Plumbers in Sullivan's Island, SC

Eight alumni from the Master of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Studies Program are leading the way in developing the Sullivan’s Island Resilience and Sea Level Rise Adaptation Plan.

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Not that we needed the reminder, but the flooding caused by Tropical Storm Debby once again hit home – quite literally in many cases – the need for resiliency in the face of “rain bombs” coupled with sea-level rise.

One of those areas in the Charleston region most impacted by that dual threat is Sullivan’s Island. Leading the way in developing Sullivan’s Island Resilience and Sea Level Rise Adaptation Plan for a 2-foot rise in sea levels over the next 50 years are graduates from the College of Charleston’s Master of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Studies Program. Eight alumni are working on the project, including Rebecca Fanning ’21 (M.S.), the director of resilience and natural resource management for the town; Anna Kimelblatt ’21 (M.S.), resilience project planner with climate resilience firm Weston & Sampson of North Charleston; and Kim Morganello ’08 (M.S.), senior project manager with Weston & Sampson.

You would have thought an alumni reunion broke out at the project’s kickoff meeting on May 22, 2024, inside council chambers at the town hall.

“We were going around the room doing introductions, and everybody gave a little bit of their background and what they focused on, and one after the other was like, ‘I, too, am a grad of the EVSS program,’ and, ‘So am I,’ and, ‘Me, too,’” Kimelblatt recalls. “We’re all sort of from different years, different types of backgrounds, so it’s a nice variety of alums working on this project together.”

On the 30th anniversary of the program, the expertise of EVSS alumni has never been more critical, especially to barrier islands like Sullivan’s.

“We’re so much more vulnerable to hurricane-force winds, and storms are intensifying, but there’s also something unique to Sullivan’s Island with the incredible geomorphic formation of the accreted land in the maritime forest that serves as a buffer and a real appreciation for the value of natural resources,” Fanning says. “I see an opportunity on Sullivan’s Island to deploy some of the nature-based solutions that other places may have a harder time implementing, just because gray infrastructure solutions are more easily understood and quantifiable.

“And I’m so happy that we have the bright minds that we do working on this project,” she adds, ‘because I can’t think of a better team that has more knowledge of green infrastructure solutions than the team that we have gathered for this plan.”

The first step for Weston & Sampson (one of three firms working on the project) is to do two-dimensional modeling of flood inundation on the island and simulate different types of tidal and storm scenarios to identify problem locations. They’ll also conduct a robust public-engagement process.

“The fact that so many of our alumni are contributing to such a critical project speaks volumes about the success of the EVSS Program,” says Program Coordinator Lucy Davis, noting its strengths, including an interdisciplinary curriculum focused on current issues, hands-on experience and a strong network of alumni. “Since its inception in 1994, our program has been an applied graduate program specifically designed to prepare students to work in the field and address ongoing environmental issues and solutions. Graduates leave the program not only equipped with the necessary skills but also well-connected within the field, which significantly contributes to their professional success.”

The alumni, including Lucas Hernandez ’19 (M.S.) and Kayla Pehl ’21 (M.S.) at Weston & Sampson, Katie Ellis ’17 (M.S.) and Jenna Cormany ’14 (M.S.) at McCormack Taylor, and Cheyenne Twilley ’24 (M.S.) at Elko Coastal Consulting, appreciate how well the College prepared them and the real-world application of the academics.

“It’s a real multidisciplinarian program,” Morganello says. “It’s got hard science, engineering, policy, permitting, public outreach. There are all these different interfaces and everything that we do in this field, including environmental law classes, geology, GIS and wetland science. That’s something I really appreciate about the master’s in environmental science and have found a lot of success in the professional world going about things that way.”

The research phase of the Sullivan’s Island project will take about a year to complete before a wide range of solutions are recommended, from something as simple as rain gardens to more complex engineering projects. Community input will be an integral part of this research-based approach.

“We want Sullivan’s Island to take ownership of this plan,” Kimelblatt says. “Connecting with the local community and taking the time to get out and hear them is something that EVSS really taught me.”

Adds Morganello with a chuckle: “I remember when I told people I was going to go to grad school (to study environmental science), and they were like, ‘What are you going to do with that degree?’ I don’t think people say that anymore.”

Charleston-area barrier islands reported less erosion than initially anticipated from Tropical Storm Debby as officials assessed the shorelines during a lull in the storm Aug. 7.

Charleston’s beach leaders expected severe erosion throughout the week from Tropical Storm Debby as meteorologists predicted the storm would bring powerful winds, potentially historic amounts of rainfall and catastrophic flooding that could last for days.

And while Debby did bring excessive rain and storm force winds, it appears that preparations taken by officials in Folly Beach, Isle of Palms and Kiawah, Seabrook and Sullivan’s islands ahead of the storm have paid off, at least so far.

Tropical Storm Debby is loitering in the Atlantic Ocean before making an anticipated second landfall along northern Charleston County's coastline late Aug. 7 or early Aug. 8.

The National Weather Service's Charleston office reported that the potential for "life-threatening flooding" has decreased but advised that South Carolina isn't quite out of the woods yet.

An additional 6 inches of rain are anticipated through early Aug. 10.

Hurricane Wire

Some erosion reported near Breach Inlet

Flooding persisted on Palm Boulevard and the side streets of Isle of Palms, spilling into lawns and sidewalks.

On 25th Avenue, where a possible tornado brought down tree limbs and shingles, neighbors had already begun clearing debris from the road and lawns.

Handmade signs with the directive "go slow, no wake," written on them urged drivers to cautiously navigate the street, which was still full of standing water at noon on Aug. 7.

Several of the public beach access points remain flooded from when the storm made landfall Aug. 5, with waterlogged boardwalks making it difficult to get onto the shore.

Isle of Palms Mayor Phillip Pounds said the city had weathered Tropical Storm Debby relatively well, noting that some erosion did occur on the beach.

Breach Inlet on Isle of Palms side was the worst hit, Pounds said. During high tide, water lapped at the base of eroded dunes near 3rd Avenue, leaving little room to traverse the beach.

"There's some decent erosion on the Breach Inlet, although it didn't completely wipe out all the work that we've been doing down there in the last year," Pounds said, referring to the ongoing sand scraping efforts to restore the dunes on this part of the beach.

In preparation for Debby, city staff placed sandbags on the northern side of the beach near Beachwood East. Pounds said the wall of sandbags held up well in the rain.

More sandbags are on order, Pounds added, which will be placed on the Breach Inlet side of the beach later this month until the upcoming Army Corps beneficial use project is complete.

Damage seen on Sullivan's Island dunes

Intermittent bands of rain misted the island, where portions of Sullivan's Island were still flooded on Aug. 7. Beach accesses and side streets near the lighthouse on Ion Avenue were closed off with bright green cones blocking the roadway.

The Station 21 beach access was flooded around 10 a.m. The ocean had broken through parts of the dune system here, the vegetation soaked in salty water.

Rebecca Fanning, the town's director of resilience and natural resource management, said town staff had begun documenting the state of the dune system with photos.

"We did notice that some of the dunes that are in the most vulnerable places did get cut into, but certainly it was minimal disturbance to the dune system," Fanning said.

The dunes near Station 19 and Station 20 had been eaten into, Fanning said, along with some near the Breach Inlet side of Sullivan's Island. This section of the beach was hit hard by the December nor'easter and is on track to get more sand via the Army Corps' beneficial use project.

"We've still got a couple of high tides to go through before this is all over, but I think the worst of it is behind us already," Fanning said.

Hurricane Wire

Folly Beach erosion not as bad as could have been

On Folly Beach, where a large-scale beach renourishment project is underway, the island saw some flooded roadways from Tropical Storm Debby.

Progress on the nearly complete renourishment project stalled ahead of Debby's arrival.

City staff completed a ride through of the beach on Aug. 7 to assess the storm damage, Mayor Tim Goodwin said.

"As of yesterday we've lost some sand, I know, just from seeing previous days, but not as much sand as I thought we were going to lose," Goodwin said.

Goodwin said the damage is far less than the island experienced last December during the nor'easter. Folly Beach officials reported up to 20 feet of erosion following the winter storm.

Save for a handful of power outages, a few fallen trees and flooded streets, the city of Folly Beach held up well throughout the storm.

"We've been lucky. There's just no other way to say it. We were just lucky with this storm," Goodwin said.

SULLIVAN'S ISLAND, S.C. (WCIV) — It's been a long struggle between the residents of Sullivan's Island looking to preserve area trees and Dominion Energy's need for worker safety when working around power lines.

Last week the town voted to start a tree planting program with help from Dominion and SCDOT.

"We have some ideas of what this project could look like for the Town of Sullivan's Island, but certainly for the community at large as well," says Rebecca Fanning, Director of Resilience and Natural Resources for Sullivan's Island.

The Town of Sullivan's Island voted to match $25 thousand donations from SCDOT and Dominion to fund the tree planting program.

READ MORE | "Propane tanker leak prompts half-mile evacuation on Sullivan's Island."

"The $75,000 provided by the town, Dominion, and SCDOT, we don't have a clear agenda for that funding yet. The collaboration that has been formed between the utility company, the department of transportation, and ourselves is maintained and shepherds those funds," says Fanning.

Town officials say they've learned some lessons moving forward about where planting should take place.

"One thing that we've realized as a result of this project and collaboration is the need to consider utilities as a part of any planting plan. And just taking, for example, a relatively new construction of town hall and the fire station here behind me, we have young palmetto trees planted directly under power lines," adds Fanning.

The aftermath of Hurricane Hugo led to many trees being planted further away from homes, which meant closer to powerlines.

"After seeing trees crashing on roofs, people kept a safeguard zone between their houses and any tree plantings, and that's something that we need to reconsider carefully. There are trees like Palmetto trees that don't tend to bend and snap in storms at all, and could be planted very close to houses," Fanning says.

READ MORE | "Sullivan's Island grapples with escalating coyote encounters, residents call for action."

Lessons learned as they plan for preserving the future.

"Ensuring that planting plans take into consideration the urban infrastructure and the various needs that folks have," says Fanning.

One current project underway is the relocation of 9 grand Palmettos from historic downtown to neighborhoods around Fort Moultrie.

They are still evaluating which trees can be relocated.

SULLIVAN’S ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) - The construction of a multi-phase, scenic trail on Sullivan’s Island has left nearby homeowners with mixed feelings.

The existing trail at Station 16 has several entry points and boardwalks for residents and visitors to see the maritime forest, which spans close to 190 acres from Breach Inlet to Charleston Harbor.

“This trail has been used informally for decades by dog walkers, birders, nature lovers who are traversing through here,” neighbor Karen Byko said. “What we love about a formal trail is that it keeps people from traversing over those sacred dune areas.”

Town officials recently started building a new path, that would connect two historic monuments on the island. The trail would be ¾ of a mile long and between eight and 10 feet wide. It will also include ADA-accessible connections, boardwalks and benches.

Some homeowners felt the construction was “miscommunicated” by the town. Many say they stepped onto the trail one morning and the sight of a cleared, sandy path, came as a “shock.”

Town Administrator Joe Henderson said that the idea was pushed through the idea of a funding opportunity in 2022. In 2023, the town gained approval for a $100,000 grant from the South Carolina Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department. Henderson said the trail design was discussed as early as 2012.

Henderson said the project has shown “ample opportunities for public comment” since its introduction.

“It was all there, every town council meeting has opportunity for public comment. Could there have been better communication from the town when construction began? Yes, of course. They could have said hey, we are starting this great project next week, you are going to start seeing signs and we’re going to start constructing the trail. That’s where I could see opportunity for improvement,” Byko said.

Several residents sent in complaints to the town, who addressed questions in a council workshop on Monday. Residential privacy and the impacts on coyote habitats were noted in the concerns. Others said they were worried about the use of equipment to cut the path, which is now littered with piles of cut overgrowth as construction continues.

Those with questions on the project asked it to be paused until a compromise was reached. As of Tuesday, Henderson claims the town intends to keep the plan on schedule. The project is set to be completed by the end of July.

The trail is meant to mimic the existing surrounding trails at low impact, connecting visitors from Fort Moultrie to the Sullivan’s Island Lighthouse.

“People can walk through, see the birds and other wildlife. I’m enthusiastic that it will be handicap accessible on the lighthouse side,” neighbor Sarah Harper said. “I think people will understand what an important natural resource this protected land is. It’s highly valuable, but it’s more valuable as a natural resource.”

Copyright 2024 WCSC. All rights reserved.

Three years ago, we joined others in lamenting Dominion Energy's plan to cut down more than 500 mature palmettos on Folly Beach, as they had grown dangerously upward and into overhead power lines. And we noted the only good options were to avoid planting such trees directly under power lines in the future, move trees under power lines before they grow up into them and undertake the costly, time-consuming but ultimately superior solution of placing those lines underground.

Just recently, however, as Sullivan's Island faced a public outcry over Dominion's plan to remove more than 500 palmetto trees there, a fourth possibility has become clear.

Those who worked to create this possibility, a compromise of sorts, deserve our thanks. And other municipalities should take note in case their beloved street trees face a similar threat.

Last week, the S.C. Department of Transportation, which owns the right of way where most Sullivan's Island palmettos were going to be cut down, announced that it had struck a deal with the town and Dominion Energy to reduce the tree removals.

Under the plan, Dominion agreed to reduce its planned cutting by 269 trees, while both Dominion and DOT will contribute $25,000 each to a nonprofit that will plant new palmettos and other species of trees on the island — in more appropriate spots. Meanwhile, nine palmettos around Fort Moultrie that are considered historically significant will be relocated near the fort but away from power lines.

It may not be purely a coincidence that the deal unfolded during the week when we celebrated Carolina Day, which commemorates the June 28, 1776, battle in which the patriots, manning an incomplete fortification made out of palmetto logs, repulsed a British invasion. That battle is why South Carolina's flag prominently features a palmetto.

As Transportation Secretary Justin P. Powell tells us: "We're the Palmetto State because of the palmettos on Sullivan's Island. ... It is a symbol of our pride in our community and an iconic representation of what it means to be a South Carolinian." Indeed, it's because of that connection that a state agency's intervention to save trees in an individual community makes sense.

While it's not unheard of for the Transportation Department to weigh in on the future of trees in its right of way — for instance, it recently argued against removing the large live oak on James Island known as the "Widowmaker" — its efforts on Sullivan's go above and beyond previous work. Mr. Powell is proud of how his employees helped find a compromise between safety and preserving trees, and justifiably so.

This is, as Sullivan’s Island Mayor Patrick O’Neil puts it, "a very positive resolution for the island and the state."

But this only scales back Dominion's tree removal plans; it doesn't eliminate them. The island still stands to lose hundreds of trees. So we continue to emphasize the points we made in 2021.

First, plant wisely: Only trees that won't exceed 15 feet when mature should be planted under power lines; Dominion has a list of 26 such species, such as Japanese maples and certain species of holly, magnolias and viburnums. It's also worth considering whether a tree can be trimmed and survive, as most live oaks easily can, or whether it cannot be pruned and ultimately could need to be removed. (For questions, call Dominion at 800-251-7234.)

Second, property owners with palmettos or other problematic trees growing under power lines should consider moving them now, before they reach a height that Dominion finds hazardous.

And lastly, cities, towns, utilities and neighborhoods should work together to place more power lines underground. This takes a lot of time and money, but it ultimately yields benefits well beyond saving trees, including fewer service interruptions due to high winds and storms and a more appealing streetscape. Most local governments require power lines to be buried in new subdivisions for all those reasons, but it's taking too long to bury them in most older neighborhoods, not only in historic Charleston but in many mid-20th century communities.

If we speed up the burying of power lines, that will pay off in creating not only more lush, appealing local landscapes but also healthier, safer ones, as we have a growing appreciation of the important role street trees play in soaking up stormwater and minimizing the effects of dangerous heat.

While the Transportation Department might have established a new model for minimizing the loss of trees as Dominion works to ensure its power lines remain in the clear, the ultimate solution is not to have to worry about trees and power lines in the first place.

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