Island Reborn: Dredged Sand Restores Bird Haven

Crab Bank island, once a crucial nesting ground for shorebirds in Charleston Harbor, had nearly disappeared by 2021 due to storms and erosion.

Following Hurricane Irma in 2017, the island lost its remaining nesting habitat. In September 2021, a restoration project began, utilizing approximately 660,000 cubic yards of sand dredged from the Charleston Harbor Deepening Project. This material was used to rebuild the island, recreating about 32 acres of nesting habitat above mean high water.

The physical reconstruction concluded by November 2021. Biologists from the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources observed the island's response, eager to see how quickly birds would return to the restored habitat.

By April 2022, the first nest of the season was documented, belonging to American oystercatchers. This marked the return of nesting activity to Crab Bank after a five-year absence. By the end of the 2022 breeding season, over 500 nests from various coastal bird species, including least terns and eight pairs of American oystercatchers, were recorded.

While the rebuilt island provides essential habitat, its long-term survival depends on natural coastal processes. The island remains closed to the public during the main nesting season to protect nesting birds.