Gadsden Creek Revitalization Project

Charleston, SC

Gadsden Creek is the last remaining tidal creek in the Old City District of Charleston, SC. A land development corporation has proposed to permanently pipe this tidal tributary to the Ashley River, and permanently fill the associated 4.22 acres of salt marsh wetlands. The creek is adjacent to Gadsden Green, an historically Black community on the Charleston peninsula.

Friends of Gadsden Creek, founded in 2014, is a community-led coalition of concerned citizens, businesses, and organizations who oppose the filling and destruction of Gadsden Creek, and who believe Gadsden Creek and its surrounding wetlands should be revitalized as a shared community asset. Since 2014, RDE has contributed to field research, engineering analyses, conceptual design alternatives, public hearings, clean-ups, community advocacy, and drafting letters to regulatory agencies.

The efforts of the Friends of Gadsden Creek and the South Carolina Environmental Law Project have prevented the filling of Gadsden Creek for nearly a decade. RDE has met with various elected officials and used our community relationships to build capacity with local institutions and allied citizens. We have also met directly with the development team and their attorneys and design professionals, urging them them to reconsider their thoughtless and outdated plan.

Check out the full report here: Gadsden Creek Revitalization Project