Water Resiliance

KICA’s Flood Mitigation Efforts

The Kiawah Island Community Association has been working to optimize the island’s stormwater drainage system to more quickly and effectively displace water in a heavy rainfall or storm surge event. In the spring of 2020, members approved a special assessment to fund six infrastructure improvement projects that will result in reduced flooding in known susceptible locations. These projects will keep roads open to traffic in many significant rainfall events and represent a foundational step in Kiawah’s water management planning.


Water Resiliance

Infrastructure Improvements

The infrastructure improvements began in May 2020 and all six are expected to be complete by the end of 2024. The special assessment will be billed annually to members for five years at $65 per improved property and $130 per unimproved property. The first payment was required in June 2020 and the final payment will be billed in June 2024.

The association and other island entities are also collaborating to prepare for the long-term impacts of climate change including the increased frequency of storms and rising sea levels. In 2020 KICA established the Adaptive Management Plan Task force, with the endorsement of the town, to seek member input in the initial development of a plan that will allow Kiawah to adapt with changing environmental conditions. This plan will utilize critical data collected from the Town of Kiawah Island’s new tide gauge at the Kiawah River Bridge. The gauge records water levels that will be analyzed to understand any changes over time. The Kiawah Conservancy is also making significant contributions to flood mitigation efforts through their Marsh and Groundwater studies, which will provide a complete picture of the water below and around the island. Together these efforts will provide our island with a comprehensive understanding of our water environment, how it changes over time, and what actions island leaders should take to preserve our special island community.


Water Resiliance

Make Your Property More Water Resilient

Use the following resources to make your property more resilient to flooding. Water management solutions like these should be tailored to fit your property and can work alone or multiple approaches can be combined. Keep in mind that on Kiawah, you will likely need approval from the Architectural Review Board and encroachment permits before you proceed with a new water management solution.

Tide Chart

The Town of Kiawah installed a high-tech tide gauge at the Kiawah River Bridge in 2020 to record water levels, which will be used to track trends over time.


water-resilience News

Latest Announcements

Traffic Alert: Lane Closure on Governors Drive for Road Repair on Friday, Jan. 17

KICA has recently been working to alleviate a drainage issue on Governors Drive, just past the first Flyway Drive intersection. [...]

Final Portion of Flood Mitigation Projects to Be Completed in January

Part of KICA’s final Flood Mitigation Project #6 will begin just after the New Year. Project 6 addresses inefficient drainage [...]

Bank Stabilization and Bulkhead Replacement at Inlet Cove Complete

Kiawah’s largest drainage basin on the west end of the island filters water in and out of 29 ponds through [...]

KICA Completes Another Key Piece in its Flood Mitigation Puzzle

KICA has been working to optimize the island’s stormwater drainage system since 2020, when members approved a special assessment to [...]

Kiawah Encourages the Installation of Pervious Surfaces to Reduce Flooding and Filter Out Pollutants

A collaborative initiative between KICA, the Town of Kiawah Island, the Kiawah Island Architectural Review Board and the Kiawah Conservancy [...]

Traffic Alert: Governors Drive Drainage Improvement Project at Trumpet Creeper Lane

A drainage connection under Governors Drive near Trumpet Creeper Lane will be replaced, closing one lane of traffic for construction [...]