North Carolina Invests $6 Million to Reduce Flood Risks After Hurricane Helene

• Author: Audrey Conn
• Posted: 2025-10-17

Josh Stein has announced $6 million in new funding to strengthen flood protection and boost community resilience across North Carolina.

This funding targets several key river basins, including the French Broad, Cape Fear, Neuse, Tar-Pamlico, and Lumber Rivers, areas hit hardest by flooding in recent years.

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Rebuilding After Devastating Floods

The investment follows catastrophic flooding from Hurricane Helene in western North Carolina last fall.

The grant is part of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Flood Resiliency Blueprint, a statewide initiative focused on long-term flood risk reduction.
 

Projects Funded

The Division of Water Resources selected projects that aim to:

• Restore and protect vulnerable floodplain areas

• Enhance water retention to reduce downstream damage

• Strengthen nature-based flood mitigation systems

• Support local governments in high-risk communities

Why the Flooding Was So Severe

Meteorologists explained that the flooding in Asheville, North Carolina was worsened by multiple factors, not just Hurricane Helene.

Heavy rainfall, already saturated ground, and river overflow contributed to the extreme damage.
 

A Larger Statewide Effort

The Flood Resiliency Blueprint has $76 million in total to fund flood mitigation projects across North Carolina. Planned efforts include:

• Water retention and floodplain restoration

• Strengthening natural defenses against rising water

• Protecting communities in the French Broad, Cape Fear, Lumber, Neuse, Tar-Pamlico, and White Oak river basins.

This funding is a critical step toward protecting North Carolina communities from future severe weather events and building long-term resilience.

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