The Amazing Charleston Water Keepers and Their Work.

“In this time of climate warming and climate denial, we need to focus on hope. But not just hope alone. Hope, with action, leads to results; hope without action is a fantasy. This is Charleston Waterkeepers’ contribution through their works.”  Tony Barthelme is the author of Rising Waters and a four-time Pulitzer Prize Finalist.

On September 23, 2025, Kathy and I arrived early, perhaps a little too early, for a sunset cruise with Coastal Expeditions and a Speaker Series sponsored by the Charleston Waterkeepers.  We had participated in several Waterkeeper activities, including oyster shell clean-up, Oyster shell bagging for oyster reef creation, salt marsh grass seedling transplanting, and attending the Charleston Waterkeeper Volunteer Recognition Get-together. We were impressed by how down-to-earth and welcoming the staff was.

It was a delightful sunny 75°F autumn day, the second day of autumn, as we waited for around 30 people from the Charleston Waterkeeper community to gather to hear Tony Barthelme and Cheryl Carmack Smith give a talk on "The Impact of Living Shorelines” while enjoying a sunset nature cruise. Before the cruise, we had an incredible opportunity to speak with the staff of the Charleston Waterkeepers.

As we looked over the salt marsh grasses of Shem Creek north of the Coleman Street Bridge in Mount Pleasant, SC, on a second-story deck just below their offices, we could see Shem Creek slowly meandering through the marsh grasses of the intertidal zone. Andrew Wunderly, the Chief Operating Officer and Founder of Charleston Waterkeeper, explained that these marshlands are managed by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR). The only exception is if the landowner can prove they’re direct descendants of a relative who was granted the title to the land by the King of England some 400 years ago. Otherwise, SCDNR is responsible for overseeing the protection of this vital intertidal ecosystem.  

Cheryl Carmack Smith, Charleston Waterkeepers’ Project Manager, explained how the salt marshes are a crucial source of blue carbon for this ecosystem, sequestering carbon in their root systems that penetrate 12 to 15 inches deep, trapping decaying detritus and sediments. She further explained that over 70% of recreationally and commercially targeted saltwater fish species rely on estuaries, including salt marshes. Salt marshes act as critical nurseries, feeding grounds, and refuges for many small and juvenile fish. She explained, “As sea levels rise and storms are becoming stronger, the salt marsh also provides coastal protection against storm surges and flooding”.

The Charleston Waterkeepers have partnered with the SCDNR to restore our local river and shoreline through the collection, propagation, and transplanting of Spartina seed, a foundation species of marsh grass in the Carolinas. Additionally, they also support DNR’s South Carolina Oyster Recycling Enhancement Program (SCORE). Both efforts are mutually intertwined.  The salt marsh grasses stabilize the mud banks, preventing oyster reefs from being smothered with sediments. The oyster reefs, in turn, form a barrier against erosion of the marsh grasses. 

Andrew went on to explain that the management of the salt marshes means that adjacent landowners cannot arbitrarily fill in marshes for land development. However, developers do apply for permits to fill in marshes for projects deemed “beneficial to the community's common good”, such as road crossings, parking lots, and multi-family housing. These permits are generally not for large areas of the marsh, but rather for an acre or two here and five acres there. The planning departments may hold public hearings, but many times these projects proceed unopposed. Instead of being judged by public comments and the due diligence of an environmental impact statement, which would weigh the benefits of this ecosystem as part of the Common Green that benefits all within the watershed, “It amounts to death by a 1,0//the approval of such permits 00 cuts.” This is why citizens should get involved by attending the city and county hearings on planning and development on these projects in their community. Organizations such as the Coastal Conservation League and the Lowcountry Land Trust, along with other NGOs, are standing up to protect South Carolina's lands and waterways.

Harriott Parker, Director of Development & Stewardship, noted that many of the volunteers attending are from the Water Watchers program. She explained that these passionate individuals commit to sampling water from their designated sites in the Ashley, Cooper, Stono, and Wando Rivers every Wednesday, from May through October. Each sample they collect goes to the College of Charleston's Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences laboratory, where it undergoes testing for Enterococcus bacteria levels. As soon as the results are available, they are swiftly updated on the Water Watch map on their website, providing swimmers with timely and valuable information to ensure their safety.

“But that's not all!” stated Brittney Prebis, Charleston Waterkeeper's Community Science Manager. She went on to state that the samples are also carefully analyzed for other potential contaminants and pollutants, such as plastic pellets, hydrocarbons, and pesticides. The program takes a comprehensive approach, monitoring key water quality indicators and the overall health of our habitats by documenting trends in temperature, dissolved oxygen, salinity, phytoplankton diversity, and even invasive algae species.

Brittney summarized the historical data from water samples taken from 2018 to 2024. “We’ve noticed some trends emerge when looking back at the data from our longest-monitored sites. These trends include rising water temperatures, increasing salinity levels, and decreasing pH values, which means our waterways are becoming more acidic. These findings are consistent with other studies and are attributable to Ocean warming.”  We could not do this work without our incredible volunteers. In 2024, a total of 52 Creek Watchers volunteered 649 times at 50 sites, donating 756 volunteer hours – a contribution valued at over $25,000!

I had listened to Andrew on a podcast, Conversing with Nature, where he discussed two examples that combine scientific work and advocacy, each with a direct impact on reducing pollution in our waterways. In the James Island Creek example, Water Keepers served as community advocates. They are advocating for a clean creek and bringing everyone together to make it happen. In the second example, they successfully held a corporation accountable for its actions. He explained that these two projects combined science and law to improve the community and reduce pollution.

During the podcast, he stated, “I’m most proud of our work around James Allen Creek. The testing for bacteria in James Island Creek began in 2013, and it was immediately clear that the Creek had problems with high levels of bacteria.”  It quickly became clear that septic tanks were a major source of bacterial pollution. They collaborated with the Department of Environmental Services to demonstrate that the creek failed to meet water quality standards. This triggered a federal legal obligation cleanup plan, which provided a framework for the community. Representative Wetmore and Senator Campsen successfully secured allocations in the state budget for sewer extension upgrades to the James Island PSD. Additionally, others have come together to obtain funding from the Rural Infrastructure Authority. As a result, there is an $8 million sewer extension project in the Clarks Point neighborhood, designed to disconnect people from septic tanks in the low-lying area adjacent to the creek. This project will bring sewer lines into those communities, providing a better, more resilient solution for the future.

The second example he pointed to was from 2019, when a large quantity of small plastic pellets called nurdles washed up on Sullivan's Island one morning. It quickly became clear that a facility was releasing these substances. We gathered months of data and explored the marsh, collecting small pellets and measuring their density. As we approached this facility, the densities increased. We quickly identified the culprit and, with support from the Coastal Conservation League and the Southern Environmental Law Center, used the federal Clean Water Act and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act to bring a lawsuit against that company. This resulted in a $1,000,000 settlement that went to the Coastal Community Foundation and created the Healthy Harbor Fund, which now grants funds to support projects that benefit the health and water quality of the Charleston harbor. 

Thanks to Charleston Waterkeeper's tireless efforts, data from Water Watch is driving positive change for our clean water initiatives. They actively identify pollution issues, advocate for stronger protections, and tirelessly work towards improving our water quality. Our precious waterways face numerous challenges, including pollution, wetland loss, and the impacts of climate change. The Water Watch program empowers our community to act and make a tangible difference for our environment. I encourage you to look for a Waterkeeper organization near you on their interactive map at https://waterkeeper.org/findyourwaterkeeper/.