On Tuesday, Aug. 19, Elko Coastal Consulting presented the Town of Sullivan’s Island Resilience and Sea Level Adaptation Plan to Town Council, outlining strategies designed to help the barrier island withstand the challenges of sea level rise through 2050.
A central theme of the plan is the use of nature-based solutions, such as rain gardens and bioswales, to help manage stormwater. These systems rely on soil and plants to slow runoff and allow water to infiltrate the ground. Neighboring Mount Pleasant has already begun installing rain gardens along its roadways, and Elko suggested Sullivan’s Island could follow suit. Beyond flood management, these projects carry broader community benefits, such as cooling urban heat, improving water quality and biodiversity, and encouraging what Elko called a “cultural change” in how residents view and interact with their environment.
Elko also urged the town to give as much attention to its marshes as it does its beaches. “We do a great job of monitoring and measuring our beaches, and almost nothing along the marsh front,” said Nicole Elko. “As sea levels rise, our marshes will drown if they can’t keep up.”
She noted that while Sullivan’s Island already partners with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on beach renourishment, similar projects could be applied to marshes using dredged material. Such efforts have been implemented elsewhere in the country but would be a first for South Carolina.
To encourage private landowners to play a role, Elko suggested mini-grants or incentives for marsh-front property improvements. She also recommended reviewing town ordinances to better balance property rights with marsh protection and highlighted eco-friendly shoreline stabilization products such as EnviroLok and vegetative systems that use biodegradable bags and binding root matrices to permanently strengthen shorelines naturally.
Not all strategies rely on plants. Elko’s plan also includes engineered solutions, such as underground stormwater detention bunkers and permeable hardscapes. One option, “stormcrete,” resembles traditional concrete but allows water to seep through. Elko suggested it could be especially useful in the Middle Street business district.
She also recommended curbing the construction of private dune walkovers, which can reduce dune elevation over time. Instead, she advised funneling beachgoers through designated public paths and reinforcing dunes with vegetation.
Looking further long term, Elko raised the possibility of elevating the causeway that connects Sullivan’s Island to the mainland. “We’re familiar with an eight-foot king tide, but if we get a storm surge with a 12-foot tide, the causeway is going underwater,” she warned.
The proposed plan blends natural and engineered approaches, aiming not only to protect Sullivan’s Island from rising seas and stronger storms but also to reshape how the community interacts with its fragile coastal environment.