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Tega Cay residents urge council to act after sediment fills Nivens Cove, blocking lake access
Summary
Several residents told the council that sediment and erosion in Nivens Cove—which they attribute to nearby development—have left docks sitting on dry land and cut off boat access, and they pressed the city to enforce post-construction stormwater obligations and pursue remediation plans.
Several Tega Cay residents implored the City Council on April 20 to take firmer action after years of sedimentation and erosion in Nivens Cove that, they said, have filled large portions of the cove and left private docks unusable. The complaints came during the public-comment portion of the council meeting and focused on loss of lake access and falling property values.
"That large delta, massive dirt, that's basically starts at the mouth of the creek," said resident Gus Machunas, who brought photos and said he has been raising the issue for eight years. Machunas said areas that used to be navigable are now dry land and asked why the city did not press state regulators earlier.
Catherine Thornsburg told the council she has seen the creek widen and the bank erode, and asked why developers’ post-construction stormwater best-management practices (BMPs) and buffer restorations are not being enforced. "We bought those lots with a premium that entails being lakefront," she said. "What are you going to do to stop it? Are you going to do anything to restore the damage already done, or what are you going to do to stop it?"
Other speakers described similar damage and urged remediation. "It's in the millions of dollars" in lost property value, said Mike Becker, who called for the city to measure pre- and post-construction conditions, hold developers accountable and require remediation or financial assurances. Lisa Prondzinski described recent photographs showing formerly deep water now filled with sand and sediment and asked how the city would work with Duke Energy, the Department of Natural Resources, and DHEC to address the problem.
City staff and the mayor responded that the city has been investigating the issue with engineers and Duke Energy and that a meeting with the state Department of Environmental Services (DES) is scheduled for May to explore potential mitigation options. "Those meetings are ongoing," the mayor said, noting that staff are trying to determine what the city is allowed to do and which external approvals would be required.
Council members who serve as stormwater liaisons also said they had been taking notes and would follow up. The mayor and council encouraged residents to raise the issue again at a town-hall forum scheduled for April 30 at 6 p.m. in the Police Station Training Room, which staff and council said would allow more time for staff to answer questions and explain options.
What the city can and will do remains to be determined. Residents asked about options that would include enforcement of post-construction BMPs, engineered streambank stabilization, dredging where appropriate, and financial accountability from developers; council and staff said they are pursuing interagency coordination and technical advice before recommending a specific remediation plan.
