Photo credit to Laurie Metzger
Friends of Lake Keowee Society (FOLKS) is an organization dedicated to protecting one of the most beautiful and vital lakes in the Southeast: Lake Keowee. Spanning 17,660 acres, stretching 29 miles, and encompassing 388 miles of shoreline at full pond, Lake Keowee supports recreation, wildlife habitat, drinking water resources, and the economic vitality of Upstate South Carolina.
Established in 1993, FOLKS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization made up of individuals, families, and local businesses committed to safeguarding the lake and its watershed for future generations.
FOLKS actively monitors regulatory and environmental issues affecting Lake Keowee and represents our membership in dialogue with key agencies and stakeholders, including:
We serve as a stakeholder in watershed planning and relicensing processes and advocate for water quality protection, boating safety, and responsible shoreline management.
FOLKS is also a founding member of the Lake Keowee Source Water Protection Team, working collaboratively to monitor and protect the lake’s drinking water supply.
For more than three decades, FOLKS has led hands-on conservation efforts that directly impact the health of Lake Keowee.
Our initiatives include:
Education is essential to protecting Lake Keowee for the long term. FOLKS believes informed residents, students, and stakeholders are the foundation of responsible stewardship.
We connect the community through:
In 2023, FOLKS completely redesigned our Sentinel newsletter to create KEOWEE. The new brand emphasizes that WE are KEOWEE.
FOLKS members can access the digital version of the KEOWEE by clicking the link below. You will be prompted to enter your password for access.
Dave Metzger, Board Director
Howard Gutenstein, Vice President
Timothy Cooney, Secretary
Dave Metzger, Treasurer
John Hains, PhD, Limnologist
Beau Sylvester
Patti Cason
Tony Gody
Suzy McKinney
Dr. Ann Savoca
Rick Sommer
Melissa Higgs
Dave Metzger, Endowment
Timothy Cooney, HEP Rep
Paul Gibbons, Island Keepers
Glenn Coggins, Lake Sweep
Suzy McKinney/Melissa Higgs, LKSWPT Liaison
Amanda Gladys, Green Steps Coordinator
Kate Clever, Scholarship Coordinator
David Metzler, Web Administrator
The Lake Keowee Source Water Protection Team (LKSWPT) was created in 2017 to implement a long-term plan to protect the Lake Keowee watershed taking into consideration diverse uses, such as drinking water supply, generation of electrical power, and recreation. The Team’s specific objective is to undertake activities to protect, maintain, and improve water quality in the watershed by addressing existing water quality issues and identifying problems that could occur from future development.
The LKSWPT consists of seven member entities:
Advisory Board Members are Duke Energy and the Clemson Center of Watershed Excellence.
Accomplishments:
Landowners around Lake Keowee must adhere to requirements that prevent stormwater run-off and erosion into the lake. They must also get approval for structures within the Duke Energy boundary.
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