Pressure Washing in Folly Beach, SC

Beaches, one of South Carolina’s major economic drivers, are on the frontline in the battle against Mother Nature. When beaches erode, so do our last line of defenses against the ocean. At the heart of maintaining these vital defenses is the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Charleston District.

South Carolina currently has three active Coastal Storm Risk Management (CSRM) projects—commonly referred to as federal beach projects—located at Folly Beach, the Grand Strand, and Pawleys Island, with a fourth project at Edisto Beach in the design phase. As a federal beach (CSRM) project, it is the Charleston District’s responsibility to reduce the risk to life and infrastructure behind the dunes. In practice, this means renourishing beaches that have eroded to the point where they can no longer provide all of their intended benefits.

Renourishments can be periodic or emergency repair. Periodic renourishments occur at set intervals determined in the original design, with costs shared by the project sponsor. Emergency renourishments are triggered by significant storm erosion and a federal disaster declaration. These are fully funded by the federal government, with no cost to the sponsor.

The importance of the state’s beaches and their health is often a topic of discussion in coastal communities, reinforcing the need for close coordination and planning. A key venue for such discussions is the South Carolina Beach Advocates meeting, held in January of this year on Isle of Palms.

The Beach Advocates meeting brings together local, state and federal officials to discuss threats to the state’s beaches and develop future protection plans.

“A lot of the ways we analyze our projects and whether they’re worth the federal investment is by looking at how we are protecting infrastructure,” said Jeff Livasy, chief of civil works for the Charleston District, at the 2025 Beach Advocates meeting. “Our beaches, while a great place to recreate, protect our infrastructure and have a significant economic impact. If a storm devastates an area, dollars are lost, and tourists don’t come.”

One of South Carolina’s most popular waterfront locations, Folly Beach, suffers significant erosion from both tides and storms.

Folly became a federal beach project in 1993. Since then, six renourishments have placed a total of 8.7 million cubic yards of sand on the beach—enough to cover approximately 4,080 football fields one foot deep.

In March 2024, the Charleston District initiated the latest renourishment of Folly Beach to address damage caused by Hurricane Ian. The project served three purposes – to renourish Folly Beach for coastal storm damage reduction, dredge the Folly River federal navigation channel and place material on Bird Key to help reduce erosion on the critical bird habitat.

By October 2024, the renourishment was complete, with 1.7 million cubic yards of sand placed — the equivalent of 170,000 dump trucks. Contractors worked through the summer and into the fall, persevering through multiple storms, including a hurricane.

“We had two tropical events occur during and after the renourishment, Tropical Storm Debby and Hurricane Helene,” said Wes Wilson, project manager for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Charleston District. “Although the storms caused minimal damage to the beach, we demonstrated the importance of the renourishment. Without that sand in place, we would have had much more significant impacts.”

In Fall 2024, the City of Folly Beach and the Charleston District solidified their partnership for another 50 years by signing a new agreement tied to the completion of the next beach renourishment project. This updated design plan features taller dunes, an extended beach footprint and a new engineering template that accounts for the increasing intensity of future storms.

The state’s largest federal beach project is the 26-mile-long Grand Strand, encompassing Surfside Beach/Garden City, Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach. In December 2024, the Charleston District awarded a contract to Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company to place two million cubic yards of material — the equivalent of 200,000 dump trucks — along the Grand Strand. The renourishment is fully funded by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and will cost $72 million.

Contractors are finalizing their work plan and expect to begin pumping sand in the spring. Once work begins, the 26-mile-long renourishment will take approximately 17 months to complete.

South Carolina’s third federal beach project, Pawleys Island, is undergoing an emergency renourishment following significant erosion caused by Hurricane Ian. The project sponsor is working to obtain real estate easements before moving forward with the renourishment.

A fourth federal beach project on Edisto Beach is currently in the design stages. The project includes the construction of a 15-foot-wide dune extending from the southern end of the state park southward for over 16,000 feet past the southern point of the island. The dune will be fronted by a berm of varying widths. The project also includes lengthening select groins along the beach front.

The project sponsor is currently working to secure all necessary easements to begin construction while the design is finalized. Once constructed, Edisto will become the state’s fourth federal beach project.

South Carolina’s beaches are on the frontlines of the battle against Mother Nature, and renourishment projects are one of our best defenses. By continuing these efforts, we’re not only protecting the coastline but also securing the future of our communities and economy. As storms keep testing our shores, these ongoing projects will ensure that our beaches stay strong and ready for whatever comes next.

FOLLY BEACH, S.C. (WCSC) - City of Folly Beach leaders are completing a “square” of multi-use pathways around Center Street to promote pedestrian safety, especially during the busy season.

City leaders are nearing completion on the pathway along Second Street East as the third roadway in the project “square.” About $450 thousand in city funds went toward the path.

The final touches along Second Street East include landscaping and planting. They are expected to be completed by the end of May. Planting is expected to act as a divider between walkers and bikers on the pathway and the roadway.

Ideas for multi-use pathways began in 2018. Second Street West received the first pathway in 2022 then Ashley Avenue in 2023.

Director of Public Works Eric Lutz says the goal of this work is to get pedestrians and bikers out of the roadways during this time of year. Lutz says it is especially important as Folly Beach can see anywhere between 10,000 to 15,000 visitors on a typical weekend during the busy season.

“It gives people a place to walk without being in the street, because a lot of the streets out here, there’s no room to walk or ride your bike,” Lutz says. “There’s just the shoulder and a lot of times the shoulder has got cars parked on it, and so forth and so on. Giving people a path to walk on is really beneficial.”

The pathways are also meant to help with drainage. The paths are made of what is called pervious material, which means they absorb water during heavy rains.

“Normally the water would pond in the roadway, but if these paths can absorb enough and every time we put one in, we also improve the drainage in that area to get it into the storm drain system,” Lutz says. “But the path itself retains and holds and infiltrates a lot of water.”

The final path to complete the “square” will run along East Indian Avenue to connect with Second Street West. Leaders hope to complete the last path by using about $800 thousand in funds from the South Carolina Department of Transportation’s “Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside” program. The program works to fund nonmotorized projects including pedestrian and bike paths and Safe Route to School’s infrastructure.

The final path is expected to be operational next year.

Copyright 2025 WCSC. All rights reserved.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY SCDNR

Posted Saturday, May 3, 2025 6:00 am

CHARLESTON - South Carolina's sea turtle nesting season has begun a couple days earlier than normal with a loggerhead nest reported in Folly Beach.

Trained volunteers with the Folly Beach Turtle Watch program located the nest Tuesday morning while walking the beach (South Carolina Department of Natural Resources permit number MTP524). They are among the team of over 1,500 volunteers and biologists that will regularly patrol South Carolina's beaches through October to count, monitor and protect sea turtle nests.

May 1 traditionally marks the beginning of sea turtle season in South Carolina, but recent sea turtle activity indicated nesting might begin early this year. Seabrook Island has already seen the first two "false crawls" of the season, made by loggerhead females who came ashore but returned to sea without successfully nesting. Other early nest years include Garden City on April 29 last year, Kiawah Island on April 26 in 2019 and Folly Beach on April 29 in 2002.

"With warmer winter conditions and increased observations of loggerheads being reported in our waters, there was some expectation that nesting would begin soon," said biologist Michelle Pate, who oversees SCDNR's sea turtle nesting program. "We ask that beachfront residents and visitors recreating on our coast turn off lights at night as sea turtles begin this annual ritual of nesting."

Nesting requires a great deal of energy, so female sea turtles do not lay eggs every year. This cyclical pattern of nesting results in fluctuating nest numbers from year to year. It's not unusual for record-breaking years (like 2019, 8,795 nests) to follow low nesting years (like 2018; 2,766).

Overall, sea turtle nest numbers across the Southeast have trended up over the past decade, making biologists across the region optimistic that these threatened reptiles are beginning to recover after several decades of conservation efforts.

South Carolina Sea Turtle Nest Numbers

- 2018: 2,766

- 2019: 8,795 (highest on record)

- 2020: 5,560

- 2021: 5,644

- 2022: 7,996

- 2023: 6,618

- 2024: 4,818

Four sea turtle species nest on South Carolina beaches: loggerheads, greens, Kemp's ridleys and leatherbacks. All four species are classified as endangered or threatened and are protected under the Endangered Species Act in addition to state law. Loggerhead nests comprise the majority of the state's total number each year.

Sea turtle clutches average 120 eggs and hatch after approximately 60 days. Nesting females may remain in South Carolina waters and continue to nest every two weeks, laying up to six nests per season.

Throughout this stressful time, the turtles also abstain from eating.

South Carolina beachgoers can help the state's sea turtles by keeping beaches clean, turning beachfront lights out to avoid disorienting turtles, and giving all sea turtles and nests a wide and respectful berth when encountered on the beach.

Sea Turtle Nesting Season Reminders

- Report all sick/injured/dead sea turtles and nest disturbances to the SCDNR at 1-800-922-5431 so that staff/volunteers can respond as soon as possible.

- Respect boating laws and boat cautiously, especially in small tidal creeks where sea turtles like to feed. Boat strikes have emerged as the leading cause of death for sea turtles in South Carolina.

- Keep artificial lights off the beach at night during nesting season - this includes beachfront property lights and flash photography, which can disorient nesting mothers and hatchlings.

- Always respect sea turtles by observing them from a distance on the beach. Individuals that violate federal law by harming or interfering with sea turtles or their nests can be subject to civil penalties of up to $25,000 and up to a year's imprisonment.

- Keep our beaches and ocean clean by avoiding single-use plastics. Plastic bags and balloons are among the most common trash items found on South Carolina beaches and can cause injury or death when sea turtles mistake them for food.

- Promote and support our program for continued conservation of sea turtles in South Carolina.

CHARLESTON, S.C. — South Carolina’s sea turtle nesting season has begun a couple days earlier than normal with a loggerhead nest reported in Folly Beach.

Trained volunteers with the Folly Beach Turtle Watch program located the nest this morning while walking the beach (South Carolina Department of Natural Resources permit number MTP524). They are among the team of over 1,500 volunteers and biologists that will regularly patrol South Carolina’s beaches through October to count, monitor and protect sea turtle nests.

May 1 traditionally marks the beginning of sea turtle season in South Carolina, but recent sea turtle activity indicated nesting might begin early this year. Seabrook Island has already seen the first 2 ‘false crawls’ of the season as of this morning, made by loggerhead females who came ashore but returned to sea without successfully nesting. Other early nest years include Garden City on April 29 last year, Kiawah Island on April 26 in 2019, and Folly Beach on April 29 in 2002.

“With warmer winter conditions and increased observations of loggerheads being reported in our waters, there was some expectation that nesting would begin soon,” said biologist Michelle Pate, who oversees SCDNR’s sea turtle nesting program. “We ask that beachfront residents and visitors recreating on our coast turn off lights at night as sea turtles begin this annual ritual of nesting.”

Nesting requires a great deal of energy, so female sea turtles do not lay eggs every year. This cyclical pattern of nesting results in fluctuating nest numbers from year to year. It’s not unusual for record-breaking years (like 2019; 8,795 nests) to follow low nesting years (like 2018; 2,766).

Overall, sea turtle nest numbers across the Southeast have trended up over the past decade, making biologists across the region optimistic that these threatened reptiles are beginning to recover after several decades of conservation efforts.

South Carolina Sea Turtle Nest Numbers

Four sea turtle species nest on South Carolina beaches: loggerheads, greens, Kemp’s ridleys, and leatherbacks. All four species are classified as endangered or threatened and are protected under the Endangered Species Act in addition to state law. Loggerhead nests comprise the majority of the state’s total number each year.

Sea turtle clutches average 120 eggs and hatch after approximately 60 days. Nesting females may remain in South Carolina waters and continue to nest every two weeks, laying up to six nests per season. Throughout this stressful time, the turtles also abstain from eating.

South Carolina beachgoers can help the state’s sea turtles by keeping beaches clean, turning beachfront lights out to avoid disorienting turtles, and giving all sea turtles and nests a wide and respectful berth when encountered on the beach.

Sea Turtle Nesting Season Reminders

Learn More

–SCDNR

FOLLY BEACH, S.C. (WCSC) - Trained volunteers have spotted the season’s first sea turtle nest a few days earlier than normal, the Department of Natural Resources says.

The volunteers, with the Folly Beach Turtle Watch program, found the loggerhead nest Tuesday morning while walking the beach.

Sea turtle season in South Carolina typically begins on May 1, recent activity suggests the season may have started early, SCDNR says.

“With warmer winter conditions and increased observations of loggerheads being reported in our waters, there was some expectation that nesting would begin soon,” biologist Michelle Pate, who oversees SCDNR’s sea turtle nesting program, said. “We ask that beachfront residents and visitors recreating on our coast turn off lights at night as sea turtles begin this annual ritual of nesting.”

Seabrook Island already had reports of the first two “false crawls,” made by loggerhead females who came ashore but returned to the water without successfully nesting.

Other early nest years include Garden City on April 29 of last year, Kiawah Island on April 26 of 2019, and Folly Beach on April 29 on 2002.

2019 marked the highest number of sea turtle nests, 8,795, on record. The year before was a low nesting year, with only 2,766 nests reported.

Experts say nesting requires a great deal of energy, so female sea turtles do not lay eggs every year. This cyclical pattern of nesting results in fluctuating nest numbers from year to year. That’s why it isn’t unusual for record-breaking years like 2019 to follow low nesting years like 2018.

Sea turtle clutches average 120 eggs and hatch after approximately 60 days, SCDNR says.

Nesting females may remain in South Carolina waters and continue to nest every two weeks, laying up to six nests per season. Throughout this stressful time, the turtles also abstain from eating.

South Carolina beachgoers can help the state’s sea turtles by keeping beaches clean, turning beachfront lights out to avoid disorienting turtles, and giving all sea turtles and nests a wide and respectful berth when encountered on the beach.

Four sea turtle species nest on South Carolina beaches: loggerheads, greens, Kemp’s ridleys, and leatherbacks. All four species are classified as endangered or threatened and are protected under the Endangered Species Act in addition to state law. Loggerhead nests comprise the majority of the state’s total number each year.

The volunteers are among a team of more than 1,500 volunteers and biologists who regularly patrol state beaches through October. Their goal is to count, monitor and protect sea turtle nests.

Copyright 2025 WCSC. All rights reserved.