A Woman You Want To Meet: Christine Ellis

  Langston Hughes wrote once, “I’ve known rivers; I’ve known rivers ancient as the world and older than the flow of human blood in human veins.” We sing “yes, we’ll gather at the river, the beautiful, the beautiful river.”

  Christine Ellis also knows about rivers because she is the Riverkeeper for the Waccamaw, one of five rivers that drain into Winyah Bay. The origins of a Riverkeeper go back to England in the Middle Ages when villages would hire a private citizen to look after the trout streams so that no one could abuse the waterways that were owned, utilized, and enjoyed by all of the people in the villages. In a similar fashion, Christine is a paid advocate for the Riverkeeper Program of the Winyah Rivers Foundation; her mission is to educate, advocate and mobilize citizens to protect “her” river.

  Remember in school we learned that as a flowing body of water, a river generally begins at a snow melt (glacier) or natural spring and flows towards a larger body of water (lake, sea or ocean). At the source of a river, the water is relatively pure. But as it flows downstream it picks up silt and minerals from the soil and rock in the river bed. As well, many other chemicals enter river water as it flows downstream, including animal waste, human sewage, agricultural/farm runoff, urban runoff and mining/factory effluent. Yuk!

  From rivers come our drinking water, irrigation water, hydro-electrical power, transportation, food, and recreation opportunities. The later two are strong uses of the Waccamaw River and Christine Ellis knows the best and worst of this water. She is all too aware of the danger of mercury that is poisoning fish and plant life all along our rivers. The SC Department of Health and Environmental Control has posted warnings to limit consumption of largemouth bass, for example, to one meal per month due to mercury contamination. Christine urges people to become more aware of how special our rivers, especially the Waccamaw, are to our area. Many species are found here and no where else in the country. There are still parts of the river where one feels as though they are alone in the vastness of the wilderness; while others are a boating and recreational heaven. She also realizes that “just meeting the legal requirements” is not enough to restore and protect the river from commercialism and industry; rather it is future standards that need to be met today.

  Christine has a Bachelor of Science in Biology, specializing in Zoology, from the University of Western Ontario in London, Canada and a Master of Science in Environmental Management from the University of San Francisco, CA. She has also been an adjunct professor at both Horry-Georgetown Technical College and Coastal Carolina University. She also has an extensive background in environmental compliance and management for industry. Being the Waccamaw Riverkeeper is something she is very proud of and her passion to protect and preserve the natural heritage for ourselves and future generations to enjoy is strong. It isn’t always easy.

  One of her duties is education; she is constantly looking for ways to engage people in learning and caring for and about the Waccamaw River. She offers “Riverwatch” classes where issues and solutions are discussed as well as ways to become stewards of the watershed. “Eco-movie Mondays” has been another way to engage people of all ages in learning more about the ecology of our river systems. Volunteers are vital to serve as the “eyes and ears” of their local communities; to report pollution sources, organize cleanups and help raise awareness.  She also must coordinate with local, state and federal agencies and other environmental groups to stay current of actions affecting the Waccamaw River and watershed. As well, she facilitates fundraising activities to support the Wacccmaw Riverkeeper program and its mission.

  It isn’t always easy and change doesn’t happen quickly but Christine realizes that what she does today will have an impact on tomorrow.  She remains confident that the Waccamaw River is and will be protected and preserved. Indeed, through her efforts and other Riverkeepers, perhaps we too will be able to say with G.K. Chesterton, at the end of one of his poems, “but I don’t care where the water goes if it doesn’t get into the wine.”

  For more information about the Winyah Rivers Foundation and the Riverkeeper Program go to their website at www.winyahrivers.org, email Christine at wk@coastal.edu or call her office at 843-349-4007.  Find out how you can help protect our river water.