Lessons Learned from Incorporating Climate Considerations in the Three Rivers Watershed-Based Plan

Abstract

The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control has recently incentivized planners to incorporate climate change projections into watershed-based plans. Methods for doing so vary by geography, specific basin-level conditions, and available resources. This short communication documents an early example developed by a collaborative team including a council of governments, private contractor, and university researchers. We outline steps taken to construct climate change scenarios, incorporate them into a basin-level model, and develop a holistic approach to climate adaptation and resilience for the Three Rivers Watershed-Based Plan in the Columbia, South Carolina, metropolitan area. We present lessons learned about integrating appropriate climate change scenarios with hydrological tools and incorporating a community development strategy that addresses freshwater pollution and integrates cobenefits and equitable adaptation frameworks into the watershed-based planning process.