗 Learn more about our wetlands work: scelp.org/local-wetlands-ordinances

06/19/2026

Swim Guide Results for This Week!

Every Wednesday, Winyah Rivers Alliance tests popular recreation sites throughout the watershed to help keep YOU informed and safe while enjoying our beautiful waterways. Results are posted every Friday through Swim Guide, social media, in the WRA Newsletter, and in the all-new Swim Guide Dashboard!

Please click this link to see our incredible dashboard courtesy of Avalon, WRA's Water Quality Field Specialist:
https://experience.arcgis.com/.../f6a561742b604b92bce8b4c...

**Happy Juneteenth! Today we honor freedom, resilience, and the ongoing pursuit of equality for all.**

Good News! Most of our monitored sites received passing results this week.

Sites receiving elevated bacteria results this week include:
• Canal Cove Boat Ramp (Waccamaw River)
• Enterprise Landing (Waccamaw River)
• Floyddale Bridge Landing (Little P*e Dee River)
• Highway 52 Landing (Lynches River)
• Half Moon Landing (Lynches River)

Caution: Low river levels can affect recreation, fish and wildlife habitat, and water quality, so please use extra caution if you're heading out on the water.

Swim Guide results use EPA Beach Action Values (BAVs) as a precautionary tool to inform the public about water quality. While we do not issue official swim advisories, we share current f***l indicator bacteria levels to help you make informed decisions before heading out on the water.

A site receives a passing result when:
• E. coli levels are below 235 MPN/100 mL in freshwater
• Enterococcus levels are below 104 MPN/100 mL in saltwater

Remember: We recommend avoiding swimming for 24–48 hours after heavy rain, as runoff can increase bacteria levels and carry pollutants into our waterways.

A huge thank you to our incredible volunteer water quality monitors. Week after week, you help make this program possible. We truly could not do it without you! Your dedication allows us to provide timely, reliable information to communities across the watershed. Thank you, Coastal Carolina University WWA, Friends of Lakw Waccamaw State Park and all you amazing river lovers!

We're always looking for additional volunteers to help expand our monitoring efforts. If you're interested in protecting our rivers and helping your community stay informed, we'd love to hear from you. Give us a call at 843-349-4007.

**Winyah Rivers Alliance will also be hiring a new Lumber Riverkeeper in the near future. More information will be coming soon, so stay tuned!

Finally, we want to wish all the dads, grandfathers, stepdads, and father figures in our watershed a very Happy Father's Day weekend! We hope you have a safe and enjoyable time making memories on our beautiful rivers and waterways.

*eDeeRiver

06/19/2026

06/19/2026

We're almost at the finish line.

Georgetown County's Wetland Protection Ordinance heads to its third and final reading on Tuesday, June 23. After years of advocacy and a planning process shaped by community input, this is the moment that matters most. Showing up sends a clear message: the people of Georgetown County value their wetlands and expect their leaders to protect them.

📅 Tuesday, June 23 at 5:30 pm
📍 Historic Council Chambers at 129 Screven St.

Can't attend? Reach out to your County Councilor directly to share why wetland protection matters to you and to Georgetown's future. Contact info is available at gtcountysc.gov/directory.aspx?did=90.

🔗 Learn more about our wetlands work: scelp.org/local-wetlands-ordinances

06/19/2026

Flyer credit: Ashley Waters
Waccamaw tribal grounds at 591 Bluewater, Aynor, SC 29511

06/19/2026

https://www.wbtw.com/news/pee-dee/marion-county/marion-county-resident-officials-react-to-project-liberty-data-center-withdrawl/amp/?fbclid=IwZnRzaAShkoVleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEeD6cHvo_tS4mT_jXfjYnW29QloLnIH0nhXc3FCqiuwZ7-32BswAoU-cemymc_aem_lliPof1ZGWXHaiPyGJLnYQ

MARION COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) — Feelings of relief and disappointment surround Marion County residents and officials following the withdrawal of “Project Liberty,” a data center plan…

06/16/2026

We would like to extend a heartfelt THANK YOU to our friends at Grand Strand Brewing Co and White House Farms, along with our wonderful vendors and everyone who joined us for the P*e Dee to the Sea event this past Saturday. Thank you for helping us cleanup along the beach, celebrate the release of the P*e Dee Pilsner, and remember the importance of clean water throughout our watershed!

06/15/2026

The Black-Sampit team visited the Georgetown County Landfill recently for a facility tour and learned so much about the end life of our local waste in Georgetown County. Maureen Mulligan, who works in Environmental Services with the county leads the tours and is a wealth of information and dedication to the cause. You too can request a tour of the landfill, and we encourage you to do so!
If you ever wondered where your different recycling and waste goes, set up a tour and see it in action! Most recyclables in Georgetown County are sold to outside buyers to re-engineer and reuse the materials, like cardboard, plastics, plastic bags/film, and electronics.
We discussed how the surrounding waterways near the landfill are protected, and where there is room for improvement. Winyah Rivers is grateful to have such a good partner for our local environment with Maureen and the Georgetown County Landfill!

Learn more about the facility and what they accept here: https://www.gtcountysc.gov/267/Recycling
Check out the current Georgetown County Recycling Handbook here: https://www.gtcountysc.gov/DocumentCenter/View/423/Recycling-Handbook-PDF