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Aswe make our gift lists this season, I ask you to add one more to your list: the May River. Like a matriarch of a big family, the river has been the glue of our culture, our traditions, our fun times, our industries and our cuisine. She is like a rich grandma who always gives the best gifts; it is her pleasure to do so. Yet, because of her abundance, we don’t know what to give her – sometimes, we take her for granted.
It is time we all pause and remember that, like a favorite relative, the river has been taken for granted and it is getting harder and harder for her to freely give. As more development, people and animals move into this area, we must take precautions and protections now to preserve her for years to come.
This is a crucial time.
A little over three years ago, the town approved the first stormwater ordinance, which the county later adopted. Beaufort County Council just passed new rules for stormwater runof in this ordinance. This means all new development and redevelopment will be asked to maintain hydrology levels that existed before the new construction started.
Hydrology is the science of how water distributes itself and afects what is on land.
Realize that when water fows into the May River, it also takes with it animal feces, lawn chemicals and thousands of other irritants.
The Bluffton Town Council is in the process of adopting changes to its stormwater ordinance similar to Beaufort County’s. The revisions are expected to be adopted before 2010. Additionally, the town is crafting a May River Action Plan that will detail all the necessary steps to restore and maintain the May River. The town is using a $483,000 S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Controls Grant to reduce fecal coliform, the bacteria by-product of human and animal waste.
But it’s not just big development that needs to actively protect the river — it’s all of us. There are measures you can take to give back to the river this holiday season, this year and for a lifetime. They include:
- Rain barrels. Attach a barrel to your downspout to catch the rain. Use that to water your gardens and reduce the fow of water into the May River.
- Pet septic systems and other waste options: What to do with your pet’s waste? A pet septic system is a container with an open bottom, which is buried, except for the lid. The lid keeps odors in and insects out. You can also pick up your pet’s waste with a biodegradable plastic bag and throw it in the trash.
- Your lawn: Consider washing your car on your lawn; don’t fertilize before a rainstorm; and use cobblestone pavers or gravel, not impervious pavement.
For more information, call Kim Jones, Bluffton natural resources manager, at 843-706-4593.
Together, we can protect the May River so she can give us her gifts for another day, another decade and another lifetime.
