Bulkheads at lake need
jurisdiction

The recent closing of Lake Shore Drive in Lake Waccamaw to repair a collapse of the road highlights the fragility of the bluff on the lake’s north side.

To combat erosion, some landowners have installed bulkheads to hold soil and sand in place.

Some of these bulkheads are unsightly, especially where landowners have clearcut trees along the shore to install them.

There have always been jurisdictional issues on the lake. The state has purview of some issues, the town others. Bulkheads apparently fall into a gray area.

How to handle the problem is a slippery slope, if you will.

Property owners have control of their land to the high water mark, and they install bulkheads to protect their investment. It’s a logical, quick fix for the landowner.

But a bigger issue is the effect these bulkheads have on the beauty of the lake and perhaps even on water quality.

We believe that the state and town need to resolve who has jurisdiction over bulkheads. Even if bulkheads are warranted in some instances, such as to ensure the structural integrity of Lake Shore Drive, either the town or state needs to enforce the protection of trees along the shore, perhaps with a tree ordinance.

Lake Waccamaw is one of the true treasures of Columbus County.

The quality of the lake will surely diminish if the bulkhead and tree-clearing issues aren’t addressed.