Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge was established on December 1, 1997. The purposes for which Waccamaw NWR was established are (1) protect and manage diverse habitat components within an important coastal river ecosystem for the benefit of endangered and threatened species, freshwater and anadromous fish, migratory birds, and forest wildlife, including a wide array of plants and animals associated with bottomland hardwood habitats; and (2) provide compatible wildlife-dependant recreational activities including hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, photography, and environmental education and interpretation for the of present and future generations.

Located in portions of Horry, Georgetown, and Marion County Waccamaw NWR's acquisition boundary spans over 55,000 acres and includes large sections of the Waccamaw and Great Pee Dee Rivers and a small section of the Little Pee Dee River. The US Fish and Wildlife Service is actively acquiring lands within this acquisition boundary from willing sellers and presently refuge lands purchased total just under 9,000 acres.

Waccamaw NWR is one of four refuges in the Ace Basin/Cape Romain/Santee/Waccamaw NWR Complex and is presently being administered by Cape Romain NWR. Plans for refuge staffing and the construction of a refuge headquarters/ environmental education center are currently underway.