The Savannah Riverkeeper has three important goals:

1. Restore water quality in the Savannah River, its lakes and tributaries, to fully support the uses of fishing, swimming, drinking, recreation and habitat protection by:

• Ensuring that mercury and other contaminants are reduced to non-toxic levels.
• Sustaining biodiversity and facilitating the survival of protected species.
• Monitoring to ensure that NPDES permit limits are being observed.
  
• Participating in the establishment and enforcement of total maximum daily loads (TMDL's) for pollutants of concern.
• Working to improve levels of dissolved oxygen in all basin areas and by enhancing the environment for fish.
• Identifying and evaluating historical sources of contamination (abandoned factories, holding ponds, etc.) for stability and leakage.
• Helping to identify and eliminate the cause(s) of avian deaths in the basin.

2. Protect the Savannah River, its lakes and tributaries, through the establishment of buffers and the use of best management practices for activities that affect water quality by:

• Working with other organizations and agencies to map the Savannah basin for land use, water quality impairments, water quality testing, NPDES permits, and other factors that may affect water quality.
  
• Monitoring the adequacy of streamside buffers and buffer protection programs in the basin.
• Facilitating citizen monitoring of waters within the basin.
  
• Evaluating the impact of stormwater runoff on water quality in the basin.
• Evaluating and promoting compliance with best management practices for: construction, agriculture, forestry, and other activities that pose potential water quality threats.
  
• Determining the impact of exotic plants, shoreline management, pump-backs, and impoundments on fish populations and water quality.

3. Create a culture of water quality protection among the people of the basin by inspiring pride in their water resources and by educating them in ways to protect those resources by:

• Organizing lectures, seminars and workshops on all river basin issues.
  
• Developing and coordinating activities into networks of organizations who share our goals.
• Making recommendations to local community organizations and county, state and federal agencies as to measures needed to give greater protection to water quality.

   

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