DEQ Provides Funding for Projects to Reduce Flood Risks in North Carolina Communities

“Partnering with the Land and Water Fund allows DEQ to quickly fund much needed projects that will help reduce flooding in some of the most vulnerable communities in our state,” said DEQ Secretary Mary Penny Kelley. “This is part of the first round of many projects that DEQ will fund through the state’s Flood Resiliency Blueprint.”

As directed by the North Carolina General Assembly, DEQ is administering $96 million in funding for projects to address flooding in the following river basins: Cape Fear, French Broad, Lumber, Neuse, Tar-Pamlico and White Oak. 

“These grants will help us continue to address the adverse effects of climate change and severe weather events,” said Reid Wilson, secretary of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. “This new strategic partnership will benefit flood-prone communities across North Carolina.”

This partnership allows the Flood Resiliency Blueprint to quickly fund effective projects through an existing grant program with a proven track record of project implementation and long-term sustainability.  In addition, the Flood Resiliency Blueprint is in the process of developing similar partnerships with other state agencies, focused on a wide range of flood resiliency projects.

The following flood reduction and floodplain protection projects are supported by this funding:

• North Carolina State University will construct and monitor two "water farming" projects on agricultural and silviculture lands, allowing farm managers to detain more 77 acre-feet of flood water while continuing to maximize crop and timber yields.
• The City of Durham will add flood control storage to a large stormwater management project on South Ellerbe Creek, enabling the stream and wetland complex to protect downstream neighborhoods by storing stormwater runoff from downtown.
• The City of Lumberton will acquire four floodplain parcels within its urban greenway corridor (the "Lumberton Loop"), remove structures and impervious surfaces, and reconnect the floodplain to adjacent wetlands, allowing for 32 acre-feet of stormwater to be detained, limiting flooding in nearby neighborhoods.
• Haywood Waterways Association will repair a portion of the Upper Pigeon River, restoring wetland function and storing 300 acre-feet of flood water upstream of downtown Canton.
• The City of Kinston will begin construction of Phase I of the Adkin Branch Flood Mitigation project, protecting health service facilities and a vulnerable neighborhood from flood waters.
• The City of Whiteville will begin construction of the Whiteville Stormwater Park, managing stormwater while providing public event space on the site of a former shopping center.
• The Town of Maysville will add a stormwater bioretention cell to manage 4 acre-feet of stormwater and address downtown flooding issues.
• The Town of Aurora will make nature-based improvements to a tributary of Bailey Creek, adding 4 acre-feet of flood water storage and limiting tidal flooding.
• The North Carolina Coastal Federation will repair a previously drained wetland along the Newport River, protecting 1,437 acres and managing 750 acre-feet of flood storage.
• The City of Hendersonville will restore portions of Mud Creek and its floodplains, protecting downstream areas from flooding and expanding city park areas.
• The City of Wilmington will restore urban portions of Hewlett Creek, reducing the frequency and severity of stormwater flooding in a large neighborhood.
• The Conservation Fund will protect 1,000 acres of floodplains and wetlands along Ashpole Swamp and transfer a total of 1,113 acres to the Lumber River State Park.
• Triangle Land Conservancy will permanently protect 400 acres of floodplain and wetlands on the 602-acre Lowgrounds property in Johnston County.
• NC Wildlife Resources Commission will permanently protect more than 2,500 acres of floodplains and wetlands in Robeson County to be managed as Game Lands.

“We are thrilled to partner with DEQ to expand the impact of our Flood Risk Reduction Grant Program,” said Ann Browning, chair of the NCLWF Flood Risk Reduction Committee. "With these additional funds, we are able to meet previously unmet needs on these projects and get funds on the ground quickly and efficiently.”

In 2021, the North Carolina General Assembly directed the DEQ Division of Mitigation Services to develop a statewide Flood Resiliency Blueprint. The Blueprint is intended to serve as the backbone of NC's flood resiliency planning and be based on the best available science, stakeholder engagement, and sound decision-making and result in actionable projects. The goal is to make North Carolina more resilient to flooding disasters, by limiting the extent and severity of flooding and by building systems that allow communities to recover more quickly and limit future risk. The Blueprint team is developing a decision support tool to help local governments, agencies, and non-governmental partners develop, evaluate, and prioritize resilience actions as well as plan and marshal funding to implement those priorities.  

The North Carolina Land and Water Fund, a division of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, was previously known as the Clean Water Management Trust Fund and was originally established in 1996 to protect the state's drinking water sources. The North Carolina General Assembly expanded the Fund’s mission to include conserving and protecting the state's natural resources, cultural heritage and military installations. The North Carolina Land and Water Fund has conserved over 500,000 acres and protected or restored 3,000 miles of streams and rivers. To learn more, visit nclwf.nc.gov.