Being that Charleston sits barely above sea level + is surrounded by water, drainage and flooding problems have been plaguing the city since it was settled almost 350 years ago. Many different techniques have been implemented over the centuries to combat this, all with varying degrees of success.

With sea levels on the rise, these issues now pose an existential threat to the city. According to a 2018 analysis of housing data by Zillow, nearly 40% of homes in the Charleston region are at risk of being inundated with water by the end of this century – and that risk becomes more + more apparent with each passing hurricane season. Addressing this problem is more important than ever. But, before you start doomsday prepping, take note: the Netherlands, another low-lying area with similar issues, may have found a solution. And now, that approach is being taken + applied in other places.

Dutch Dialogues is a series of workshops aimed at fighting flooding by learning to coexist with water, and creating a comprehensive plan that takes flooding + drainage into account in every single step of the city’s planning + design process. The key to the approach’s success is collaboration by all members of the community. Cities like New Orleans, Norfolk, V.A., + Bridgeport, C.T. have already launched Dutch Dialogues – and now, Charleston is following suit.

Who is behind Dutch Dialogues?

Dutch Dialogues Charleston is being spearheaded by the New Orleans-based firm Waggonner & Ball, LLC, The Water Institute of the Gulf, the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Washington, D.C., + local partners like the City of Charleston + the Historic Charleston Foundation.

The initiative will be paid for with a combination of city funds + private donations.

How has this worked in other cities?

In New Orleans, a Dutch Dialogues held between 2008-2010 in part spurred the $141 million Gentilly Resilience District – a variety of projects + programs aimed at reproducing land + water management approaches that have been previously successful in NOLA’s Gentilly neighborhood (which was badly damaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005). Called a “resilience district,” Gentilly is the first neighborhood in NOLA to undertake this approach, and was funded by the federal government’s National Disaster Resilience Competition.
In Norfolk, V.A., a 2015 Dutch Dialogues contributed input that ultimately helped the city land the aforementioned National Disaster Resilience Award – in this case, to the tune of $121 million.
In Bridgeport, C.T., Dutch Dialogues experts applied the program’s framework + principles to help bring in $50 million in federal funding (via the Rebuild by Design program) to help rebuild the city after Hurricane Sandy in 2012.

Proposed areas of focus

Dutch Dialogues proposed areas of focus | Image provided by Waggoner & Ball, LLC via Rawle Murdy

The Lockwood Corridor / Medical District downtown | An area that provides critical city services + has a large amount of urban infrastructure
Vardell’s and New Market Creek area in Charleston’s East Side | A low-lying redevelopment area where the Cooper River bridge once stood that is currently vacant
Johns Island | A mostly rural area facing heavy development + infrastructure challenges
Church Creek in West Ashley | A highly suburbanized area

After studying those four flooding hotspots, experts will then design approaches + design-solutions that can be replicated all over the city.

How can I get involved?

Last week, upwards of 200 experts, city leaders, + other members of the community gathered for a 3-day Colloquium designed at assessing those four sites.

In June/July, organizers of Dutch Dialogues Charleston have a 5-day Workshop planned that will include additional research along with community briefings + displays. Details on that are TBD.

Members of the public are also invited to submit their own ideas to Dutch Dialogues at any time via the project’s website.

Quiz

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