Charleston is looking to hire experts for a 25-year, citywide plan to fight flooding

CHARLESTON, SC (WCSC) – Storm surges, tidal flooding, rainfall and riverine flooding are some of the types of flooding the city will consider as it plans for a future with climate change in mind.

Dale Morris, Charleston’s director of resilience, said a comprehensive new 25-year integrated water plan would help city leaders develop policies and determine where the city should invest in flood control.

He also says this is the first time in Charleston’s history that a citywide survey will be created to address all sources of flooding.

The recommendation for this study came in 2019 after the Dutch Dialogues, a group of water experts, presented their final findings.

Morris says the city is dedicating its staff to developing the plan, but they also need outside help to accomplish it.

“It will be complementary to all of the other investigations that the city is doing on drainage, on tidal attenuation, throughout the city, so not just on the peninsula, not just on West Ashley or James Island, but throughout the city. “, said Morris. . “We will look at flood risk – current flood risk – and future flood risk in all neighborhoods and then in all watersheds or floodplains.”

Morris hopes to hire those experts and start working on that plan this summer, which would take about 15 months.

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