Mount Pleasant leaders focused on mitigating flooding

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCBD)- Flooding is a big issue in the Lowcountry.

Not only does it damage property, but in December a life was lost in Mount Pleasant due to major flooding in a neighborhood.

However, the Town of Mount Pleasant is making strides toward decreasing the problem, through its Hazard Mitigation Plan.

South Carolina’s Chairman of the Floodwater Commission, Tom Mullikin, called Mount Pleasant a leading example for mitigating flooding.

Mulliken says the state as a whole has some work to do in this area.

“The difficulty of this issue is you really have a macro atmospheric issue that manifests itself locally in different ways,: Mulliken said.

Mulliken says dangerous flooding is only going to become more common, “We’re beginning to see more salt walk intrusion because of sea level rise. The storms have become more intense year after year. It just keeps marching on.”

The town’s recent Hazard Mitigation Plan was made to address flooding needs around Mount Pleasant.

Mulliken spoke to the Flooding Resilience Committee this morning about the importance of carrying out this plan.

“We’re fortunate in Mount Pleasant that instead of fixing a whole lot of flooding, which we are. But ours compared to our neighbors is not as big. We’re able to be working on things that are far-reaching like our building code, our comprehensive plan, our conservation of green space,” Mount Pleasant Mayor, Will Haynie said.

Mayor Haynie says the plan is focused more on long-term goals, but there are some urgent needs in communities like the Old Village that have outdated infrastructure.

Haynie said, “Those areas were built over 100 years ago and that’s why they’re flooding now.”

Mulliken says cities throughout South Carolina can learn from what Mount Pleasant is doing.

“I think Mount Pleasant is serving as an example not just for the country but for the world because of the leadership here,” Mulliken said.

The Flooding Resilience Committee passed a motion to send the plan to town council for final approval.