ORANGEBURG, S.C. — Clean up of a river that runs through Orangeburg County is underway.
Trees, limbs and other debris block the Edisto River often used by residents for fishing, boating or other recreational activities.
Much of that debris came from hurricanes that took place in the fall of 2018 and tornadoes that ripped through the area in 2019.
Over the past couple of weeks crews have been cleaning up the debris caused by the storms and although the work hasn’t fully been completed the county says its one their top priorities.
"So in our community this river means so much" says Harold Young, Orangeburg county administrator. He goes on to say, "So many people have used this as a way to keep the kids off the street and keep the kids talking to the elderly by way of fishing and navigable water ways. Also, when it’s a hundred and something degrees outside everybody is looking for relief....and the river has been a big aspect of life for so many people for so long as a way to be cool and a way to have fish and a way to recreate."
According to the administrators office, the county has cleaned up most of the north fork area of the river and a small portion of the south fork.
The cleanup will continue over the next several weeks.