S.C. Environmental Awareness Award presented to ‘Save Our Saluda’ President Melanie Ruhlman
February 5, 2026
Left: SCDES Director Myra Reece (left) presents the 2025 South Carolina Environmental Awareness Award to Melanie Ruhlman (right), president of “Save Our Saluda.” Right: Lindsey Lachenmyer (left) and Shea McCarthy (right), with SCDES’s Bureau of Water, helped honor Melanie Ruhlman (center) for her significant contributions to water quality improvement in the Upper Saluda Watershed.
The South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SCDES) and participating state agencies proudly announce Melanie Ruhlman, president of “Save Our Saluda”, as the recipient of the 2025 South Carolina Environmental Awareness Award. Ms. Ruhlman was presented with this annual statewide award during a ceremony held Feb. 3 at EdVenture Children’s Museum in Columbia.
Ms. Ruhlman received this recognition for her leadership in water quality protection and watershed planning in the Upper Saluda Watershed. She has spearheaded the development of two watershed plans, engaged more than 22 community partners to address pollution in the Upper Saluda Watershed, and led two successful Clean Water Act Section 319 grant implementation projects, with a third underway. These efforts prevent an estimated 5,650 tons of sediment from entering South Carolina waterways each year.
“Melanie’s work truly reflects the spirit of this award,” said SCDES Director Myra Reece. “Through community-building and effective leadership, she is delivering real, measurable improvements to water quality in our state. Her incredible efforts to help protect and preserve South Carolina’s natural resources will have a lasting, positive impact on our state.”
“South Carolina is a state with remarkable and abundant water resources,” Ms. Ruhlman said. “It is incumbent on us to recognize the value of those resources for future generations and to work efficiently and effectively to protect and restore them.”
In addition to her watershed work, Ms. Ruhlman has helped improve local ordinances related to water quality and has leveraged state and federal funding to support watershed planning, on-the-ground restoration projects and implementation of best management practices to reduce sediment and improve water quality.
The South Carolina General Assembly established the South Carolina Environmental Awareness Award during the 1992 legislative session to recognize outstanding contributions made toward the protection, conservation and improvement of South Carolina’s natural resources.
Each year, residents are encouraged to submit nominations that are then reviewed by an awards committee comprised of representatives from the S.C. Forestry Commission, SCDES, S.C. Department of Natural Resources, and S.C. Sea Grant Consortium.
The nomination guidelines, application form and a list of previous award winners are available at des.sc.gov/sceaa.
