Flood Resiliency Blueprint
The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality is developing the North Carolina Flood Resiliency Blueprint, which will form the backbone of a state flood planning process to increase community resilience to flooding throughout North Carolina’s River basins. The Blueprint is a first-of-its-kind program in North Carolina and represents the largest statewide flood mitigation investment in state history. An online decision support tool and associated planning will drive state, regional and community decision-making and guide the legislature in making funding decisions. When completed, the Blueprint will lead to an actionable set of projects and funding strategies that state and other government entities can implement to reduce flooding, mitigate the impacts of flooding, and increase a community’s ability to maintain and quickly resume pre-storm activities following flooding.
Working with local stakeholders, interagency partners, academics, and technical experts, DEQ’s Division of Mitigation Services plans a comprehensive approach to identify problems, address barriers, and prioritize solutions.
The Flood Resiliency Blueprint is funded through a $20 million allocation to the Department of Environmental Quality Division of Mitigation Services from the North Carolina General Assembly. An additional $96 million is allocated to the Division of Mitigation Services to fund priority projects identified in the development of the Flood Resiliency Blueprint for the following river basins: Neuse, Cape Fear, Tar-Pamlico, White Oak, and Lumber.