Category: Engineering

Community Education: Living on the Marsh at Seabrook Island

On By SIPOAIn Engineering, Environmental, Intern Program

While Seabrook Island is often recognized for its beachfront charm, a significant number of residents actually live along the island’s vibrant marsh front. Marsh-front living offers unique opportunities as well as specific environmental challenges.

As part of this summer’s SIPOA Engineering Internship Program, we developed an educational resource tailored specifically for marsh-front homeowners. A Homeowners’ Guide to Living on the Marsh on Seabrook Island is a comprehensive StoryMap designed to inform and support residents in understanding and managing life along the marsh.

The guide covers key topics such as:

  • Salt marsh zonation
  • Salt marsh ecology
  • Tidal flooding and storm surge
  • Shoreline protection alternatives
  • Adapting to tidal channel migration
  • Backyard buffers and marsh vegetation management

The StoryMap features local photography, time-lapse aerial imagery, and interactive maps to illustrate these concepts in a clear, engaging format. Its user-friendly design provides accessible, practical guidance for living adjacent to a dynamic marsh ecosystem.

By embracing sustainable marsh-front management practices, residents can contribute to a more resilient community—particularly in response to coastal storms and changing environmental conditions.

Feel free to contact me at shirsch@sipoa.org with questions or comments.

SIPOA Engineering Intern Program – 2025

On By SIPOAIn Engineering, Environmental, Long Range Planning

This summer, SIPOA has brought in two interns to help investigate the condition of the roads on Seabrook Island.

Mia Honeyman is a Marine Science major from the University of South Carolina. She is pursuing her masters degree in Natural Resource Management with a focus on coastal management and coastal resilience.

Rashid Al-Washahi is a Civil Engineering graduate at Clemson University who got his undergraduate Civil Engineering degree from Arizona State University.

Their complementary skill sets will be utilized to update the Seabrook Island Asphalt Management Plan. Further details on the results of their study will be provided in August.

If you see them on the island doing field work, please help welcome them to Seabrook Island!

Fins, Flippers & Feathers Recap – 2025

On By SIPOAIn Communications, Community Events, Engineering, SIPOA, Town of Seabrook Island

On May 9th, friends and neighbors gathered to celebrate the completion of a new wildlife boardwalk signage project – an initiative that brings education, conservation, and community engagement together in a meaningful way.

Susan Culler Soden gave a presentation to those in attendance.

This project would not have been possible without the dedication, hard work, and passion of so many individuals. First and foremost, I want to express my deepest gratitude to our incredible committee, the driving force behind this initiative: Brandy Embrey Graphic Design & TP; Mark Andrews, Shorebird Stewards and Seabrook Island Birders; Cindy O’Neill, SIPOA Board Member and I for the Lowcountry Marine Mammal Network. Special thanks goes to Camp Duquet of SCDNR for the background files used on all the signs. Your commitment, enthusiasm, and expertise have brought this vision to life, ensuring that every detail was carefully planned and executed for the benefit of our community and the natural world we cherish.

What began as a few individuals asking how the worn out wildlife boardwalk signs could be replaced, turned into a project that eventually involved three Seabrook Island wildlife groups working together with the Town of Seabrook Island and the Seabrook Island Property Owners Association to finance, design, create and install three new signs on three separate boardwalks – Boardwalks 1, 7 and 9. A rough estimate of individuals directly involved in the project is 47 – it TRULY took a village!

Susan thanked all of the organization representatives who helped with bringing this project to fruition:

TOSI (12 representatives)

  • Mayor Bruce Kleinman
  • Community Promotion & Engagement Committee
  • Environment & Wildlife Committee
  • Abby Grooms, Communications & Events Manager

SIPOA (20+ representatives)

  • Heather Paton, Executive Director, for acting as our banker
  • Cindy O’Neill and Tom Johnson, SIPOA board members. A special shout-out to Tom Johnson for getting us through the State permitting process.
  • Environmental Committee
  • Steve Hirsch, Director of Engineering & Facilities Management, and his maintenance crew for their guidance through the process and for installing the signs.
  • Rhiannon Schalaudek and Kristen Riedmayer, SIPOA Communications
  • Joyce Phillips, Amenities & Activities Committee

Lowcountry Marine Mammal Network

  • Laura Rust, Founder & Executive Director

Turtle Patrol (4 representatives)

  • Jane Magioncalda, SCDNR permit holder & head
  • Bill Nelson, Treasurer
  • Brandy Embrey
  • Wendy Holschuh

Seabrook Island Birders (3 representatives)

  • Bob Mercer, President
  • Claudia Porter, Treasurer
  • Gina Sanders, Communications

A special thanks goes to our talented photographers, who have captured the essence of our local wildlife and with such brilliance. Our committee knew that great photographs of our Seabrook Island wildlife were a critical element. Your stunning images bring life to our signs, transforming them into powerful tools for education and appreciation. Because of you, visitors will not only read about the beauty of Seabrook Island, they will see it in its most breathtaking form.

Our photographers are: Mark Andrews, Glen Cox, Jeff Davis, Joseph Ficarra, Maureen Healy, Patricia Schaeffer, and Susan Culler Soden.

Together, we have created something truly special – a place where people can learn and connect with nature in ways that inspire and inform. These signs are more than just structures; they are a testament to the power of collaboration and community spirit.

So today, let us celebrate not only the completion of this project, but also the incredible people who made it happen. Thank you all for your hard work, passion, and dedication. You have helped build something that will serve as a lasting reminder of the importance of conservation, education, and collaboration within our community.

Submitted by Susan Culler Soden
Photos by Jeff Davis

Stormwater Projects Update – 5/27/25

On By SIPOAIn Engineering, GOMC

Stormwater Pump Station 2 – Construction of the Pump Station 2 replacement project is complete and can be seen in the picture below.  The pump automation controls are being calibrated, and the temporary bypass pumping equipment will be removed in June.

Ocean Winds #15 Tide Mitigation Structure – A permit to construct a structure to prevent tidal flooding in an area adjacent to Ocean Winds #15 was submitted to the SC Bureau of Coastal Management (SCBCM) in October 2023.  The permit application was denied in April 2025.  SCBCM determined the proposed project was not consistent with policies and regulations and suggested that a preferred alternative would be the construction of berms and bulkheads utilizing the golf course and uplands adjacent to private properties.  Considering the permit denial, the SIPOA General Operations and Maintenance Committee elected to pursue the construction of the Finger Lakes Outfall Structure in 2025.

Old Forrest Pipe Replacement – Plans are being drafted to dig and replace a stormwater pipe that crosses under a small causeway on Old Forrest Dr that connects two of the finger lakes.  The pipe is old and undersized and needs to be replaced with a larger pipe.  Construction will require the Old Forrest causeway to be closed to all through traffic for approximately 30 days.  The plan is to begin construction in the fall.

Finger Lakes Outfall Structure – This project will replace an existing stormwater outfall structure from the finger lakes into the salt marsh.  The new structure will allow for automated water level control in the lakes and will prevent tidal flooding into the lakes during king tide events.  Construction plans and specifications are being drafted.  The anticipated schedule for this project are to complete the plans and specifications in August, solicit construction bids in September, and begin construction around November 2025.  Construction will take approximately 4-6 months to complete.

Adopt-A-Highway – 5/17/25

On By SIPOAIn Activities, Adopt a Highway, Engineering, Environmental

Sweepers are invited to the May 17 Adopt a Highway Sweep, weather permitting. It is a great way to meet new people and old friends, get some exercise and beautify the entry to Seabrook Island.

Meet at the Lake House around 9:00am. Sweepers will be provided with pick-up sticks, neon orange vests and bags. We will sweep for approximately 2 hours or as long as you are able. Each bag should weigh no more than 15-pounds and personal safety is first-and-foremost for all participants. On average, 3 bags of trash are collected by a participant.

Participants may choose an area along Betsy Kerrison/Bohicket/River Road they would like to see tidied up, or go to an assigned area.

If you plan to participate, RSVP to Mary Gwyn at mkginmd@verizon.net.

Hope you will be able to join us!

Bike Wayfinding Update

On By SIPOAIn Engineering, GOMC

In March, the SIPOA board approved the installation of bike wayfinding signage along Seabrook Island roadways. The asphalt marking and signs were installed today, and an example picture can be seen below. 

The goal of the signage is to divert bike traffic off Seabrook Island Road and onto safer interior roadways with less vehicle traffic. The recommended bike route can be seen in the figure below. What Property Owners and guests will notice are new markings on the roadways. The markings consist of bike symbols, direction arrows, and signs along the route, which will hopefully direct bike traffic off Seabrook Island Road on the north half of the loop, and onto less busy roadways and multi-use paths. 

We hope that families and residents will plan to use this safer route when planning their bike rides around the island. 

Landscaped Median Update – 4/16/25

On By SIPOAIn Engineering, GOMC

The curb, sidewalk, and asphalt work have been completed for the new landscaped median in front of the Lake House. So what is next?

This week, conduit will be installed under the road for irrigation and landscape lighting. The irrigation will be installed next week along with electrical conduit. Landscape plantings should be completed during the last week of April, and mulch will be added to the oak beds during the first week of May. Crosswalk striping and signage will also be installed during the first week of May.

We appreciate your patience and caution as you drive through this area while this scope of work is being completed.

New Bike Wayfinding Markings & Signage

On By SIPOAIn Engineering, GOMC

New bike wayfinding road markings and signage will be installed on SIPOA roadways in April. The goal is to divert bike traffic off of Seabrook Island Road and onto safer interior roadways with less vehicle traffic.  The recommended bike route can be seen in the figure below.  What property owners and guests will see are new markings on the roadways which consist of bike symbols, direction arrows and signs along the route which will hopefully direct bike traffic off Seabrook Island Road on the North half of the loop, and on to less busy roadways and multi-use paths.

Bike safety is a topic that has been studied by both the Safety and Security and General Operations and Maintenance Committees in 2024 and 2025.  This recommended bike route has existing in SIPOA handouts for years, but both committees felt that guests on Seabrook were likely unaware of the route.  The additional signage and road marking will make the route more visible to bikers and encourage its use.

SIPOA will be looking for property owner and bike user feedback on the effectiveness of the markings after they are installed, and soliciting comments and suggestions on how to make the wayfinding graphics more useful.  If successful, SIPOA may explore additional roads and pathways that could use wayfinding graphics that would be helpful to bikers to arrive at other destinations.

Landscaped Median Update – 4/1/25

On By SIPOAIn Engineering, GOMC

The landscaped median and sidewalk extension in front of the Lake House is underway. Concrete sidewalks are being poured today and the new curb will be poured tomorrow and Thursday.

There is a lot of construction activity on the site and residents are asked to drive slowly or take alternate routes on and off the island if possible.

There are temporary lane closures planned for Wednesday, Thursday, Monday, and Tuesday.