Upper Saluda River. (File photo).
PICKENS COUNTY — Save our Saluda announces a third grant award from the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services to protect water quality in the Upper Saluda Watershed.
The $300,000 grant will allow Save Our Saluda and partnering organizations to work with local landowners and farmers within the watershed to develop and implement projects aimed at reducing soil runoff to streams and rivers and ultimately Saluda Lake. The grant includes $200,000 additional matching support from partners and participants.
The Upper Saluda Watershed drains approximately 110,000 acres in northwest Greenville County and 80,000 acres in northeast Pickens County. Headwaters originate in the Blue Ridge Mountains and flow south to Saluda Lake. Saluda Lake and its contributing rivers are vital water resources for local communities that provide drinking water, support business and industry, offer recreational opportunities, and sustain a rich diversity of aquatic life. Headwaters of both the North and South Saluda Rivers are protected and feed reservoirs that supply water to the greater Greenville area.
Downstream near Greenville, Easley Combined Utilities (ECU) provides drinking water sourced from Saluda Lake to over 100,000 customers in the rapidly growing Easley area.
The Upper Saluda Watershed Implementation for Sediment Project #3 will provide up to 90% cost share assistance to landowners within the watershed for soil conservation projects to protect and improve water quality. The project has the potential to reduce sediment runoff to surface waters by over 450 tons per year. Participation is voluntary and based on eligibility and prioritization according to approved watershed plans.
Funding for this cooperative program was provided in part by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and made possible by the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act and through additional support from Easley Combined Utilities, Trees Upstate, Greenville County, Renewable Water Resources and other partner organizations.