City has know-how for flood-relief project, but no funds

The Post and Courier

Charleston officials believe they know how to solve flooding problems on the west side of the peninsula, but they don't know where they'll get the estimated $130 million needed for the project.

More than 70 people gathered at Nichols Chapel in Charleston's West Side neighborhood Thursday to learn about the city's plan, and to press for more government funding for the initiative.

When there are big storms, as when the remnants of Tropical Storm Fay passed through, residents of the area often find their cars partially submerged and water lapping at their doors.

"Just last week I had to wade in the water to get back to Charleston Development Academy," said Cecelia Rogers, principal of the charter school. "I was up to the knee in the water."

Charleston already has spent $5 million for engineering work, preparing a solution for a huge area known as the Spring/Fishburne Drainage Basin, which covers about 20 percent of the peninsula, including a section of the Crosstown Expressway.

"Our next big challenge is funding this project," said Laura Cabiness, director of the city's Public Service Department. "If we had the money, we could start next year."

So far the federal government has provided $150,000 for the initiative. In contrast, the federal government contributed $18 million toward a massive and similarly expensive replacement of the Charleston Water System's sewer tunnel.

Alleviating the drainage and flooding problem would require a network of deep tunnels and huge pumping stations, which would collect the flood water and pump it out to the Ashley River. The city previously installed a tunnel and pump system near the eastern end of Calhoun Street to address flooding in that area.

U.S. Rep. Henry Brown said $4 million for the Spring/Fishburne project was authorized by Congress last year, but the money was not later appropriated, which means the city won't be getting those hoped-for funds.

The city has argued that the federally owned Crosstown Expressway is partially responsible for the flooding, and that the federal government should help fix the problem

Also, the flooding can block the expressway, which is a main route to the city's hospitals and a hurricane evacuation route.

"Since construction (of the highway) back in 1968 the flooding has increased on an unprecedented scale," said City Councilman Wendell Gilliard, who organized the meeting.

Charleston has a property tax dedicated to stormwater projects, a $6 monthly fee attached to all residential water bills, and a larger fee for commercial property. Those taxes and fees raise $5.5 million yearly, about $2.2 million of which is available for big improvement projects, according to Cabiness.

She said that if the city were to attempt to fund the Spring/Fishburne project on its own, with a 20-year bond issue, the city would need $8 million each year for that project alone.

An earlier online version of this story omitted information that the meeting was organized by City Councilman Wendell Gilliard. The Post and Courier regrets the error.