What do a barge, a deconstructed water tower, shipping containers and a shark sculpture have in common?
They’re all elements of a new addition to an artificial reef off the coast of Edisto Island. Edisto is about 10 miles northeast of Hunting Island. Its quiet and serene qualities make it a little-known gem.
Onlookers on the Island enjoyed low seas, as they watched a 250-foot retired barge covered in metal and concrete structures sink beneath the waves to its new home on the seafloor. Within half a year or so, marine life will begin to colonize the barge and fish will school in the area.
“The variety of structures will provide habitat for a diverse array of species,” said Robert Martore, longtime head of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources’ (SCDNR) artificial reef program. “The open spaces of the container boxes provide a cave-like interior that larger species like snapper and grouper prefer, while the pieces of the water tower create low relief habitat that provide refuge for smaller species and juveniles.”
Artificial reefs play a similar role in the ocean as coral reefs.
Manmade structures that are typically placed on areas of seafloor with little natural relief. Artificial reefs improve habitat and spawning grounds for fish and marine life. In turn they attract recreational divers and anglers. The environmental benefits of artificial reefs are twofold. They recycle materials that would otherwise be destined for landfills. They also expand critical habitat for offshore fish.
Although SCDNR biologists have been constructing artificial reefs for over forty years. This deployment marked a particularly large project with a new partner: Mount Pleasant Waterworks. The water utility donated a water tower from the Old Village area of Mount Pleasant. Structures like this undergo a rigorous cleaning process to ensure they’re safe to sink.