Water First
Planning for where water is and is going to be
Many communities throughout Charleston are already struggling with the adverse effects of regular and severe flooding. With sea level rise and climate change, it is important that we plan not only to improve existing challenges with flooding, but to prepare for future challenges. This post provides an overview of the Land & Water Analysis completed by Waggonner & Ball, the Water Institute of the Gulf, Robinson Design Engineers and Surculus Design.
the analytical approach
A variety of factors formed the basis of the Land & Water analysis.
Water
Rain
Tides
Floodplain
Storm Surge
Sea Level Rise
land
Elevation
Land cover (ex: trees and pavement)
Development
Ecology
Soils
From these factors, all areas of the city were categorized by 3 overlapping and intersecting considerations:
Elevation Zones - What is your risk?
Watershed Sensitivity - How do you impact your surroundings?
Environmental sensitivity - What other ecological considerations need to be taken into account?
timeline
results
elevation risk zones
Scroll down to view a map of the city by elevation risk zones and read more about what to expect for each zone.
watershed and environmental sensitivity
Though low-lying areas are certainly more vulnerable to tidal flooding and storm surge; other site-specific conditions can contribute to the intensity, frequency and impact of flooding. These site-specific conditions such as watershed type, soils and vegetation, infrastructure and vulnerability should inform which combination of planning strategies to apply where - to reduce impacts of flooding and sea level rise and increase resilience.
want to dive deeper?
This is just a small selection from the 294-page Land & Water Analysis report.
For the full report: Click here. (It is a large file and may take awhile to load).
To watch a presentation of the report: Click here (starts at 1:47:02).
To learn more about flooding, tides and current efforts, check out these resources from Charleston’s GIS (Geographic Information Systems) Team:
Living With Water: City of Charleston Map History Tour
How High is that Seawall? Understanding Elevation and Tides in Charleston
We also recommend checking out the Rising Water series published by the Post & Courier News. Read their Rising Water series here.