Fountain Inn, SC - The South Carolina Office of Resilience (SCOR) is pleased to announce construction began on the Laurens County Stormwater Improvement Project – North Laurens Culverts on the week of September 15, 2025 following a Notice to Proceed issued on July 21, 2025. The project will replace an undersized culvert along Chapman Road with a 16’2” x 5’1” aluminum box culvert. Grading, drainage, and paving/overlay will be included in the project to support the culvert replacement. Additionally, stormwater improvements will be completed at the Sullivan Rd crossing.

The project’s engineering, design, and construction is funded in part by a $1,576,005 award from SCOR’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Stormwater Infrastructure Program (ASIP) and a cost share from Laurens County of $161,268. The Office of Resilience is additionally responsible for day-to-day project management, and Laurens County will take ownership and maintain the drainage improvements upon completion.

“We are excited to see this project move forward because effectively managing stormwater is a critical aspect of ensuring the safety of our residents,” explains Laurens County Interim Administrator Melissa D. Ferqueron. “Storm events as recent as Hurricane Helene have demonstrated the necessity of building infrastructure that is adequately suited to address future hazards we may face.”

Representative Mark N. Willis (District 16) comments, “considering the new developments and growth taking place around this project, it is wonderful to see the County thinking ahead and acting proactively to reduce the risk of future flood events. Infrastructure improvements like this are invaluable for the safety and security of residents, their property, and communities of Laurens County.”

According to the County’s application for ASIP funds, stream crossings in Northern Laurens County routinely flood, resulting in roadway closures, damage to county roads, and stream bank erosion. The existing culvert under Chapman Rd, which is a closed tunnel channeling water under obstructions like roads, could not accommodate present and anticipated levels of stormwater runoff. The project will thus upgrade the existing culvert to convey a larger quantity of stormwater under the road.

“We applaud Laurens County for including work beyond just upsizing the existing culverts,” explains Chief Resilience Officer Ben Duncan. “This project also includes green stormwater solutions which will have positive impacts such as reducing erosion caused by flooding, filtering pollutants from floodwaters, and helping stormwater infiltrate into the ground.”

Through this combination of natural and manmade stormwater infrastructure, the project is anticipated to protect against flood risks from a 25-year, 24-hour storm event.

Construction is anticipated to last 6-8 months. To date, SCOR has committed approximately $65 million in ARPA Stormwater Infrastructure Program funds for improvements across South Carolina.

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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.