♪ There are approximately 35,000 miles of freshwater waterways in South Carolina, enough to circle the globe one and a half times.

♪ Beneath the surface lies a hidden world that few could imagine exist in these local waters.

♪ Fish, and other aquatic life, with vibrant colors and intriguing behaviors, call streams like these, home.

♪ Here, waterways are alive with the intricate dance of survival, courtship and competition, their currents carrying the echoes of seasons past.

♪ However, the delicate balance these waterways require is increasingly threatened by environmental pressures and human activities.

♪ Dedicated conservationists are rising to the challenge, working to understand and preserve these essential habitats in the wild.

♪ ♪ ♪ Many of South Carolina's freshwater streams are bustling hubs of life, serving as essential breeding grounds and nurseries for a variety of fish species.

♪ One fish, the bluehead chub, exemplifies the intricate beauty of these underwater worlds.

♪ During the breeding season, males develop striking blue heads adorned with nuptial tubercles, small horn like structures that signal their readiness to spawn.

♪ They engage in a captivating ritual of nest building, meticulously gathering and arranging small stones with their mouths.

♪ As the chubs perfect their nest, greenhead shiners gather in a vibrant school above their bright red coloration, transforming the scene into a dazzling display, a fire underwater.

♪ They, too, are here to take advantage of the bluehead's expert nest building skills.

♪ Although the chubs do most of the work, this symbiotic relationship benefits both species.

♪ The shiners' presence can create a confusion effect that helps protect the chubs by diverting or overwhelming potential predators.

♪ Additionally, the mix of shiner eggs with chub eggs reduces the likelihood of chub eggs being eaten ♪ Further upstream, the fieryblack shiner reveals its own distinctive breeding behaviors.

♪ They establish and guard territories using their vivid colors and large rounded fins to perform elaborate breeding and territorial displays.

Occasionally, males will spar with each other underwater fighting for the best nesting sites.

♪ Females, meanwhile, will deposit their eggs in safe sheltered locations such as rock crevices or the undersides of submerged logs.

♪ Despite their vibrant presence in South Carolina's freshwater streams, a cloud of uncertainty hangs over the fieryblack shiner and other native species.

♪ Freshwater organisms worldwide are facing accelerated extinction rates.

♪ South Carolina, with its rapid growth and increasing demands for land development and water resources, faces escalating environmental pressures.

♪ The destruction of natural forests, runoff from improper agriculture, excessive nutrients and alterations to natural water flow contribute to degraded water quality in aquatic habitats.

♪ These changes impact streams, rivers and reservoirs affecting the delicate balance necessary for these unique species.

♪ To safeguard these ecosystems, within South Carolina's vast network of freshwater streams and rivers, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources has established a robust aquatic resource assessment program.

♪ Since the early 2000s, SCDNR has been meticulously sampling around 100 streams and rivers each year across the state.

♪ This comprehensive approach includes evaluating reference streams representing the highest quality watersheds alongside randomly selected streams from various regions.

♪ The Stream Team plays a crucial role in this effort, ensuring that a diverse range of streams is assessed.

♪ To collect data, biologists use electrofishing to capture fish, allowing for precise species identification and counting, while minimizing impact on aquatic life.

♪ With these stream assessments, the team can identify factors contributing to species declines and develop effective management strategies to protect and restore these vital aquatic habitats.

♪ In addition to these scientific efforts, SCDNR is committed to public education and outreach.

♪ As part of this initiative, the Stream Team hosts a class from multiple master naturalist programs and college classes where participants observe fish collected from streams and learn about the critical importance of water quality.

♪ A stream assessment is completed during the class, offering hands on experience.

♪ Through these combined efforts, SCDNR is enhancing scientific knowledge while cultivating a greater appreciation for our waterways, ensuring their preservation for future generations in the wild.

♪ (dramatic music) ♪