State and local officials gathered in Whiteville on Wednesday to discuss new strategies to address flooding across the region, part of a broader statewide effort to strengthen North Carolina’s long‑term flood preparedness.
The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is currently developing the Flood Resiliency Blueprint, a comprehensive planning tool that will guide how the state responds to, prepares for, and recovers from flooding. According to DEQ, the blueprint is “a first‑of‑its‑kind program in North Carolina and represents the largest statewide flood mitigation investment in state history.”
The initiative is supported by a $20 million allocation from the General Assembly to DEQ’s Division of Mitigation Services. An additional $96 million has been designated for priority mitigation projects identified through the blueprint process in the Neuse, Cape Fear, French Broad, Tar‑Pamlico, White Oak, and Lumber river basins.
Once completed, the Flood Resiliency Blueprint will provide online tools and data that local governments can use to inform state, regional, and community‑level decision‑making. The resource is also expected to help guide legislative funding decisions for future mitigation efforts.
DEQ officials say the blueprint will ultimately help communities better identify effective projects, secure funding, reduce flood impacts, and improve their ability to maintain or quickly resume normal operations after major storm events.
The Division of Mitigation Services is developing the blueprint in collaboration with local stakeholders, interagency partners, academic researchers, and technical experts, ensuring a comprehensive approach to identifying challenges and prioritizing solutions.
Whiteville served as the host site for this week’s meeting, which brought together state leaders along with representatives from neighboring towns and counties.
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