Learning About Watersheds, One Volunteer at a Time

Every month, Rosanne Maraziti and Lynette Stark go to the Murrells Inlet Public Boat Landing and get a bucketful of water to check its temperature, salinity (saltiness), pH, dissolved oxygen, and turbidity. For nearly four years, this dedicated volunteer team has been part of a unique community-powered initiative: the Saltwater Adopt-A-Stream program.

Managed by the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services and coordinated locally by the North Inlet-Winyah Bay Reserve, this program is transforming the way residents interact with and think about their local waterways. The state-wide Adopt-a-Stream program began as a way to provide the opportunity for those interested in the protection and improved management of South Carolina’s freshwater streams to be directly involved in monitoring and reporting. The program expanded to include saltwater environments in 2020 in response to the recognition of the need to engage coastal residents in watershed issues through local monitoring of the health of South Carolina’s coastal rivers, streams, and bays.

“We knew our freshwater protocols would need adaptation for the tidal saltwater systems,” Jen Plunket, stewardship coordinator for the Reserve explains. “The challenge was to balance scientific rigor with the practicalities of community involvement.”

In 2021, the Reserve was one of several coastal sites to pilot the “salty” phase of the program, and since then, volunteers have been making waves with 116 teams coastwide, and 14 active volunteers spread across nine sites within the Winyah Watershed. These volunteers, many of whom are graduates of the Reserve’s Winyah Master Naturalist Program, perform monthly water quality measurements, using equipment provided by the Reserve.

The challenges are considerable. To ensure consistency, volunteers must carefully follow sampling procedures and stick to a monthly sampling schedule, a task complicated by ever-shifting tides and weather conditions. Yet, as Plunket notes, “Our volunteers have shown incredible flexibility and commitment. Adapting our freshwater protocols to a tidal system has been a learning curve, but it’s been rewarding to see our community rise to the challenge.”

The personal stories of volunteers reveal the passion many volunteers have for protecting local waterways. Joe Cannon, who monitors high-traffic areas frequented by tourists, frequently engages passersby in conversations about the salt marsh’s delicate ecosystem. “The real joy for me is in teaching others about what we’re doing and why,” he says. “Seeing people’s interest and helping them understand the importance of water quality is incredibly fulfilling.”

Each month, volunteers like Maraziti and Cannon contribute to a growing database of water quality data, which has been invaluable in understanding not only the water quality of a particular site, but also how they vary across the watershed.

“You’d think tidal creeks around here are all the same, but that’s not the case,” Plunket notes. “These microscale differences matter greatly for the health of our salt marshes. Our data could provide insights into the ecology of these areas and contribute to understanding how climate change impacts them.”

For Plunket, managing the program has been a balancing act of logistics and inspiration. She’s quick to acknowledge the contributions of her volunteers, who have not only collected valuable data but also fostered a greater awareness of environmental issues.

“It’s a lot of management, but the process has become much smoother,” she says. “The program has definitely boosted community engagement in water quality and watershed issues. People are more aware of their local environment, and some volunteers have gone on to work on other related projects.”

As the program continues to grow, Plunket remains open to sharing her experiences with other Reserves and organizations. “I would be happy to share our protocols, equipment list, and methodology with anyone interested,” she says. Her advice to others looking to launch similar initiatives includes careful planning of data management to ensure that volunteers’ efforts are effectively utilized.

The Saltwater Adopt-A-Stream program is more than just a monitoring initiative; it represents a powerful model of community engagement and environmental stewardship, one that is fostering a deeper connection between residents and the coastal lands that make South Carolina special.

As Cannon reflects, “The tools we use provide hands-on experience for kids and spark conversations about the importance of our salt marshes. It’s a reminder that everyone has a role to play in protecting our environment.”

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