Support Us Button Widget

How Greenville, SC’s Unity Park was designed to handle flooding

City engineers watched their work get tested to start off 2023.

GVL_Unity_Park_Flood_2_JAN2023

Flash flooding at Unity Park | Photo by the City of Greenville

The chances of rain this week are much lower than the last when Greenville received ~4 inches of rain causing flash flooding, especially in areas around the Reedy River.

GVL_Unity_Park_Flood_JAN2023

What a difference 24 hours can make. | Videos by The City of Greenville

City engineers say there will always be times when a river exceeds its banks, because that’s what rivers do, but it’s about how leaders and engineers can plan ahead to minimize damage:

  • The city built Unity Park in a floodplain because parks recover quickly after taking on water, unlike buildings and other properties.
    GVL_Unity_Park_Flood_Bench_JAN2023

    The bench gives the swelling river a place to go. | Videos by The City of Greenville

  • Along the Prisma Health Swamp Rabbit Trail, engineers designed river benches to give the water a place to go in weather events that cause the river to rise, protecting businesses at The Commons.
  • From Unity Park’s electrical systems to the soil mixture to the furniture and structures to the plants and trees, park designers made design choices that withstand the rising Reedy River.
More from GVLtoday
From French cuisine to barbecue to farm-to-table, these six Greenville restaurants were tapped for mentions in Michelin’s first American South Guide.
Including gifts for significant others, retirees, holiday parties, young people, and gifts that ship fast.
We went to the experts to find out what pairs best with sweet, gummy, salty, and everything in between.
Born in Greenville and still made in Mauldin, Duke’s Mayonnaise now ranks No. 2 in the US, proving its thick, tangy Southern recipe — and Greenville roots — are here to stay, even as its following and renown continue to grow.
The sun may be setting early, but Greenville still has plenty to do.
The City of Greenville is drafting a long-term plan to enhance traffic flow, reduce congestion, improve safety, and promote alternative modes of transportation.
New SC license plates feature the Moultrie Flag and the phrase “Where the Revolutionary War Was Won.”
Submit your Halloween photos for a chance to be featured in GVLtoday.
Exercise your right to vote for city leadership + bookmark our guide to help you prepare to head to the polls for the Municipal Election in Greenville on Tuesday, Nov. 4.
Show some love to your fave businesses in Greenville.