Yard drainage on Wilmington Island
Drainage help for the marsh-edged islands between Savannah and Tybee, where the tide is part of every drainage plan.
Wilmington Island is an unincorporated community in Chatham County between Thunderbolt and Tybee Island, with 15,129 residents at the 2020 census. It sits about 10 feet above sea level, and many lots on it and on neighboring Whitemarsh Island back up to tidal creeks and salt marsh.
When the tide is the problem
On low marsh-side lots, rainwater has to drain into water that rises and falls twice a day. At a high tide, especially a fall king tide, outlets can slow down or back up. NOAA's Fort Pulaski gauge recorded 12 days of tidal flooding in 2020, according to The Current, and local roads like U.S. 80 to Tybee have flooded at high tide. A contractor working here should plan around the tide range, not assume an outlet always flows.
The 25-foot marsh buffer
Georgia protects a 25-foot buffer measured from the line where coastal marsh meets upland. The Coastal Resources Division marks that line on request, and the marking is typically good for one year. Work in the buffer that isn't exempt can need a variance from the Georgia EPD. Before trenching or regrading near the marsh, find out where that line is.
County, not city
Because Wilmington Island isn't inside a city, drainage and permit questions go to Chatham County. Use the Chatham County Connect app to report a blocked county ditch or storm drain. If your property borders a ditch, the county asks owners to keep its banks clear of brush.
Common jobs
- Downspout lines and emitters on marsh-side lots
- French drains in low back yards
- Regrading around raised and slab homes
- Crawl space water after big tides and storms
Common questions
Do I need a permit to work near the marsh?
Possibly. Contact the Coastal Resources Division for a jurisdiction line, and ask about the 25-foot buffer before any digging or grading near it.
Who maintains drainage ditches on Wilmington Island?
Chatham County Public Works handles county ditches and storm drains. Property owners next to a ditch are asked to keep the banks clear.
Services in Wilmington Island
- French drainsGravel-and-pipe trenches that pull water out of soggy ground and carry it to a safe outlet.
- Downspout drain linesBuried solid pipe that takes roof water away from the slab or crawl space.
- Yard grading and swalesReshape a flat yard so surface water moves off the lot instead of sitting by the house.
- Sump pumps and crawl space waterGet water out from under raised and crawl space homes, and stop what's feeding it.
- Catch basins and channel drainsGrated drains that grab water at low spots, patios, pool decks and driveways.
Nearby areas
Yard still underwater a day after the storm?
Call now and a local drainage contractor will help you work out where the water should go.