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- South Carolina Assessment Summary
- Water Quality by Waterbody Type
- Causes of Impairment
- Probable Sources Contributing to Impairments
- Previously Impaired Waters Now Attaining All Uses
- TMDL Alternatives by Cause of Impairment
- Causes of Impairment for 303(d) Listed Waters
- Cumulative TMDLs by Pollutant
- Cumulative Number of TMDLs
Data are also available for these years: 2002 2004 2006
Waterbody Changes from Prior Cycle
Comparison Summary by Reporting Year
For More Information:
South Carolina Assessment Report
State Water Quality Program
South Carolina 2008 Water Quality Assessment Report
Assessed Waters of South Carolina by Watershed
Search for a Waterbody within South Carolina
South Carolina Assessment Summary for Reporting Year 2008
Description of this table| Size of Water | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rivers and Streams (Miles) |
Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds (Acres) |
Bays and Estuaries (Square Miles) |
Coastal Shoreline (Miles) |
Ocean and Near Coastal (Square Miles) |
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| Good Waters | 2,008.8 | 91,964.1 | 316.4 | 2.1 | |||||||||||
| Previously impaired waters now attaining all uses |
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| Threatened Waters | |||||||||||||||
| TMDL completed | |||||||||||||||
| TMDL alternative | |||||||||||||||
| Non-pollutant impairment | |||||||||||||||
| TMDL needed | |||||||||||||||
| Impaired Waters | 3,593.8 | 28,394.5 | 229.7 | 4.0 | .0 | ||||||||||
| TMDL completed | 706.7 | 6.9 | 15.3 | ||||||||||||
| TMDL alternative | |||||||||||||||
| Non-pollutant impairment | |||||||||||||||
| TMDL needed | 2,887.1 | 28,387.5 | 214.4 | 4.0 | .0 | ||||||||||
| New TMDLs completed | .0 | .0 | .0 | .0 | .0 | ||||||||||
| Remaining TMDLs needed | 2,887.1 | 28,387.5 | 214.4 | 4.0 | .0 | ||||||||||
 |
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| Total Assessed Waters | 5,602.5 | 120,358.5 | 546.1 | 4.0 | 2.1 | ||||||||||
| Total Waters | 29,794.0 | 407,505.0 | 401.0 | Unavailable | Unavailable | ||||||||||
| Percent of Waters Assessed | 18.8 | 29.5 | 136.2 | Unavailable | Unavailable | ||||||||||
Summary of Water Quality Assessments for Each Waterbody Type
for Reporting Year 2008
South Carolina Assessed Waters
Summary of Water Quality Attainment for Rivers and Streams
Reporting Year 2008
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South Carolina Assessed Waters
Designated Use Support for Rivers and Streams
Reporting Year 2008*
* Waters assessed for more than one designated use are included in multiple designated use groups below.
Description of this table| Designated Use | Miles Assessed | Percent Good | Percent Threatened | Percent Impaired |  % Good |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 % Threatened |
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 % Impaired |
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| Aquatic Life Support | 5,373.6 | 60.1 | .0 | 39.9 | |
| Fish Consumption | 156.0 | 15.4 | .0 | 84.6 | |
| Primary Contact Recreation | 4,001.9 | 43.5 | .0 | 56.5 | |
South Carolina Causes of Impairment
for Threatened and Impaired Rivers and Streams
Reporting Year 2008
Description of this table
| Cause of Impairment | Cause of Impairment Group | Miles Threatened or Impaired |
|---|---|---|
| Fecal Coliform | Pathogens | 2,259.2 |
| Benthic Macroinvertebrates Bioassessments | Cause Unknown - Impaired Biota | 924.0 |
| Dissolved Oxygen | Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion | 574.8 |
| Copper | Metals (other than Mercury) | 444.3 |
| Mercury | Mercury | 257.3 |
| pH | pH/Acidity/Caustic Conditions | 160.8 |
| Zinc | Metals (other than Mercury) | 116.1 |
| Nickel | Metals (other than Mercury) | 101.1 |
| Turbidity | Turbidity | 68.1 |
| Chromium, Total | Metals (other than Mercury) | 29.0 |
| Ammonia, Total | Ammonia | 9.7 |
| Lead | Metals (other than Mercury) | 5.3 |
| PCB-1254 | Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) | 1.0 |
South Carolina Probable Sources of Impairments
for Threatened and Impaired Rivers and Streams
Reporting Year 2008
No probable sources of impairments reported.
South Carolina Assessed Waters
Summary of Water Quality Attainment for Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds
Reporting Year 2008
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South Carolina Assessed Waters
Designated Use Support for Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds
Reporting Year 2008*
* Waters assessed for more than one designated use are included in multiple designated use groups below.
Description of this table| Designated Use | Acres Assessed | Percent Good | Percent Threatened | Percent Impaired | % Good |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Threatened |
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| % Impaired |
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| Aquatic Life Support | 120,046.2 | 76.4 | .0 | 23.6 | |
| Fish Consumption | 60.0 | 50.0 | .0 | 50.0 | |
| Primary Contact Recreation | 119,371.2 | 99.9 | .0 | .1 | |
South Carolina Causes of Impairment
for Threatened and Impaired Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds
Reporting Year 2008
Description of this table
| Cause of Impairment | Cause of Impairment Group | Acres Threatened or Impaired |
|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus, Total | Nutrients | 16,132.1 |
| pH | pH/Acidity/Caustic Conditions | 11,294.9 |
| Copper | Metals (other than Mercury) | 5,608.7 |
| Chlorophyll-A | Algal Growth | 2,000.9 |
| Dissolved Oxygen | Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion | 1,285.7 |
| Ammonia, Total | Ammonia | 424.2 |
| Turbidity | Turbidity | 323.9 |
| Nitrogen, Total | Nutrients | 231.0 |
| Fecal Coliform | Pathogens | 175.9 |
| Zinc | Metals (other than Mercury) | 82.9 |
| Mercury | Mercury | 40.1 |
| PCB-1254 | Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) | 4.0 |
South Carolina Probable Sources of Impairments
for Threatened and Impaired Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds
Reporting Year 2008
No probable sources of impairments reported.
South Carolina Assessed Waters
Summary of Water Quality Attainment for Bays and Estuaries
Reporting Year 2008
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South Carolina Assessed Waters
Designated Use Support for Bays and Estuaries
Reporting Year 2008*
* Waters assessed for more than one designated use are included in multiple designated use groups below.
Description of this table| Designated Use | Square Miles Assessed | Percent Good | Percent Threatened | Percent Impaired | % Good |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Threatened |
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| % Impaired |
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| Aquatic Life Support | 78.7 | 82.0 | .0 | 18.0 | |
| Primary Contact Recreation | 79.9 | 70.0 | .0 | 30.0 | |
| Shellfish Harvesting | 464.0 | 58.4 | .0 | 41.6 | |
South Carolina Causes of Impairment
for Threatened and Impaired Bays and Estuaries
Reporting Year 2008
Description of this table
| Cause of Impairment | Cause of Impairment Group | Square Miles Threatened or Impaired |
|---|---|---|
| Fecal Coliform | Pathogens | 216.9 |
| Dissolved Oxygen | Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion | 6.1 |
| Copper | Metals (other than Mercury) | 4.3 |
| Turbidity | Turbidity | 4.0 |
| Ammonia, Total | Ammonia | 1.9 |
| pH | pH/Acidity/Caustic Conditions | .5 |
| Nickel | Metals (other than Mercury) | .3 |
| Zinc | Metals (other than Mercury) | .2 |
| Mercury | Mercury | .1 |
South Carolina Probable Sources of Impairments
for Threatened and Impaired Bays and Estuaries
Reporting Year 2008
No probable sources of impairments reported.
South Carolina Assessed Waters
Summary of Water Quality Attainment for Coastal Shoreline
Reporting Year 2008
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South Carolina Assessed Waters
Designated Use Support for Coastal Shoreline
Reporting Year 2008*
* Waters assessed for more than one designated use are included in multiple designated use groups below.
Description of this table| Designated Use | Miles Assessed | Percent Good | Percent Threatened | Percent Impaired | % Good |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Threatened |
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| % Impaired |
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| Fish Consumption | 4.0 | .0 | .0 | 100.0 | |
South Carolina Causes of Impairment
for Threatened and Impaired Coastal Shoreline
Reporting Year 2008
Description of this table
| Cause of Impairment | Cause of Impairment Group | Miles Threatened or Impaired |
|---|---|---|
| Mercury | Mercury | 4.0 |
South Carolina Probable Sources of Impairments
for Threatened and Impaired Coastal Shoreline
Reporting Year 2008
No probable sources of impairments reported.
South Carolina Assessed Waters
Summary of Water Quality Attainment for Ocean and Near Coastal
Reporting Year 2008
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South Carolina Assessed Waters
Designated Use Support for Ocean and Near Coastal
Reporting Year 2008*
* Waters assessed for more than one designated use are included in multiple designated use groups below.
Description of this table| Designated Use | Square Miles Assessed | Percent Good | Percent Threatened | Percent Impaired | % Good |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Threatened |
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| % Impaired |
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| Primary Contact Recreation | 2.1 | 99.4 | .0 | .6 | |
South Carolina Causes of Impairment
for Threatened and Impaired Ocean and Near Coastal
Reporting Year 2008
Description of this table
| Cause of Impairment | Cause of Impairment Group | Square Miles Threatened or Impaired |
|---|---|---|
| Enterococcus Bacteria | Pathogens | .0 |
South Carolina Probable Sources of Impairments
for Threatened and Impaired Ocean and Near Coastal
Reporting Year 2008
No probable sources of impairments reported.
South Carolina Causes of Impairment for Reporting Year 2008
Description of this table
| NOTE: Click on the underlined Cause of Impairment Group to see a list of specific state causes of impairment making up the Cause of Impairment Group. | |||||||||||||||
| Cause of Impairment Group | Size of Assessed Waters with Listed Causes of Impairment | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rivers and Streams (Miles) |
Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds (Acres) |
Bays and Estuaries (Square Miles) |
Coastal Shoreline (Miles) |
Ocean and Near Coastal (Square Miles) |
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| Algal Growth | 2,000.9 | ||||||||||||||
| Ammonia | 9.7 | 424.2 | 1.9 | ||||||||||||
| Cause Unknown - Impaired Biota | 924.0 | ||||||||||||||
| Mercury | 257.3 | 40.1 | .1 | 4.0 | |||||||||||
| Metals (other than Mercury) | 521.6 | 5,691.6 | 4.7 | ||||||||||||
| Nutrients | 16,144.6 | ||||||||||||||
| Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion | 574.8 | 1,285.7 | 6.1 | ||||||||||||
| Pathogens | 2,259.2 | 175.9 | 216.9 | .0 | |||||||||||
| pH/Acidity/Caustic Conditions | 160.8 | 11,294.9 | .5 | ||||||||||||
| Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) | 1.0 | 4.0 | |||||||||||||
| Turbidity | 68.1 | 323.9 | 4.0 | ||||||||||||
South Carolina Probable Sources Contributing to Impairments
for Reporting Year 2008
No probable sources reported.
South Carolina TMDL Alternatives by Cause of Impairment 2008
No TMDL Alternatives reported.
South Carolina Previously Impaired Waters Now Attaining All Uses
Description of this table| NOTE: Click on the underlined "Number of Waters Attaining" value for a detailed list of those waters now attaining all uses. | ||
| Cycle Attaining | Number of Waters Attaining | Number of Causes of Impairment Addressed |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 8 |
9 |
| 2004 | 38 |
39 |
| 2007 | 46 |
52 |
South Carolina Causes of Impairment for 303(d) Listed Waters
Description of this table| NOTE: Click on a cause of impairment (e.g. pathogens) to see the specific state-reported causes that are grouped to make up this category. Click on the "Number of Causes of Impairment Reported" to see a list of waters with that cause of impairment. | |
| Cause of Impairment Group Name | Number of Causes of Impairment Reported |
|---|---|
| Pathogens | 542 |
| Mercury | 185 |
| Cause Unknown - Impaired Biota | 164 |
| Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion | 137 |
| Metals (other than Mercury) | 131 |
| pH/Acidity/Caustic Conditions | 68 |
| Nutrients | 58 |
| Turbidity | 58 |
| Algal Growth | 15 |
| Ammonia | 8 |
| Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) | 5 |
Total: 1,371 Causes of Impairment
South Carolina Cumulative TMDLs by Pollutant
This chart includes TMDLs since October 1, 1995.
Description of this table| NOTE: Click on the underlined "Pollutant" value to see associated listed waters for which a TMDL was developed. Click on the underlined "Number of TMDLs" value to see a listing of those TMDLs for the pollutant. | ||
| Pollutant | Number of TMDLs | Number of Causes of Impairment Addressed |
|---|---|---|
| Fecal Coliform |  385 |
396 |
| Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) | 24 |
24 |
| NH3-N | 5 |
5 |
| Dissolved Oxygen | 4 |
4 |
| pH | 3 |
3 |
| Oxygen Demand | 2 |
2 |
| Phosphorus | 1 |
1 |
| Total Suspended Solids (TSS) | 1 |
1 |
Total: 425 TMDLs; 436 Causes of Impairment Addressed
South Carolina Cumulative Number of TMDLs
EPA Fiscal Year starts October 1 and ends September 30.
Description of this table
| NOTE: Click on the underlined "Number of TMDLs Completed" value for a detailed list of the TMDLs for the fiscal year. | ||
| Fiscal Year | Number of TMDLs | Number of Causes of Impairment Addressed |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 6 |
6 |
| 1999 | 20 |
20 |
| 2000 | 2 |
2 |
| 2001 | 15 |
15 |
| 2002 | 14 |
14 |
| 2003 | 20 |
20 |
| 2004 | 172 |
172 |
| 2005 | 138 |
141 |
| 2006 | 28 |
34 |
| 2007 | 6 |
6 |
| 2008 | 4 |
6 |
Total: 425 TMDLs; 436 Causes of Impairment Addressed