Fortunately, many of these areas, important for commercial and recreational fish species and aesthetic and recreational value, can be restored to provide their former benefits. The restoration projects demonstrate methods of stabilizing eroding shorelines, revitalizing a degraded salt marsh, and increasing fisheries habitat – all in recreational areas with high value to the public.

The $750,000 Charleston Shoreline Restoration project is creating or restoring Charleston area estuarine marshes, including nearly 200 acres of degraded salt marsh by stabilizing shorelines and increasing tidal exchange.

Charleston gets NOAA mention for Earth Day 2010

From the Shem Creek blog.

Charleston gets NOAA mention for Earth Day 2010

Topics will include implications of chronic erosion, gradual sea level rise, increased shoreline development and comprehensive beachfront management planning. A public comment period began 5:30 p.m. yesterday.

Organized by DHEC in 2007, the Shoreline Change Advisory Committee is an advisory committee of a broad cross-section of stakeholders including scientists, coastal managers, municipal officials, developers, conservationists and legal professionals. The committee’s purpose is to organize existing shoreline research, identify research priority needs and consider policy-related issues concerning management of South Carolina’s estuarine and beachfront shorelines. A report of the committee’s findings is planned for late 2009.

The Charleston Community Leaders’ Forum on Shoreline Change is organized by DHEC’s Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management in partnership with S. C. Sea Grant Consortium, the College of Charleston and the City of Folly Beach.

For more information on the Shoreline Change Advisory Committee visit http://www.scdhec.gov/environment/ocrm/science/shoreline_comm.htm

From the Shem Creek blog.

Charleston Community Leaders’ Forum on Shoreline Change

The Web site at www.SCBeaches.travel provides up-to-date travel information on three distinct areas – the Lowcountry and Resort Islands, Historic Charleston and Myrtle Beach & the Grand Strand – along with interactive games for kids, weather, maps and a photo album.

Using keyword research, SCPRT has organized the new site in a way to make it more accessible to the Internet search engines that millions of consumers use when looking for unique, fun and affordable beach trips. It also provides the state’s tourism partners on the coast with a clear portal for their consumer message.

SCBeaches.travel is the latest in a series of Web sites created and maintained by SCPRT. The others include the state’s official tourism site at www.DiscoverSouthCarolina.com, the Web site of the S.C. State Park Service at www.SouthCarolinaParks.com and specialized offerings such as www.SouthCarolinaGolf.com, www.SavorSouthCarolina.com and www.CarolinaGirls.travel.

The state tourism agency also maintains sites designed specifically for cellphones and other handheld devices. They are www.DiscoverSouthCarolina.mobi and www.SouthCarolinaParks.mobi. They contain key information about South Carolina attractions, events, lodging, shopping, dining, golf courses and state parks.

_{Now I know why my logs have been showing so many hits for “South Carolina beaches” lately.}

From the Shem Creek blog.

SCPRT launches new website devoted to SC coastline

Some highlights:

• * Rising water levels are already an important factor in submerging low-lying lands, eroding beaches, converting wetlands to open water, and exacerbating coastal flooding. All of these effects will be increased if the rate of sea-level rise accelerates in the future.
• * Most coastal wetlands in the mid-Atlantic would be lost if sea level rises one meter in the next century. Even a 50-cm rise would threaten most wetlands along the Eastern Shore of Chesapeake Bay.
• * Possible responses to sea level rise include seawalls, bulkheads, and other shoreline armoring; elevating buildings and land surfaces (including beaches and wetlands); and allowing shorelines to change and moving structures out of harm’s way. Those three approaches have very different environmental and social impacts.
• * Preparing now can reduce the eventual environmental and economic impacts of sea level rise.
• * Some governmental and non-governmental organizations are already starting to prepare for sea level rise.

You can read the full report at Coastal Sensitivity to Sea-level Rise.

From the Shem Creek blog.

Sea Level Rise and it’s Mid-Atlantic Region Implications

This doesn’t apply to emergency situations, but the boat or watercraft is expected to be recovered if such an event occurs. An abandoned watercraft is one that has been moored, stranded, wrecked, is sinking, or sunk, and has been left unattended for more than 45 days.

The State’s new abandoned boat law stipulates that all expenses for the removal of any abandoned watercraft will be provided by the owner. Fines upon conviction of this misdemeanor are between $1000 and $5000 and/or imprisonment up to 30 days.

* UPDATE 2/26/09: The City of Charleston has approved a new law prohibiting abandoned boats and outboard motors in public waters within city limits also. Here’s a short video about the abandoned boat problem.

* UPDATE 4/1/9: Boats Too Costly to Keep Are Littering Coastlines

“I am overinsured on this boat. If I make it go away so no one will find it, the insurance company will give me enough to cover the debt and I’ll make something on the deal as well.”

From the Shem Creek blog.

Abandoned boat law means fine and/or jail time