Toward Collaborative Floodplain Management: An Exploration of the Community Rating System in Charleston County, South Carolina
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Corpuz, Alyssa Rae
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As natural disasters continue to increase in frequency and intensity, efforts to mitigate impacts of these events and build resilience become paramount. Flooding is among the most recurrent and costly disasters in the United States, with particularly detrimental impacts in coastal areas facing rising seas coupled with floodplain development (NOAA NCEI, 2023). Local government actors play a vital role in administering floodplain management regulations aimed at protecting lives and property, mitigating flood damage, and improving resilience in the face of future events. This research aims to inform understanding of relevant factors to collaborative floodplain management efforts through Community Rating System participation in Charleston County, South Carolina. An analysis of interview responses of floodplain managers was conducted using the framework developed by Emerson, Nabatchi, and Balogh (2012) as a lens to determine significant elements of collaborative dynamics. Findings indicate that the Community Rating System in Charleston County exhibits many elements of a successful collaborative governance arrangement, including consequential incentives, shared motivation, and collaborative action, and has opportunity for growth in resource sharing, collaborative partnerships, and capacity building.