Artillery Point/Battery Island Community Based Planning for Ecosystem Repair

A coastal community turns to ecological restoration for enhanced flood resilience.

Surrounded by saltwater marsh and creeks that flow to the Stono River, the low-lying, coastal neighborhood of Artillery Point is threatened by sea level rise, shoreline erosion, and regular flooding. Historic development patterns and marsh degradation have weakened the area’s natural flood defenses, leaving the community increasingly vulnerable.

To help protect Artillery Point, the Sustainability Institute, a nonprofit working to make South Carolina communities more resilient, launched an effort to create a Community Based Plan for Ecosystem Repair. As ecological experts on a team with Robinson Design Engineers, Biohabitats is helping to create the plan.

Biohabitats began by assessing the over 100-acre marsh adjacent to the neighborhood and the road that abuts it. This involved the collection and analysis of GIS and field data, as well as information about historic conditions and flooding provided by community members. Biohabitats will also conduct a “BioBlitz,” where community members will gather wildlife and vegetation observations.

The team mapped the community’s past and present ecological conditions and modeled future conditions based on projected sea level rise and storm surge scenarios. The team then identified and analyzed a range of possible strategies to enhance the neighborhood’s traditional and nature-based infrastructure and improve flood resilience. The team then worked with the community to select top priority projects to advance to conceptual design with some concepts designed for early implementation.

TAGS

• Analysis+Planning
• Assessment+Monitoring
• Design
• Climate Adaptation + Resilience