Nichols, South Carolina – The South Carolina Office of Resilience and Town of Nichols are proud to begin construction on a nature-based stormwater park located in a 100-year floodplain at 406 E Old Stage Road. The project will introduce a substantial level of flood risk protection to an area with no previous stormwater related infrastructure systems. Following a notice to proceed on Friday, July 18, 2025, construction crews began work on Tuesday, July 22.

A $3.6 million award from SCOR’s ARPA Stormwater Infrastructure Program is funding the project’s design, permitting, and construction. When applying for funding, the Town identified a significant flood hazard at the Nichols Head Start School Building. The project will construct a community park on the site of the now demolished structure.

“Among this project’s strengths is that it is a 100% nature-based solution, meaning that it will be built completely using green infrastructure such as a rain garden, stormwater pond, sediment basin, and riparian plantings,” says S.C. Chief Resilience Officer Ben Duncan. “Additionally, this will be a strong asset for the Town because, outside of hazard events, it will be a thriving recreation center that fosters community connectivity.”

A main advantage of the park is its storage capacity during rain events to reduce localized flooding. A stormwater pond with a 1-acre footprint will be dug with the capacity to store approximately 3.3 acre-feet (over one million gallons) of stormwater during rain events, in addition to its permanent water capacity outside of storms. This provides an estimated level of protection from local rainfall and riverine flooding above a 25-year, 24-hour event.

The town has identified 33 structures in the immediate area that will benefit from reduced risks of losses due to flood damage. Additionally, the project’s use of native plants and a wet sediment basin design for the pond will improve water quality and biodiversity in the area. 

“This park will be a tremendous asset, not just for Nichols residents, but for the surrounding community and visitors as well,” said Representative Terry Alexander, SC District 59. “It’s a powerful example of how state and local efforts can come together to address ongoing challenges like flooding, and turn the identified solution into on with wide-reaching benefits like public access and recreation.” 

Mayor Lawson Battle adds, “While a single solution will not resolve all flooding issues for the Town, we are proud to move forward with this project to reduce localized flood risks and create a shared space for recreation and community engagement.”

Construction is projected to last 12-15 months.

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About SCOR: The South Carolina Office of Resilience (SCOR) is committed to enhancing the state's ability to anticipate, absorb, recover, and thrive when presented with environmental changes and natural hazards by planning and coordinating statewide resilience, long-term disaster recovery, and hazard mitigation. In addition to serving 3,459 homes in our Disaster Recovery Program, SCOR has 81 active flood mitigation projects, including voluntary buyouts, stormwater infrastructure, and plans and studies, across the State. SCOR continues to implement and maintain the Strategic Statewide Resilience and Risk Reduction Plan, which provides a framework to guide investment in projects, programs, and policies to protect the people and property of South Carolina from the damage and destruction of extreme weather events.