Michael and Florence, those are the names of the two most recent hurricanes to hit South Carolina, leaving behind flooding and devastation.
On Thursday, a State House committee room held a meeting to begin an effort to lessen the impact of floodwaters and keep our communities safer.
In a crowded committee room on a rainy morning, dozens of politicians, business leaders, and industry experts met for one purpose.
They’re trying to rescue South Carolina from more flooding.
“Our purpose is to determine what is the best response, what is the best way forward? How do we make water our friend? How do we accommodate it? How do we use it? We can't fight it, because it's everywhere and it's with us forever,” Governor Henry McMaster said after the meeting.
Governor McMaster created the South Carolina Floodwater Commission after recent years of severe flooding in the state.
Between the Columbia floods of 2015 and flooding from Hurricane Florence this summer, the state has lost billions in damages.
New Commission Chairman Tom Mullikin said the clock is ticking.
“Governor's given us a short fuse, we're going to protect our families. After so many years that we've seen this. There's not a lot of guess work, we know where the water's coming. We'll stand up the smart river system and we'll begin dealing where we know where the hot spots-- and we'll build from there,” Mullikin said after the meeting.
The Commission will oversee several task forces designed to come up with innovative solutions.
The ten task forces cover a variety of topics like artificial reefs, living shorelines, infrastructure and shoreline armoring, smart river and dam security, grid security, landscape beautification and protection, national security, stakeholder engagement, federal funding, and economic development.
Some of the ideas presented Thursday include artificial reef structures, increasing native vegetation on coastlines, clearing ditches, increased research into South Carolina's river and dam system.
Several mayors from coastline areas were in attendance, including Myrtle Beach Mayor Brenda Bethune.
“I'm excited about this for our entire state, but for the thousands and thousands of our residents whom have been affected over and over again. We still have so many people throughout Horry County who are at risk of losing their homes again with the impending rains this weekend. And they haven't even had time to rebuild since Florence,” Bethune said after the meeting.
Damage estimates say Hurricane Florence cost the state roughly $600 million. Chairman Mullikin said they plan to get to work quickly.