Christine Ellis is Waccamaw riverkeeper

By JEFFERSON WEAVER
Staff Writer

Many people are taken aback when they find out the Waccamaw riverkeeper was once an industrial chemist.

“They think industry is supposed to be the enemy,” Christine Ellis said recently. “That’s not the case – people have to work together to protect the environment, and working against one group doesn’t help.”

Ellis started the job in August. She replaced Hamp Shuping, the first keeper for the Waccamaw.

Ellis said the job has changed since she took over the position. Ellis is more likely to be found in a classroom or a municipal board meeting than on the river in a boat.

“The job is more scientific now,” she said. “I see myself as an educator.”

Ellis taught college biology at Coastal Carolina University, where she got involved with the Winyah Rivers Foundation. Winyah Bay is located in South Carolina, and drains the Waccamaw and other North and South Carolina river systems.

“I am an advocate for the entire watershed,” she said. “We are all affected by what happens along our rivers and streams and in the swamps.”

The increased presence of mercury in the Waccamaw has put the system in the headlines recently, as consumption warnings for some species of fish have been issued by the state.

Ellis said the mercury problems – primarily with predator fish like pickerel, bass, and blackfish – are a problem that can only be solved through cooperation and education. Mercury can cause serious illness and birth defects in humans.

“Mercury comes from some types of industrial plants,” she said. “There has to be a cooperative effort between government, citizens and industries to keep pollutants out of the watershed.”

The primary source of the local mercury contamination was a plant near Lake Waccamaw that closed in 2000. Coal-fired plants and other industries can still contribute to the problem, Ellis said.

Increasing development along the Waccamaw is creeping up the river, Ellis said. Increased development can lead to stormwater runoff issues, as well as other problems.

“My job is to work with state and federal governments to make sure reasonable, enforceable policies are in place,” she said. “I want to make sure the best management practices are in use for everyone involved.”

Although more of her work is done by computer, telephone and presentation, Ellis said she still loves the water, and the riverkeeper program needs support from similarly minded individuals.

“We need people on the water who know and enjoy the water,” she said. “We need people who have their fingers on the pulse of what’s going on – people who will see trash, or changes in the environment.”

The “inside” job also needs the support of volunteers, she said.

“We need people who will keep up with issues, attend town and county board meetings, and be willing to write to their elected officials,” she said. “There’s a lot to do, even for people who aren’t boating enthusiasts. We need people who are willing to get involved in the issues.

“We all need to be concerned about the health of the watershed,” she said. “It’s one of the most pristine habitats left in either state, and it’s ecologically delicate. Everyone has to work together to protect it, and we all benefit from a cleaner environment, not to mention a beautiful river like the Waccamaw.”

For more information about the riverkeeper program, go to www.wunyahrivers.org.