The Outfall Podcast
Welcome to The Outfall – a podcast that explores the backstories of our water world and its infrastructure through unique stories. The Outfall is about sharing stories about topics we don’t think about. We aim to be more fun than serious, short than long, and hopefully more lively than dull.
- Update frequency
- every 20 days
- Average duration
- 14 minutes
- Episodes
- 91
- Years Active
- 2019 - 2025
When the Water Stopped: Helene’s 53-Day Siege on Asheville
When Hurricane Helene hit Asheville in September 2024, Water Resources Director David Melton watched his reservoir fill eight feet overnight and knew they were in trouble. Within hours, all three mai…
The Invisible Revolution (Nanobubbles)
What if the future of water came down to bubbles you’ll never see? Nanobubbles—thousands of times smaller than a grain of salt—are invisible, powerful, and already changing how we treat water, grow f…
The Banned Maritime Practice That Saved Lives
For over a century, dumping oil overboard was how sailors survived deadly storms. This five-minute episode reveals the science behind this now-banned life-saving technique. See Show Notes.
The Secret Life of Bubbles
What if bubbles were secretly running the world? In this episode, we uncover how these tiny spheres are doing everything from helping shrimp fire plasma blasts to scrubbing ocean plastic, with help f…
How Much Water Powers Your AI?
When OpenAI's Sam Altman claimed each ChatGPT query uses just 1/15th of a teaspoon of water, it sparked a heated debate about AI's environmental impact. We brought ChatGPT, Claude, and Google's Gemin…
The Stand
The dramatic finale of our Table Rock Fire series reveals how South Carolina made history with its first-ever DC-10 aircraft drop and over a million gallons of water falling from the sky during the m…
Engulfed
What started as a 10-acre fire on Table Rock Mountain quickly escalated into one of the largest wildfire responses in South Carolina history. In this episode, we go inside the firefighting operation …
The Spark
In March 2025, careless teenage hikers ignited what would become the largest mountain wildfire in South Carolina's recorded history. What started as a 10-acre fire on Table Rock Mountain exploded int…
Explore the Unexpected: Season 7 Awaits
This is your official teaser for Season 7 of The Outfall. From wildfire crises to nanobubbles and Cold War secrets, this season uncovers the hidden forces shaping the world beneath our feet. Full epi…
Source to Sip: Connecting Flavor and Place
In this episode, Dr. Christy Spackman explores the fascinating connection between water's taste and its source environment. Drawing from her book "The Taste of Water," Spackman shares insights in a l…
3 Ways to Avoid Huge Ships
From a heart-stopping near-miss in foggy Seattle waters came Captain John Trimmer’s “How to Avoid Huge Ships” – a 1982 maritime safety guide that transformed from deadly serious advice into an intern…
The Journey Behind Great Water
Join us on a behind-the-scenes tour of Spartanburg Water, where Director Ken Tuck shares the 20-year journey of transforming water treatment in a changing world. From taste and odor challenges to inn…
Mighty Mussels: River's Hidden Heroes
Meet the unsung heroes of Georgia's rivers - freshwater mussels! Join aquatic biologist Dr. Steve Golladay as he reveals how these remarkable creatures help keep our waterways clean and healthy. Disc…
The Vanishing Will O’ Wisps: A Haunting Mystery
Once common in folktales, sightings of the eerie will o’ wisp lights have faded away. Could science finally explain why the wisps have disappeared…or are some mysteries better left unsolved? Get read…
Measuring the Monster: Inside Hurricane Helene
Hurricane Helene's unprecedented impact on the Carolinas is examined through the expert lens of Hope Mizzell, South Carolina's State Climatologist. This episode provides a deep dive into the storm's …
Rising Waters: Past Meets Present
Discover the eerie parallels between the Great Flood of 1916 and Hurricane Helene in 2024, two catastrophic events that reshaped Asheville and Western North Carolina over a century apart. Through fir…
Who's Endangered? Reshaping the Flint River Basin
Dive into a decade-long journey of collaboration and conservation in Georgia's Flint River Basin, where endangered mussels and agricultural needs collide. Discover how a diverse group of stakeholders…
Clemson Under Siege: Ancient Relic Survives
In this series' third and final podcast episode, discover the untold story of Clemson College's existential battle against the Hartwell Dam project in 1956. Uncover how Plan X became the unexpected s…
Clemson Under Siege: The Unbuilt Canal
In 1956, Clemson College faced potential submersion as Hartwell Dam plans threatened to flood its campus. We continue to uncover the high-stakes battle between college officials and the federal gover…
Clemson Under Siege: The Impending Storm
In 1956, Clemson College faced an existential threat as plans for the Hartwell Dam threatened to submerge vital campus lands. This podcast series uncovers the dramatic confrontation between progress …