The Savannah River Clean Water Fund is a visionary bi-state effort to invest in forests today to help ensure clean, affordable water for future generations.
The Savannah River is a critical water resource for communities in South Carolina and Georgia. The quality of life in the watershed depends on the health of the River itself. It provides drinking water to over half a million people, and many businesses and industries rely on it for operations. It supports the local economy, maintains and creates jobs, provides recreational opportunities, and serves as beneficial wildlife habitat.
Forests in the watershed are being lost to development or converted to other uses, which has the potential to negatively impact water quality and increase drinking water treatment costs. Protecting and restoring forests in the Savannah River watershed today will help provide safe, reliable, and affordable drinking water for generations to come.
Why Conserve Forests in the Basin?
o Rural Jobs: Healthy, well-managed forests provide family-supporting jobs in rural areas and are a source of revenue for private landowners—almost 80% of the forests in the Basin are privately-owned.
o Clean Water: Forests protect our river by minimizing erosion and sedimentation, regulating temperature, controlling floods, filtering pollutants, and providing safe, affordable drinking water.
o Cost Savings: Clean source water is easier and more cost effective to treat for drinking water. Fewer chemicals are needed in the treatment process.
o Wildlife Habitat: Savannah River Basin forests support a rich diversity of game and nongame wildlife.
“Savannah River Clean Water Fund is a ground-breaking national model for how water utilities and industry from two states can work cooperatively with landowners and the forestry and conservation sectors to protect water resources.”
HIGHLIGHT:
Conservation Priority Index (CPI) Map
The Savannah River Watershed Conservation Priority Index (CPI) Map shows the areas of greatest importance for the conservation of clean drinking water in the lower Savannah River watershed.
In this process, forest parcels were scored based on factors like soil erodibility, proximity to a floodplain, risk of future land conversion, etc. Higher-ranked parcels are prioritized for conservation planning.
A step further: The Longleaf Alliance used publicly available data to reach landowners of prioritized forest parcels and determine their interest in forest management and conservation easements.