Currents
A
s I write this article, Hurricane Florence continues to cause
flooding, tornadoes, and power outages for many of our neighbors
to the north and west of Kiawah Island. We were spared. The Island
leadership directed our community in everyone’s best interest. The
Town of Kiawah Island and the Kiawah Island Community Association (KICA)
took the threats very seriously. They assisted us in preparing for the storm by
lowering water levels in the ponds and providing daily briefings to all associated
with the Island. Whether you live a distance away or are a current resident, these
daily communications helped to ease our minds and remind us how life on a
barrier island is fragile and should never be taken for granted.
We have learned so much in the last several years about the water we love that
surrounds our beautiful Island. The Town has spent more than a year researching
the impacts of flooding events and sea level predictions for the future. Our pond
management team at KICA Land and Lakes Management is confident that recent
upgrades and proper lead-time for lowering island ponds are completely necessary.
Why is the Kiawah Conservancy concerned? Protecting our marsh, dunes and
maritime forest is a privilege and is critical to ensuring future protection from
the flooding that often accompanies major storms. As caretakers, we have seen
the devastation water can cause. Several Conservancy trustees and staff members
have served on these committees and have sounded the alarms so research and
planning can receive the support needed. Thank you to the Town of Kiawah Island
and to KICA for your leadership. It has helped us all better understand how our
Island can be affected by water while keeping us informed of potential threats.
To all a job well done!
To learn more about the Town of Kiawah Island’s “Flood Mitigation and Sea
Level Rise Adaptation” report, please visit: www.kiawahisland.org/departments/
environmental/floodandsealevelrise/.
To follow real-time updates concerning tropical weather, use Twitter to get
information from the Town (@TownofKiawahSC) and KICA (@Kiawah_Island)
or visit: http://kica.us/category/severe-weather/. NK
Donna Windham
Executive Director
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Photo by Diane Supple