A soggy city now has hope
Congress OKs $4M for huge drainage project
Persistent flooding problems on the Charleston peninsula have been vexing residents and public officials for centuries, but the city is inching closer to a massive drainage project involving about 500 acres and potentially costing $100 million.
Congress on Tuesday authorized the federal government to contribute $4 million to what's known as the Spring and Fishburne drainage-improvement project, and Mayor Joe Riley said he's confident that the money will be appropriated, and that more will follow.
Authorization is when Congress allows the government to spend money. Appropriation is when the federal government finds the money and writes the check.
Several South Carolina towns and cities would receive substantially more money than Charleston for stormwater improvement projects under the Water Resources Development Act of 2007, but Riley said he was "exceedingly pleased" with the money set aside for the city, through the efforts of House and Senate members from South Carolina.
"It's a great day," said Councilman Wendell Gilliard, who said the Spring and Fishburne project will make a great difference in the lives of West Side residents.
City officials have argued that the federal government should help fix the drainage problem because construction of U.S. Highway 17 made flooding worse by covering more ground with pavement. Streets can become impassible during summer storms, particularly at high tide, and the flooding can halt traffic on the highway, as well as King Street and areas around Burke High School.
Addressing flooding in the Fishburne/Spring drainage basin has been on the city's to-do list since 1984, when Charleston created a 20-year master plan for citywide drainage work.
The areas prone to flooding are called drainage basins because they fill up like a bowl, and the entire basin needs to be addressed in order to get rid of the water when it floods. Of several drainage basins in Charleston, Fishburne/Spring is the largest, covering about 20 percent of the peninsula, and the most costly to fix.
Drainage improvements are always at the top of the list of campaign promises in Charleston, and all three of Riley's opponents in the Nov. 6 mayoral election have promised to make flooding a top priority, if elected. The candidates for mayor are: Riley, Omar Brown, William Dudley Gregorie, and Marc Knapp.
Reach David Slade at 937-5552 or dslade@postandcourier.com.
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Comments
This article has 3 comment(s)
Posted by majorjohnson on September 26, 2007 at 8:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)
How exactly is this a federal issue? Why should someone in Arizona be taxed to fund drainage in Charleston?
Posted by konphidence on September 26, 2007 at 9:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)
major johnson,
The impervious areas along US17 including the roadway pavement area, parking lot, etc. that will not allow the water to seep into the ground and has increased the amount of run-off water added to the existing watershed area. The water has no where to go, so when you have a heavy rain event the pipes fill up and the high tide prevents the water to drain. US 17 halted the natural flow of water into the tidal creeks and surrounding marshland that has silty soils that will allow the water to drain(fall) in between the soil granuals to replenish the water table. So in effect US 17 has created a barrier that the water can't flow properly. Not to mention that we are on the coast, so that mean it is not enough of natural terrain(slope) to allow for construction of adequate drainage pipes without impacting the watertable. The County/City of Charleston has been pre-occupied with promoting tourism, hotel capacity and the Holy City image instead of investing in its infra-structure. Oh by the way US 17 is a federal owned road........ We ALL pay for US Route XX and Interstate XX... Please take a look at the recent drainage structure along Issaac German Drainage Canal which runs parallel to Rifle Range Road and crosses under it as well as it curve back to US 17 in Mt. Pleasant..... it has definitely helped the Six Mile/ Charleston National area....... Help is on the way, it just needs money. Once man alters the natural balance of nature he/she has to continually maintain it, and that takes money....
Posted by suec on September 26, 2007 at 9:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)
promises promises