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District says Aug. 22 storm flooded Summerville High School athletic areas; staff seek stormwater fixes with county and town
Summary
A severe August 22 storm flooded Summerville High School's ROTC area, tennis courts and much of the football field; district facilities staff said they are coordinating with county and town stormwater divisions and noted potential infrastructure fixes including a box culvert on Greenway Boulevard.
Facilities staff described rapid, extensive flooding at Summerville High School during an Aug. 22 storm and said the district is coordinating with county and town stormwater divisions to reduce the risk of recurrence.
An unnamed facilities staff member, describing photos shown to the board, said the ROTC firing-range building took on water and that “it completely covered the tennis courts.” The staff member said the football field and track went from dry to substantially underwater in roughly half an hour and that “nearly 3 quarters of that football field is covered with water.” The staff member said nearby apartments were also flooded.
The staff member told the board the district met with both the county and town stormwater divisions and that the agencies have agreed to clean ditches and assess pipe capacity in the area. A town official—described by staff—proposed replacing two pipes under Greenway Boulevard near the practice field with a box culvert to improve flow.
Staff said the event combined unusually heavy local rainfall with high river levels—Ashley River runoff and incoming tide—creating a rapid backfill of low-lying areas and the Saw Mill Branch Canal. Because the area includes impervious surfaces that shed additional runoff toward the canal, staff said stormwater capacity can be quickly exceeded during intense rainfall.
Facilities staff raised concerns about repeated flooding and potential cumulative damage if the district experiences similar events again. The transcript records that the district brought in a disaster cleanup company after interior flooding; staff said cleanup and building remediation added costs but did not provide a dollar figure. Staff said they will continue coordinating with the county and town and will monitor the condition of tracks, turf and courts after vendor inspections.
Board members asked questions and staff said the town and county would begin cleaning and maintenance work and that the district would escalate to further steps with officials if problems persist.
