The City of Charleston, South Carolina, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers signed a design agreement on December 5, 2025, advancing the Charleston Peninsula Coastal Storm Risk Management Project—also called the Battery Extension Project—into the preconstruction, engineering, and design (PED) phase to combat storm surge flooding.​
Project Scope
Initiated in 2018 with a federally funded feasibility study completed in 2022, the project targets coastal storm surge risks through 2082 via measures like a perimeter wall, pump stations, nonstructural elevations, and living shorelines, potentially spanning from the Ravenel Bridge past the Citadel while forming a linear waterfront park. The $20 million PED phase, fully funded ($13 million federal, $7 million local), balances engineering needs with Charleston’s historic character.​
Public Involvement
Lt. Col. Todd Mainwaring, Charleston District commander, and Mayor William Cogswell emphasized community input from neighborhoods, faith groups, and stakeholders to shape designs without sacrificing the city’s aesthetic. Construction aims to start soon after PED, expediting protection amid rising surge threats.
