ASSESSMENT OF BEACH RE-NOURISHMENT AND OTHER SHORELINE STABILIZATION PROJECTS IN CHARLESTON CO., SC

Charleston County accounts for over half of the South Carolina coastline, known as the Lowcountry. The county is defined by wetlands, estuaries, and barrier islands, which are a major economic engine for the region (tourism, high-end hotel and beach communities). Barrier islands are essential in protecting the region from hurricanes and other forces of nature. They are dynamic landforms with constantly changing shape and position that impacts residents and tourists alike. As natural barrier island processes impact coastal communities, Charleston County faces a difficult decision; they cannot force people to abandon the barrier island communities, some of which have been in existence since colonial times, but the costs and impacts of current stabilization techniques are hard to justify. Charleston County has used a variety of techniques ranging from seawalls, groins, and jetties, to vegetation, and finally to the currently popular and expensive technique of beach re-nourishment. Using case studies of shoreline stabilization practices attempted in the region, this paper looks at the current techniques and their positive and negative impacts on the shoreline.