North Raleigh Today

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is advancing plans to mitigate flood risks by allocating over $3.9 million towards infrastructure initiatives in collaboration with North Carolina Emergency Management (NCEM). The funded projects aim to address flooding in Greenville, Fayetteville, and Sanford.

Reid Wilson, DEQ Secretary, emphasized the importance of these projects, stating, "We know that storms will keep coming with increasing frequency and intensity, and it’s critical that we build more resiliently. Our partnership with NC Emergency Management on these projects will help reduce flooding and damage and make North Carolina a safer place for people to live, work, and raise a family."

This collaboration is part of a broader effort linked to the Disaster Relief and Mitigation Grant Program, which enables DEQ to efficiently finance impactful projects. NC Emergency Management Director Will Ray noted, "The partnership between North Carolina Emergency Management, the Department of Environmental Quality, and these local communities to implement these infrastructure projects is a great example of how utilizing a whole of community approach can mitigate flooding issues at the local level and build stronger, more resilient communities."

Specifically, the City of Greenville will utilize $1.5 million to enhance drainage and restore streams in the East Firetower Road area within the Tar-Pamlico River Basin. In Fayetteville, $910,000 will fund improvements near Eutaw Creek to mitigate risks in a residential area affected by flooding from Little Cross Creek in the Cape Fear River Basin. Lastly, Sanford will receive $1.5 million to build box culverts and restore streams at Little Buffalo Creek, addressing significant flooding challenges in the area.

These efforts are supported by $96 million earmarked by the North Carolina General Assembly for flood resiliency across six key river basins, including Cape Fear, French Broad, Lumber, Neuse, Tar-Pamlico, and White Oak. The DEQ team is forming additional partnerships to expand and diversify flood resiliency projects statewide.

The Flood Resiliency Blueprint, initiated by the DEQ Division of Mitigation Services in 2021, serves as a foundation for North Carolina's flood planning and response, leveraging scientific research and wide-ranging stakeholder engagement. Meanwhile, NC Emergency Management continues its mission to enhance statewide resilience through planning and coordination with various governmental and non-governmental entities.