Recycle Guys Public Service Announcements
DHEC Celebrates International Day of Women and Girls in Science
February 11 is, International Day of Women and Girls in Science, ,, an observance that aims to promote full and equal access for women and girls to participate in science, technology, engineering and math education and careers. , "Historically, women haven’t been given the same opportunities as men to pursue a love of science, which is why we’re happy to celebrate the efforts of International Day of Women and Girls in Science to achieve fair and equal access to science and technology fields of study,”, Dr. Edward Simmer said., “At DHEC, we are fortunate to employ many women who did pursue their love for science and use their knowledge and expertise every day to serve and protect South Carolinians in many ways.", Thank you to all of the women who work in careers here at DHEC. Whether serving in the lab, working as an epidemiologist in a program area or ensuring a management information system functions correctly, you help our agency work toward our shared vision of, healthy people living in healthy communities., These women show our core value of, Advancing Equity, , strategic pathway of, Science in Action, and goal to, Provide Quality Services.,Pesticide Handling
Memorandum on Pesticide Handling (pdf) Pesticide Disposal Fact Sheet (pdf)February 2 is World Wetlands Day: Congaree National Park
February 2 is World Wetlands Day, and it’s a great occasion to learn about South Carolina’s beautiful wetlands and their importance. Wetlands are vegetated aquatic ecosystems that include areas such as Carolina bays, marshes and swamps. There are approximately 4.1 million acres of wetlands in South Carolina, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Wetlands support the state’s economy…, Congaree National Park (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov), .EJ Strong Partners with Lower Richland Students to Collect Water Samples
DHEC’s Environmental Justice Strong program, or , EJ Strong, ,, in collaboration with the University of South Carolina’s , South Carolina Section of the American Water Works Association (SCAWWA) and Water Environment Association of South Carolina (WEASC), Carolina Water Club Student Chapter, recently initiated a water monitoring endeavor in partnership with students from Lower Richland High School as part of the Lower Richland’s Citizens Earning and Learning Initiative. Collaboration between the Lower Richland Community and EJ Strong started in November 2022, identifying flooding as a significant environmental concern in the area. In response…, Beata Dewitt, La’Nya Green, and , Robert Reese, of EJ Strong have taken the lead in establishing a Community Water Monitoring Group, including participation from students at Lower Richland High School. On Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024, students collected water samples along the Cedar Creek of Congaree National Park using DHEC’s Adopt-a-Stream Freshwater Monitoring Kits. The Carolina Water Club facilitated the water sampling event, leveraging their…DHEC Celebrates World Oceans Day by Spotlighting Adopt-a-Beach Program
DHEC is celebrating , World Oceans Day, on June 8. Established by the United Nations, the day recognizes the role of oceans in our everyday life. It also inspires actions to protect the ocean and encourage sustainable use of marine resources. The ocean provides a myriad of benefits including food, medicine, climate regulation, natural resources, jobs, and recreation. In addition, ocean environments are home to countless living…, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, (NOAA), South Carolina’s ocean economic sectors, including living marine resources, marine construction, ship and boat building, marine transportation, offshore mineral extraction, tourism and recreation, accounted for over , 87,000 jobs, , over , 3,600 establishments, , , $2.1 billion in wages, , and , $5.4 billion, in GDP in 2018. At the same time, the world’s oceans are currently facing significant threats, including pollution, overfishing, warming ocean temperatures, and habitat loss. It is estimated that , 8 million metric tons of plastic, enter the ocean each year. According to , NOAA, , while plastics break into smaller and smaller pieces over time, they never completely degrade. The remaining tiny plastic particles are referred to as microplastics, and they’re ubiquitous in ocean and coastal environments around the world. Plastics and other types of debris pose a threat to marine animals, including threatened, endangered, and commercially valuable species. Marine debris can…, Adopt-a-Beach program, is a volunteer-based cleanup program that aims to reduce litter along the state’s coastline. Over the past 5 years, Adopt-A-Beach partners have removed an estimated , 5,800 pounds, of marine debris from South Carolina beaches. Cigarette butts are the most commonly found type of marine debris on South Carolina beaches – , over 58,700 , have been logged and removed by Adopt-A-Beach partners in the last 5 years. For more information on how to participate in the program, visit the Beach Cleanup page at , MyCoast South Carolina, . , Through the Adopt-a-Beach program, DHEC displays the core value of , Promoting Teamwork, . By celebrating World Oceans Day, we are demonstrating the agency strategy of , Education and Engagement, . , Looking for other ways to be an ocean steward and make a difference?, Consider the seafood you eat and choose sustainable options when possible. Consult , South Carolina Aquarium’s Good Catch, , a resource that generates awareness and leads communities in support of local fisheries and consumption of responsibly harvested seafood. As you celebrate the world’s oceans today, check out these other cool ocean facts from , NOAA, ., The ocean covers , over 70% of the Earth’s surface, and includes , over 96% of the Earth’s water., , Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, is the largest living structure on Earth and can be seen from the moon! The deepest part of the ocean is in the Mariana Trench, , nearly 7 miles, beneath the waves! , Coral reefs, cover only 1/50th of the ocean floor, but about one quarter of all the marine species make coral reefs their home. No light penetrates the ocean at depths greater than , 3,280 feet., Aided by deep diving rovers and remote sensing cameras, scientists are , still discovering new species, beneath the waves. , The Gulf Stream, transports more water than all of the Earth’s rivers combined. The mid-ocean ridge crisscrosses the globe for , over 40,000 miles, and is the largest geological feature on Earth. About , 95%, of the ocean remains unexplored! Ocean Economy Fact SheetFebruary 2 is World Wetlands Day; SPOTLIGHT: Cathedral Bay Heritage Preserve
February 2 is World Wetlands Day, , and it’s a great occasion to learn about South Carolina’s beautiful wetlands and their importance. DHEC works with other agencies, such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the S.C. Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR), to help protect wetlands across our state. Wetlands are vegetated aquatic ecosystems that include areas such as Carolina bays, marshes, and swamps. There are…, 4.1 million acres, of wetlands in South Carolina, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Wetlands are also home to reptile and amphibian populations as well as rare plants. In addition to being a haven for wildlife, the watery environments provide safety and health benefits to communities in the state by reducing flooding as well as cleaning and replenishing water supplies. This year, , the, , Environmental Affairs Team, would like to highlight , Cathedral Bay Heritage Preserve., Also known as Chitty Bay or Chitty Pond, it is almost a pure stand of Pond Cypress. Cathedral Bay The trees have wide buttressed bases, an adaptation to saturated and flooded soils. Looking off into the distance from within the bay, these majestic trees appear closer together as they recede into the distance, bringing to mind the view one might have standing inside a towering cathedral among the…DHEC and DNR Work Together to Restore Oyster Beds
DHEC works throughout the year to support healthy people living in healthy communities. This includes teaming up with the , South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (DNR), for that agency’s , S.C. Oyster Recycling and Enhancement (SCORE) program , during , Trident United Way’s Day of Caring, . SCORE collects oyster shells from , 30 sites, and then uses these oyster shells to create new oyster beds. In this way, DHEC and DNR work together to restore and enhance South Carolina’s coastal resources. , “This opportunity brings the community together from Berkeley, Dorchester, and Charleston counties to make a beneficial impact to our surrounding environment,” , said Sean Briggs, , , Manager of DHEC’s Compliance and Enforcement Section of Ocean and Costal Resources Management., “By bagging these oyster shells and then later planting them into the environment, we’re contributing directly to the restoration of that environment.”, With an estimated , over 300,000 bushels of shells, consumed within South Carolina each year, , Michael Hodges with DNR, emphasized SCORE as a way of promoting conservation of the environment., “The purpose of the program is to engage the public hands on restoration and foster environmental stewardship,” , he said., “We’re always looking for new folks to come and volunteer with us. There are plenty of opportunities for the public to come help us create this new very valuable habitat.”, To learn more about SCORE or sign up to volunteer, Engaging in projects such as this one demonstrates DHEC’s core value of , promoting teamwork, and shows the agency strategy of , science in action, .DHEC celebrates GIS Day 2023
November 15 is GIS Day, and we wanted to take this opportunity to celebrate DHEC’s own Geographic Information System, , (GIS) team. The seven-member GIS Section is overseen by GIS Section Manager , Ken Compton. , “I believe that being able to map and transform data into visual products creates a valuable asset to our DHEC Employees and for South Carolina residents as a whole,”, Ken said. , “GIS provides opportunities to create products such as simple locate applications, complex data dashboards and even embraces newer technologies like transforming drone flights into 3D maps,” , he said. “, All of these capabilities give my staff the ability to make a difference for the health and well-being in the everyday lives of all South Carolinians.”, , On a routine basis for internal clients, the GIS team creates web applications using a variety of data types. The Enterprise GIS infrastructure employed is a full mapping and analytics platform that shares spatial information and analysis on any device at any time. For external customers, they offer web application tools to better understand topics such as watershed dynamics, point and non-…, Recent Accomplishments, To highlight just a few of their accomplishments over the past year, the GIS team enhanced the , Inpatient and ICU Bed utilization dashboard,, the PFAS internal and external web applications, and unveiled the , BLWM Public Records Locator Tool, . The Public Records web application provides open access to currently available spatial information that the BLWM inventories. In addition, GIS Team Member, , Samuel Nyarkoh, received a , 2023 Director’s Award, for thinking “without the box” to create a new and creative digital solution to assist our Ocean and Coastal Resource Management’s Emergency Operations staff in quickly assessing habitable buildings, pools and erosion-control structures in the aftermath of hurricanes and tropical storms. The latter is a great example of how GIS is used during emergency response to assist with ongoing updates on…, Learn More, Check out this , story map, to explore the GIS web applications on your own. According to Jack Dangermond, Eris GIS software founder: , “As we continue advancing and leveraging GIS, we’re going to achieve extraordinary things. The application of GIS is limited only by the imagination of those who use it.” ,DHEC recognizes Dam Safety Awareness Day
Dam Safety Awareness Day is observed nationally on May 31 every year to mark the anniversary of the, Johnstown Flood, , a flood that resulted from the 1889 failure of the South Fork Dam in Pennsylvania and caused the deaths of 2,208 people. This remains the third largest loss of civilian life in a single day in the United States behind the 1900 Galveston Hurricane and the 9/11/2001 terrorist attacks. It is fitting that the anniversary of this horrific event – which also happens to coincide with the start of…, New Tools of the Trade, , Drones:, Dam safety was an early adopter of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), or drones as they are commonly referred to, within DHEC. Drones allow program staff to reach areas previously deemed unsafe or extremely difficult to access. They have the capability to collect high-resolution pictures, videos and elevation data. Topographic maps and 3-D models of ponds, dams and surrounding areas are generated…, Kelsy Grogan. , , Bathymetry:, Bathymetry is the technique of mapping the bottoms of ponds, lakes, rivers and the ocean. The program uses bathymetry equipment to create detailed 3-D models of the impoundment created by a dam. These 3-D models allow staff to create elevation-storage relationships for impoundments, including the maximum impoundment volume, which is a critical input for dam breach modeling. This capability…, Keeping the Public Informed, The data collected from UAV flights, bathymetric surveys and modeling not only are used by the Dam Safety team in decision-making, but the data also can provide valuable data to the public to further understanding and visualization of dam safety issues in South Carolina communities. The most recent spatial tool the program has explored is the use of ArcGIS Storymaps to display data in a…, storymap, for yourself!