Environmental Assessment Maintenance Dredging of Village Creek, Beaufort County, South Carolina.
Abstract
Village Creek is a typical short, meandering tidal creek along the coastline of Beaufort County, South Carolina which arises near the center of St. Helena Island and flows northeast into Morgan River, one of the tributaries of St. Helena Sound. The creek is about seven miles long and about 600 feet wide at the mouth. The creek has scalloped the low coastal lands leaving wide expanses of tidal mud flats which are covered by salt marsh vegetation. Although fed by some surface runoff, Village Creek is saline. The semi-diurnal tidal fluctuation is approximately 7.0 feet. The Village Creek Project provides for a channel eight feet deep mean low water (mlw) and 80 feet wide from the Morgan River to the uppermost shrimp boat terminal, a distance of 5.3 miles. A detailed discussion of all environmental impacts expected to result from the project is given. Some of these impacts are considered unfavorable, but cannot be avoided by any practical means within the authority and scope of the proposed project. The prinicpal adverse impacts relate to temporary changes in water quality and its effect on the creek and disposal area ecosystems. These effects include: increased turbidities and siltation in the vicinity of the dredge and disposal areas and a possible reduction in dissolved oxygen levels as a result of the dredge disturbing organic materials undergoing anaerobic decomposition. In addition, some benthic organisms may be destroyed by the dredge cutterhead or smothered in any open water disposal areas.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1977
- Accession Number
- ADA152347
Entities
Organizations
- Charleston District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers