ISLAND INFRASTRUCTURE
Task Forces Focus on Water Management
This year, KICA’s board of directors assertively
prioritized flood mitigation planning, establishing two
task forces: Water Management and Infrastructure
Funding. Together, their goals are to develop solutions
for currently vulnerable areas on Kiawah and create
long term water monitoring and management plans.
The task forces report to the board, and are comprised
of KICA community members and staff. Their work
stems from action items the town identified in their
2018 Flood Mitigation and Sea Level Rise Adaptation
Report.
Underway since the beginning of the year, the Water
Management task force started by identifying seven
problematic locations on Kiawah and developing plans
to enhance drainage in those areas. The areas are:
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Kiawah Island Parkway near Sora Rail
Governors Drive near Turtle Point Maintenance
Governors Drive near Trumpet Creeper Lane
Kiawah Island Parkway near the V-gate
Kiawah Island Parkway at Green Dolphin
Pond 29 to Pond 24 between Surfwatch Drive and
Sea Forest Drive
• Sea Marsh Lane
These susceptible areas were shared with the engineering
firm Stantec, which came back with proposed
infrastructure solutions in July. KICA Resilience
Specialist Lucas Hernandez then worked with the
task force to add the new infrastructure into a digital
model of Kiawah Island, which simulates island water
movement. Not only does the model give the task force
data on if the water is removed effectively from the
area, but it also helps identify where the water will be
displaced, and if it creates an excess elsewhere, or leaves
the island through the drainage basin.
Through this process, the task force should be able
to approach the board with practical responses to
flooding, and the board can be confident about investing
association resources. The priority list will be decided at
the Water Management task force’s upcoming meeting.
With the priority list, the Infrastructure Funding
task force will tackle the challenge of determining a
funding source for this new infrastructure. Although the
association has a reserves fund to maintain infrastructure
that was originally conveyed to KICA by developers,
there is no funding source for new infrastructure.
Both task forces are working quickly to provide a
recommended project and funding solution package
to the board in time for the 2020 budget, which is
approved at the November board meeting. The goal
is for KICA to be able to complete the proposed
infrastructure projects within 3-5 years.
According to board treasurer and task force member
Dave Morley, these projects are just the first phase of
work for the task force. In the second phase, likely
launching in 2020, the task force will look at ways to
prevent water from entering the island, like in the event
of a storm surge. “We started by addressing known
problems, will then determine preventative tactics, and
will continue by establishing an adaptive strategy for
monitoring and assessing the water management plan.
We won’t ever eliminate risk, but our goal is mitigation,”
remarked Morley. “Our work will provide a platform
for Kiawah to monitor and adapt for anticipated rising
sea levels, decades before we see any visible impact.”
Dave acknowledges that this work isn’t just about
mitigating water events. “By addressing our island’s
susceptibilities, we’ll improve the quality of life for
our members. We’re also demonstrating that we’re
a proactive community, willing to deal with issues
head-on, and that can only have a positive impact on
property values.”
The work of these task forces will be followed closely
and updates will be shared with the community
through email, in Digest and at kica.us.
KIAWAH ISLAND DIGEST | 3