On December 11, 2025, the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SCDES) published the third iteration of the South Carolina State Water Plan. This plan was the culmination of a multi-year process initiated in 2014 by the SC Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) and completed by SCDES after SCDNR’s water planning responsibilities were moved to the newly created SCDES in July 2024. The new State Water Plan marks a milestone for water management in South Carolina, which has recently experienced rapid population growth and significant economic development. The new State Water Plan will help South Carolina meet the water needs of its people and economy for decades to come.
In 2018, SCDNR convened the State Water Planning Process Advisory Committee, now dissolved, which published a guidance document, the South Carolina State Water Planning Framework, in October 2019. The Planning Framework followed a recommendation of the 2004 State Water Plan calling for water planning to be done at a regional or basin level, and divided South Carolina into eight planning basins—the Broad, Catawba, Edisto, Lower Savannah-Salkehatchie, Pee Dee, Saluda, Santee and Upper Savannah—that roughly correspond to the state’s major watersheds. For each planning basin, a River Basin Plan would be developed that assessed the water resources and water use in that basin, estimated water use through the year 2070, identified water-quantity shortages, and proposed water management strategies to ensure adequate water availability through the next 50 years.
Each River Basin Plan was developed by a River Basin Council (RBC), a group of 20–25 stakeholders representing eight water interest categories defined in the Planning Framework. The diverse membership of each RBC allowed for a variety of perspectives to inform the River Basin Plan. Each RBC followed the guidelines in the Planning Framework and used technical information (water-demand projections and hydrologic models) provided by SCDES and others to develop a River Basin Plan that addressed anticipated water needs and water-related issues throughout the planning period.
Between May 2023 and December 2025, River Basins Plans were completed for seven of the eight planning basins. For the Catawba basin, the Catawba-Wateree Water Management Group’s Integrated Resources Plan served as that basin’s River Basin Plan, and no Catawba RBC was formed.
In September 2024, a new advisory group, the WaterSC Water Resources Working Group, was established by an Executive Order from Governor Henry McMaster. WaterSC reviewed work done by the RBCs, heard from the public during SCDES sponsored listening sessions, and developed its own recommendations for inclusion in the State Water Plan. WaterSC was tasked with helping to complete the State Water Plan by December 2025.
Technical information and management strategies presented in each River Basin Plan formed the basis of the new State Water Plan. The 2025 State Water Plan is a compendium of information, including a review of statewide water resources, the legal framework for how the resource is managed, drought management, current and projected future water demand, and water availability. The State Water Plan compiles water management strategies developed by the RBCs and WaterSC and their recommendations for how the state should focus its water planning efforts.
The plan highlights core issues common to all RBCs. Some of these ideas are that all water users should be treated the same, laws governing water management should be strengthened, funding should be available for long-term planning, water permits should be aligned to basin plans; and the public should be educated about statewide water management goals and policies. The plan also outlines recommendations made by the RBC and WaterSC planning groups. Major recommendations include ongoing water planning, strengthening coordination with neighboring states, supporting water reuse, and reviewing the laws and regulations governing water management.
Water planning will not end with the publication of the State Water Plan, and SCDES will continue implementing recommendations set forth in the plan. The priority recommendations are to continue the planning groups (both WaterSC and RBCs), improve interstate communication with North Carolina and Georgia, develop education and outreach programs, incorporate water quality issues into future planning, enhance data and monitoring, and continue funding the water planning process.
Overview
The South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SCDES) is legislatively mandated through the South Carolina Water Resources Planning and Coordination Act (§ 49-3-10, et. seq., Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976) to formulate and establish a comprehensive water resources policy or water plan for the State. The first edition of the South Carolina Water Plan was published in 1998, and was subsequently updated in 2004 to incorporate experiences and knowledge gained from the severe, statewide drought of 1998–2002. The 2004 Water Plan highlighted the need for water planning on a regional level.
In 2019, SCDNR published the South Carolina State Water Planning Framework (Planning Framework) under the guidance of the Planning Process Advisory Committee (PPAC). The Planning Framework describes the process of developing regional water plans, now formally called River Basin Plans, that will support the development of a new State Water Plan. River Basin Plans will be developed for the eight planning basins in the State – Broad, Catawba, Edisto, Lower Savannah-Salkehatchie, Pee Dee, Saluda, Santee, and Upper Savannah. To support the development of the River Basin Plans, hydrologic models have been developed for both the State’s surface water and groundwater resources and will be used along with water demand projections to assess current and future water availability in the State.
Frequently asked questions about the new State Water Planning Framework and river basin planning activities can be found here. A general description of the eight major river basins in South Carolina can be accessed here.