Winyah Rivers Alliance received a $172,420 grant from the North Carolina Department of Justice and will partner with UNC Pembroke to create a water-quality monitoring program in the Lumber River watershed.

Winyah Rivers Alliance, based in Conway, S.C., is among recipients of the 2021 Environmental Enhancement grants designed to help improve and protect North Carolina’s natural resources. The local community and UNCP will support the monitoring program.

“UNCP is excited to partner with the Winyah Rivers Alliance to initiate and sustain a citizen-supported water quality monitoring program in the Lumber River watershed,” said Dr. Amber Rock, a freshwater ecologist and assistant professor in the Department of Biology.

A portion of the funding will be used to create a part-time monitoring coordinator position. The position will be housed in the biology department and supervised by Dr. Rock and Jeff Currie, the Lumber Riverkeeper and UNCP graduate.

“The program seeks to engage the community to develop a better understanding of the importance of water resources and to encourage their fellow citizens to take an active role in the preservation and restoration of their local water bodies and watersheds,” said Tina Christensen, Winyah Rivers Alliance executive director.