Charleston partners with Charleston County and Charleston Water System to tackle chronic Lake Dotterer flooding in West Ashley using ARPA funds for design and city dollars for construction (estimated $1M-$5M total).
Flooding Causes
Lake Dotterer in the Church Creek Basin catches rainfall runoff while tidal surges from the coast fill it up—overloads during storms like Hurricane Joaquin (2015) and four since flood yards, homes, and roads.
Planned Fixes
Widen pipes for better runoff, raise the berm against tides, boost storage capacity. Councilman Kevin Shealey’s pushed this 5+ years; Stormwater Director Matthew Fountain stresses no shifting floods elsewhere.
Wetlands Challenges
Federally protected wetlands demand ecosystem-safe engineering—balance rain/tide models to avoid worsening adjacent spots.
Next Steps
Technical review Thursday 9 a.m. for final public input; design wraps June 2026, construction after approvals. One of two West Ashley flood plans up this week.
Vital upgrade for that lowcountry vulnerability—smart tidal tweaks could save headaches next storm season, bhai. West Ashley needs this bad.
