Santee Riverkeeper Blog

National energy diversification strategy and implementations must be aggressively pursued to improve the health of our environment and to reduce the instance rate for diseases and cancer.

Of course there are many solution paths that lead to a reduction of carbon emissions here on planet Earth; however, the most prudent choice is to expand solar power electricity generation immediately via the photovoltaic effect.

-Santee Riverkeeper

The traditional tendency to use fossil fuels is diminishing. The installation of a pipeline within the heartland and above our nation's largest underground freshwater aquifer the "old-fashioned" way is becoming extinct.  The subsidies provided to the fossil-fuel industry by the government for the construction of the mechanisms to harvest fossil fuels should be used instead to diversify our energy production portfolio especially in solar wind and others.  Approximately 32 million watts of energy per square mile day strike the surface of the earth daily (11.5 billion watts/square mile annually).  Furthermore, The EIA reports that in 2011, fossil fuel powered generation was 1,593,912 MWh. In order to replace 30% of the fossil fuel production, we would need only to install 40 square miles of solar cells.  Now that's the a way to create jobs.  The efficiency of solar technology cells will increase at the rate of doubling for every three years;  I believe that if the consumption of the solar energy increases at the industrial, commercial, and residential levels production and innovation will occur and the photovoltaic efficiency will increase.  With this increase of solar power consumption the pollution in our environment will decrease. The health of our people will increase.  Land, air and water quality will improve.  New markets for the construction, distribution, installation, and maintenance will be created.  The expansion of the new economy does not include fossil fuels.   Fossil fuels are being phased "down."  For this reason it is prudent that we aggressively seek alternative sources of energy.

- Santee Riverkeeper

Figure1. - U.S Energy Production for the past decade by type

 Figure 2 - Energy production % change by type from previous year and as a percentage of total production for current year.

According to my research, it has been 32 years since some of the first synthetic liners were installed at the toxic waste dump located near Rimini, SC. Also, according to the research those liners are warranted for only 50 years.

I have spoken with a state authority responsible for managing and maintaining the monitoring wells in and surrounding the toxic waste dump near Rimini, SC and according to them the measurements from the samples are within tolerance.

On the other hand, my opinion is that once ground water contamination occurs it is too late.  We have a zero tolerance campaign for littering.  How about a zero tolerance campaign for toxic waste dump contamination of groundwater?

Dedicated to U!

The 3^rd Annual Santee Riverkeeper Waterbody Rally is dedicated to U.  You are the one who loves water.  You are the one who walks the shores and picks up garbage.  You are  the one who says "pick that up."  You are the one who silently picks it up.  You are the one who notices.  You are the one that recycles.  You are the one who designs products with the environment in mind.  You are the one who buys products with the environment in mind.  You are the one who adjusts the burners to optimize the vortex.  You are the one who turns the light off when not in that room.  You are the one who plants.  You are the one who harvests.  You are the one who writes the memo.  You are the one who reads it.  You are the one who takes action.  You are the one who volunteers.  You are the one who donates.  You are the one who knows why.  You are the one who is curious and asks why.  You are the one who takes measurements.  You are the one who reads gauges.  You are the one who writes the rules & regs.  You are the one who enforces them.  You are the one who doesn't want credit but only wants to make a difference.  You are a responsible water shed citizen.  Clean water is not a gamble.  It is due to the efforts of all of U and the reason: Clean Water.  Here's to U.

-Santee Riverkeeper

Chapel Branch probably once was a thermal refuge during the hot summer months for whatever population amounts of the short-nosed sturgeon that still exist in Lake Marion. As of 1998, there were no accurate population estimates of the short-nosed sturgeon within the Santee River, Lake Marion, or Lake Moultrie. [1]

The cool water that flows from an underground artesian well at the head waters of Chapel Branch near Santee, South Carolina was a perfect place for the sturgeon to escape the warm waters of the lake during the summer months. However, at least for the past seventeen years the problem is that the creek has been filled in with storm water sediment and now there exists only a narrow channel approximately 15 feet wide and approximately 2 feet deep during the summer months. Flowing through two storm water pipes storm water is excavating and dumping sediment originating from the streets of Town of Santee and a gulch between Interstate 95 and Bass Drive. The flow of the creek has been all but dammed by the sediment.

The Lake Marion population segment of short-nosed sturgeon is considered land-locked. [1]

Other Reasons:

There are also other factors pertinent to the population decline of the short-nosed sturgeon: the introduction of invasive species that create predatory competition with the sturgeon (certain species of catfish), contaminants that interfere with reproduction (PCB's, waste water effluent), hydrological barriers that prevent the natural migration of the sturgeon (dams), and capture from fishing (bait and hook), etc. [1]

Populations Trends for Short-nose Sturgeon in NC, SC.

• Winyah Bay, Waccamaw, Pee Dee, Black Rivers; SC, NC: unknown trend [1] [A].
• Santee River (SC): unknown trend [1] [A].
• Cooper River (SC): unknown trend [1] [A], 100-300 fish in recent years [3].
• ACE Basin (Ashepoo, Combahee, and Edisto Rivers; SC): unknown trend [1] [A].

The short-nose sturgeon was listed as endangered throughout its range on March 11, 1967 under the Endangered Species Preservation Act of 1966 (a predecessor to the Endangered Species Act of 1973). The NMFS later assumed jurisdiction for short-nose sturgeon under a 1974 government reorganization plan outlined in Federal Register Id (38 FR 41370). [4]

References: 
[1] http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/pdfs/recovery/sturgeon_shortnose.pdf 119 pages.
[2] National Marine Fisheries Service. 1998. Recovery Plan for the short-nose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum). Silver Springs, Maryland. 104 pages.
[3] National Marine Fisheries Service. 2004. Biennial Report to Congress on the Recovery Program for Threatened and Endangered Species, October 1, 2002-September 30, 2004. Washington (DC): Department of Commerce.
[4] http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/fish/shortnosesturgeon.htm 1 page.
[A] extinct or not measured or can't seem to locate (MB)




If there are any errors or ommissions, please contact Riverkeeper@SanteeRiverkeeper.org.

About fifteen years ago I attended the Annual Shad Festival held at Boscobel in Garrison, New York overlooking the beautiful Henry Hudson River.  While listening to one of the speakers, I learned something very interesting and new to me at the time.  Most, if not all, of the United States jurisdictional waters are owned by the citizens of the United States.  There are agencies and departments at many different levels that manage the public trust waters and they do their job with the resources allotted to them by the various budgeting committees.  We fund these agencies and put our trust in them to do the right thing given the circumstances that have to be considered at any point in time such as the rainfall amounts, the heat index, wind chill, the economy, how much fuel is in the tank, whether there's bread in the pantry, meat on the grill, and finally checking to see if that little 'ole yellow light bulb that is used on the front porch that doesn't attract flies at night isn't burnt out, and many more.

Water lovers from all around the world have a common mission to protect our water quality.  They come from all walks of life, nationalities, and parties to work together.  Each ones primary goal is to assist in a common vision to ensure that your water is pure enough to drink, clean enough to swim in, healthy enough for animals to drink and fish to live in.  They work long hours just as others do within other organizations and sometimes for nothing to seek out polluters, and to search for solutions with pollution problems and seek partnerships with like-minded organizations.

When I grew up on Lake Marion, I heard many individuals give their opinion about the water such as the water levels, garbage, litter, tires, and toxic waste dumps.  I was young then and was very far from understanding the dynamics, scope and ramifications of how water affects every aspect of our daily life.  My primary concerns about the water back then was where the schools of large mouth bass in Elliotts Flats were located and where the best place to place a few dozen duck decoys in Sparkleberry Swamp was.  After returning home I have found that some things have changed and some things have gotten better.  Some people still complain about the water, and some people do something about it.

Since the public trust waters of the Santee River Basin are owned by you, me, and every other citizen who resides in the basin, I'll call it mine, you can call it yours, and we'll take ownership and responsibility in continuing our best management practices (BMP's) to protect our water.  Sea you Water Lovers out on the water…