River access has been a hot topic in the Midlands for years, and is the most recent selection for a What’s Next Midlands project. Several ideas have been posted to our crowdsourcing site that suggest better access for canoes and kayaks.

What's Next Midlands is working with City of Cayce, DNR and the Congaree Riverkeeper to explore potential access points for kayakers and paddlers on Congaree Creek, an underutilized waterway with tremendous potential.

Plans for access improvement and recreation along the creek were set back in 2000 after a chemical spill from a tin plant. Congaree Creek is a wide, long waterway with a strong current for paddlers. We have learned that it’s one of the only regional places you can find the Atlantic White Cedar, a rare tree that grows in remote, freshwater wetland locations.

The first step in the project is to remove the dam at 321 in Cayce and convert the area into an access point. It has been confirmed that the dam is not being used by the City’s utility department. Removing the nonfunctional dam would also improve the river's ecosystem.

Funding from this campaign will go toward the engineering costs to modify this site and make it accessible to paddlers. A take out location already exists at the SCANA headquarters, but needs modification. As part of the Congaree Creek river access project, DNR will be improving the existing canoe launch site to make it safer for paddlers.

With your support, we can bring water recreation activities back to Congaree Creek!

ENGENUITYSC INC

What's Next Midlands is an idea hub that inspires community action.

Fundraising Campaigns

Lighting Installation

River Access

Soda City Recycles