Socastee, S.C. — Horry County Stormwater is moving forward with a drainage improvement project on McCormick Road in Socastee to help reduce flooding impacts along Socastee Creek.

The project includes the installation of three 10-foot by 5-foot box culverts beneath McCormick Road. These culverts will function as flood relief culverts, allowing additional stormwater flow during heavy rain events and helping reduce flood levels in the surrounding area. The selected contractor will also perform water and sewer relocations to allow space for the new culverts.

Socastee Creek is highly prone to flash flooding, and this portion of the watershed has experienced repeated flooding during intense storms. Once complete, the project is expected to reduce flood levels by approximately one foot near McCormick Road.

“In this area, inches matter,” said Brandon Wagner, Stormwater Manager for Horry County. “A reduction of approximately one foot can make a meaningful difference for nearby roads, homes, and communities that are vulnerable to flooding along Socastee Creek.”

The drainage improvements are expected to reduce flooding impacts for communities along Socastee Creek between McCormick Road and Highway 501.

The project is possible due to an $846,450.00 grant from South Carolina Office of Resilience and one million dollars from South Carolina Department of Environmental Services earmarked for Socastee Creek flood mitigation, helped secured by Representative Heather Ammons Crawford.

“This project is a big win for the Socastee community when it comes to resiliency and infrastructure,” said Representative Heather Ammons Crawford, District 68, Horry County. “I’m proud of the collaborative work between the South Carolina Legislature, the South Carolina Office of Resilience, and Horry County to proactively combat future flooding issues.”

“This project exemplifies our definition of resilience,” explained Chief Resilience Officer Ben Duncan. “The stormwater upgrades enable to Socastee Creek community to anticipate, absorb, recover, and thrive when presented with environmental change and natural hazards.”

“This stormwater infrastructure project, to be built along Socastee Creek, is a critical investment in the safety and resilience of our community,” said Representative Carla M. Schuessler, District 61, Horry County. “With our district experiencing repeated flash flooding and sever storm impacts, the installation of three flood relief culverts beneath McCormick Road will help reduce flood levels and better protect nearby homes, businesses, and roadways.”

Horry County Stormwater continues to identify and implement projects that improve drainage, reduce flood risk, and strengthen stormwater infrastructure across the county.

For more information about Horry County Stormwater projects, residents may contact Horry County Stormwater.

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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 3,470+ homes in our Disaster Recovery Program, SCOR has 86 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.