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The Town of Bluffton, SC was a one square mile coastal village until it experienced exponential growth mainly within the last decade. Today it is approximately 54 square miles and is one of the largest municipalities in South Carolina. Until this recent growth, few sources of possible impairments to water quality were recognized within the watershed, and even fewer within close proximity to the river itself. In 2007, the Town was told by SC Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) that fecal coliform levels in the headwaters of the May River were increasing. In 2009 the river received a shellfish harvesting classification down-grade due to high fecal coliform levels. In response to this down-grade, the Town of Bluffton, with Beaufort County and stakeholders, committed to take action to restore shellfish harvesting in the river and to prevent further degradation to the river. Following the USEPA guidelines for developing watershed plans, Town staff worked for nearly a year with consultants, Beaufort County, topic experts and local residents to develop the May River Watershed Action Plan, which was adopted by Town Council in November 2011. The May River Watershed Action Plan:  Provides a strategy for assessing problems and implementing solutions to restore shellfish harvesting in the May River.  Provides a strategy for assessing and implementing preventative measures to protect the May River from future degradation.  Identifies opportunities for land purchase, conservation easement purchase, and public, private and public/private opportunities for retrofit projects. This case study outlines how the Town implemented the USEPA’s planning process, as well as the lessons learned during the development of the May River Watershed Action Plan for use by other communities faced with a similar need. INTRODUCTION This case study documents the development and initial implementation of a watershed-based plan for the May River Watershed (HUC 3060110-03) in response to rising fecal coliform levels. It serves as a real-world example of the USEPA approach to develop a restorative watershed plan (USEPA, 2008). This process and the lessons learned are pertinent for both coastal and interior water resource managers whose goal is to develop a comprehensive approach to address current and potential future pollutants in their local waterbodies.

A Case Study in Watershed-Based Plan Development and Implementation for the May River Watershed in Bluffton, South Carolina