Charleston launches resilience committee, lays out 2050 water-plan recommendations and stormwater projects to accelerate flood action

The City of Charleston convened its new resilience committee to move the city from study to action on flooding, hearing a summary of a 2050 water-plan and an update on ongoing stormwater capital and maintenance work.

The 2050-focused water plan presented by Black & Veatch project manager Steven O'Connell lays out 40 recommendations — grouped into infrastructure, land use, governance, outreach and resources — intended to be implementable and prioritized for the city's capital improvement program (CIP). City stormwater staff described concurrent capital projects, a check-valve and small-project program, and expanded proactive maintenance meant to improve drainage now while longer-term planning continues.

The water-plan presentation emphasized that different parts of Charleston face different flood drivers and that the city must plan accordingly. "We have seen 13 inches of sea-level rise in the Charleston Harbor over the last 100 years, and we are projecting about 14 additional inches of sea-level rise by 2050," O'Connell said, describing maps that combine tidal, rainfall and groundwater effects. He added that the plan models compound events — for example, a 100-year rainfall coinciding with elevated tides — to identify…