By Coastal Carolina News Staff Writer
WHITEVILLE, NC — As the state moves to lock in its long-term flood mitigation strategy, the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is turning to residents of the Lumber River Basin for local verification of its flood-risk data. The DEQ has scheduled a virtual public information session for Monday, July 20, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. to present its draft “Action Strategy” for the basin.
For residents in Columbus County, the session represents a significant opportunity to influence where state-allocated resilience funds are directed in the coming years.
With a targeted approach to infrastructure, the session focuses on the “Flood Resiliency Blueprint,” a data-driven program designed to move North Carolina from a cycle of post-storm recovery toward proactive infrastructure investment. With $96 million in funding currently earmarked for priority projects across the state’s major river basins, the specific details contained in the Lumber River Basin plan will determine which roads, bridges, and drainage systems receive state backing.
For local readers, the stakes are tangible. Previous phases of state flood mitigation have already addressed critical infrastructure, such as the U.S. 74 embankment near Boardman. Officials are now looking to identify the next round of “actionable projects” that can protect vulnerable evacuation routes and community infrastructure from future storm damage.
Local input does matters, as state planners are utilizing advanced GIS modeling to predict flood impacts, but department officials have emphasized that these models benefit from “ground-truthing”—the real-world experience of residents who live near flood-prone creeks and basins.
“This is the time to ensure the state’s maps match the reality of our local neighborhoods,” said a source familiar with the planning process. “If there is a recurring drainage issue that has been overlooked by state models, this meeting is the venue to get it on the record.”
The public information session will be held exclusively online, allowing residents from across the basin to participate without traveling to a physical meeting site.
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Date: Monday, July 20, 2026
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Time: 6:00 p.m.
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Virtual Access: Join via Webex
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Meeting ID: 2424 744 7031
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Phone Access: 1.415.655.0003 (Access Code: 25837746)
For those unable to attend the virtual session, the DEQ is accepting public comment through July 27, 2026. Residents can submit feedback through the official DEQ online portal or via email to blueprint@deq.nc.gov with the subject line “RBAS Feedback.”
CoastalCarolinaNews.com will provide further updates as the final project list is announced later this year.
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