The Saluda River and Reedy River in upper South Carolina flow through one of the most rapidly growing and developing regions in the country. Within the 1,165 square mile watershed above Lake Greenwood, the population is increasing at the rate of approximately 32 people per day, while open land is being converted to development at the rate of about 23 acres per day.

There is no doubt that the Saluda-Reedy watershed will continue to experience dramatic growth and change. Nor is there any doubt about the urgent need to plan for this growth and to adopt policies to ensure that its water resources are protected to meet all of the demands of this increasing population--for drinking water, tourism, recreation, economic development and waste treatment.

The Saluda-Reedy Watershed Consortium was formed to provide assistance, support and science-based information to state and local agencies and the public in addressing the immense challenges that confront the watershed. The members of the Consortium include Upstate Forever, a nonprofit organization which serves as the Project Coordinator; Clemson University's Jim Self Center on the Future; the Clemson Institute of Environmental Toxicology; South Carolina Water Resources Center; South Carolina Department of Natural Resources; Pinnacle Consulting Group, Inc; Friends of the Reedy River, Inc.; Conestee Foundation; Furman University; and Lander University. The Consortium's mission is "clean, healthy and abundant waters for the Saluda-Reedy watershed."

With support provided by the V. Kann Rasmussen Foundation, the Consortium will focus on the following projects over the next two years: a predictive growth model that will graphically show how urbanization will expand in the watershed if development patterns remain unchanged; an economic study that will quantify the costs that upstream users are imposing on downstream users; an assessment of current water quality and sediment conditions in the watershed and the causes of those conditions; and the measures and policies needed to address issues and problems in the watershed in an integrated, comprehensive manner. A grant from Fujifilm, awarded at the same time as the V. Kann Rasmussen grant, will be used for educational purposes.

For more information visit: www.upstateforever.org