In 2020, the NC General Assembly created the Natural Infrastructure Flood Mitigation Program (NIFMP) within DMS, incorporating flood storage capacity enhancement projects into the division's activities. The 2021 Appropriations Act further supported this mission by setting aside $3.5 million to create pilot projects addressing chronic flooding in the Stoney Creek watershed. DMS also received funding through the NC Office of Recovery and Resilience from the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) to be used for NIFMP development.
The Stoney Creek pilot project will target flooding which impacts businesses, roadways and access to emergency services in Wayne County and Goldsboro. The pilot project, and the Natural Infrastructure Program at large, seek to mitigate flooding using natural infrastructure, constructed systems which mimic natural processes. These systems can include strategies like building wetlands and restoring streams which help store water and reduce flooding.
The Stoney Creek pilot program will also serve as the basis for expanding natural infrastructure flood mitigation projects to additional watersheds. Lessons learned through the Stoney Creek project will help develop scaling solutions to enhance community flood resilience across North Carolina.
PROJECT TIMELINE
| December 8, 2022 | DMS executes a contract awarded to Ecosystem Planning & Restoration, LLC for the Stoney Creek Pilot Project. |
| October 25, 2022 | DMS sends a vendor recommendation to the NC Department of Administration. |
| October 2, 2022 | DMS receives four vendor proposals for the pilot project. |
| September 2, 2022 | NCDEQ issues and advertises the Request for Proposal (RFP) for the Stoney Creek Watershed Flood Mitigation Pilot Project. |