Flood Resilience in the French Broad River Basin

The Flood Resiliency Blueprint serves as the backbone of North Carolina’s flood resiliency planning and is based on the best available science, stakeholder engagement and sound decision-making to develop actionable projects. Through sound investment and informed decision-making, the Blueprint is making the French Broad River Basin more resilient to flooding by funding projects that limit flood extent and severity, allowing communities to recover more quickly and limit future risk as storms become more frequent and severe. Since 2024, the Blueprint has invested over $10.75M for 19 flood resilience projects.

Projects by counties

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  • Avery Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD)-Stream Debris Removal: Avery County SWCD led debris removal and streambank stabilization on the North Toe River. The Avery SWCD worked directly with landowners to coordinate access and remove debris from impacted segments of the North Toe River. Blueprint contribution: $149.2K

  • Swannanoa Corridor Floodplain Acquisition and Restoration: RiverLink, a regional nonprofit, will lead a flood resilience project on a 4.45-acre parcel along the Swannanoa River that was severely damaged by Hurricane Helene. The project will slow flood waters and create 1.6 million gallons (five acre-feet) of flood storage to reduce flood risk along Old Highway 70 and in downstream areas. Using natural stormwater infrastructure like plants, the project will capture and filter polluted runoff while stabilizing a small tributary stream of the Swannanoa River. Blueprint contribution: $822.78K
  • Town of Woodfin Riverside Park Flood Mitigation and Stormwater Improvements: The Town of Woodfin’s Riverside Park is a linear park located between Riverside Drive and the French Broad River. Hurricane Helene caused significant flood damage to the park and adjacent roadway. Woodfin’s ongoing expansion and improvements for the park have provided an opportunity to integrate flood resilience in several forms, including riverbank stabilization and erosion control measures, stormwater infrastructure, grading and native plantings, and the enhancement of public access structures to withstand periodic inundation. These improvements will reduce riverbank erosion during high-flow events, improve the absorption of rainwater into the ground, slow peak flows, expand flood storage, and prioritize public safety. Blueprint contribution: $284K
  • Town of Black Mountain Veteran’s Park Floodplain, Wetland, and Green Infrastructure Complex: The Town of Black Mountain's Veterans Park will host three interconnected projects to create a cohesive system that reduces local and downstream flood risk, reduces erosion, treats stormwater runoff, and enhances long-term resilience. Veterans Park, located in the Swannanoa River Corridor, has experienced repeated and severe flood damage, most recently during Hurricane Helene. Improvements will include flood benching (the creation of a “shelf” where water can spread out safely from the main channel), constructed wetlands, natural stormwater infrastructure, and stream restoration. Blueprint contribution: $1.65M

  • Town of Canton Property Acquisition to Support School Relocation: Haywood County Schools has proposed to relocate vulnerable school buildings and sports facilities out of the floodway. This award will help fund the acquisition of a suitable parcel for the school buildings and facilities relocation, supporting a safer, more flood-resilient future for the community. County school-owned parcels currently located in the floodway will be repurposed for future flood resilience efforts, including flood storage. $2M
  • Upper Pigeon River Flood Mitigation: Haywood Waterways Association will acquire developed and agricultural lands upstream of the Town of Canton, remove infrastructure from the floodway of the Pigeon River, relocate the public water supply intake to a higher elevation, and implement prioritized flood storage projects to retain 224 acre-feet of stormwater. Blueprint contribution: $800K
  • Town of Clyde Flood Resiliency: Southwestern Commission Council of Governments and Haywood Waterways Association will restore approximately 2,500 linear feet of degraded stream channel, plant 2.6 acres of riparian buffer and create 6 acre-feet of floodwater storage along the Pigeon River in an urban residential area impacted by repeated flooding. Matching funds will support in-stream structures, native plant live staking, boulder and log vanes to stabilize and protect banks, and public education initiatives. Blueprint contribution: $110K
  • Downtown Core: Elevations and Floodproofing: This project will raise 16 commercial properties above base flood elevation with at least 2 feet of additional building height. Properties with interior stairs that meet elevation requirements will have the area between ground-level entry doors and the top of the stairwells protected against flooding. The properties are included in an awarded Federal Emergency Management Agency Hazard Mitigation Grant Program grant for elevation and floodproofing. Additional NC Flood Resiliency Blueprint funding will assist business owners with non-reimbursable expenses including temporary relocation costs during construction and initial assistance to secure flood insurance. Blueprint contribution: $50K
  • 2025-411 Haywood Waterways Association (HWA) Flood Resiliency Pigeon River at Clyde: HWA will restore 2,530 linear feet and 5.3 acres along the Pigeon River within the Town of Clyde to reconnect the river to its floodplain, increase flood storage and reduce erosion. The project will stabilize eroding banks, enhance riparian habitat, and complement nearby Land and Water Fund–supported efforts at Rivers Edge Park to create an interconnected, 10-acre flood storage system that provides long-term resiliency, improved water quality, and new greenspace and recreational access for the community. Blueprint contribution: $210.5K
  • Town of Clyde Downtown Floodable Riverfront Park: This project will transform 1.08 acres of Federal Emergency Management Agency Hazard Mitigation Grant Program buyout properties into a public floodable park space along the Pigeon River. This project is planned as part of an integrated suite of resilience-building projects in downtown Clyde that will support local businesses, provide new recreational opportunities, and help define Clyde’s post-Helene identity. The floodable park will direct and contain flooding, reduce damage to adjacent roads, and improve the water quality of storm runoff with native-planted zones. Blueprint contribution: $401.2K
  • Town of Canton Park Street River Access and Stormwater Improvements: The Town of Canton’s Park Street project will provide new community amenities designed with flood resilience in mind. The Haywood Waterways Association will lead the project, located directly along the Pigeon River in Canton and the Hellbender Regional Trail. The new park will provide Haywood County’s first public river access point, along with new walking trails and flexible open space. The one-acre floodable park will be designed for stormwater treatment and flood storage. This project continues the town's history of long-term investments in public access, stormwater improvements, and flood resilience. Blueprint contribution: $450K
  • Town of Canton Chestnut Mountain Floodplain Restoration: The Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy will lead the restoration of four acres of land in the floodway of Hominy Creek. The parcel is located directly upstream of and adjacent to the entrance to Chestnut Mountain Nature Park and along U.S. 19/23 (Asheville Highway). This property has experienced major flooding impacts four times in the past 25 years. Its restoration will protect U.S. 19/23 from flooding, reduce damage at the entrance to the public park, and provide approximately six acre-feet of flood storage. The parcel will be added to Chestnut Mountain Nature Park, enhancing recreational and ecological benefits in the region. Blueprint contribution: $470K

  • Hendersonville-Mud Creek Flood Risk Reduction: The City of Hendersonville’s Lower Mud Creek Floodplain Restoration project will reduce flooding and restore natural floodplain functions along Mud Creek on the south side of Hendersonville. Utilizing two City-owned parcels totaling 27 acres, the initiative will reconnect floodplains, restore over 3,000 linear feet of degraded stream channels, stabilize 500 linear feet of Mud Creek streambank, and enhance approximately 20 acres of wetlands and riparian areas. These efforts will increase floodwater storage capacity, reduce chronic flooding in nearby commercial and residential areas, and improve water quality by addressing stormwater runoff and habitat degradation from approximately 400 acres of developed watershed. Conservation easements on the properties will ensure long-term protection and allow for restoration and public green space development. Blueprint contribution: $604.6K
  • City of Hendersonville Lower Mud Creek Floodplain Restoration Phase I: The City of Hendersonville’s Lower Mud Creek Floodplain Restoration project will reduce flooding and restore natural floodplain functions along Mud Creek on the south side of Hendersonville. This award will support construction, administration, and invasive species removal. Blueprint contribution: $100K
  • City of Hendersonville Municipal Stormwater Infrastructure Improvements: The City of Hendersonville will upgrade and relocate undersized stormwater infrastructure that has caused flooding in pervious storms, threatening public safety, private property and public roads. Blueprint contribution: $356K

  • Rollins & Fortner Hollow Riverbank Restoration: Implementing partners Mountain Valleys Resource Conservation and Development Council, Madison County Soil and Water Conservation District, the Town of Marshall and Land of Sky Regional Council will restore 3,955 linear feet of stream channel, plant 2.75 acres of riparian buffer and add 11 acre-feet of floodplain water storage along the French Broad River. The project will stabilize the streambank using rock, reinforced vegetative soil lifts and adjustments to bank slope. Native, deep-rooted grasses, shrubs and trees will provide a 30-foot riparian buffer to enhance soil stability and resistance to future flood flows. Blueprint contribution: $789K

  • Mitchell Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD): Mitchell SWCD coordinated debris removal from Green Cove Creek, Cane Creek, Honeycutt Branch, Charles Creek, Bee Branch, and Young Cove Creek. Blueprint contribution: $346K

  • Upper French Broad River Flood Resiliency, Cooper Property (Rosman): Conserving Carolina, a nonprofit land trust, is leading a flood resilience project on 30 acres of former agricultural fields near the headwaters of the French Broad River. The project will slow flood waters, restore floodplains and create 7.1 million gallons (22 acre-feet) of floodplain storage along the French Broad River. This project will reduce flood risk and protect the downstream Rosman Community Park, wastewater treatment plant, and other infrastructure and properties. In addition, this project will restore 3,000 feet of tributary streams and three acres of wetlands, which will enhance water quality and ecosystem functions in the French Broad River. Blueprint contribution: $340K

  • Cattail Creek Flood Resiliency: During Hurricane Helene, flooding eroded the western approach to the Cattail Creek bridge on Mountain Farm Road and damaged the creek both upstream and downstream. Field surveys found up to four feet of sediment deposited under the bridge, and three homes were destroyed. Yancey County Soil and Water Conservation District and Blue Ridge Resource Conservation and Development will restore 1,000 linear feet of stream to its pre-storm condition, improve flood storage and water flow around the bridge using land from the post-Helene buyout program, and stabilize the western bridge approach with a high-flow crossing. These improvements will increase flood storage, reduce downstream peak flows and create a stable stream channel that safely carries most annual flows without eroding banks or the streambed. Vegetated banks and buffers will improve floodplain connections and add roughly 8 acre-feet of additional flood storage, helping soil resist future floods. Blueprint contribution: $100K

Related Releases

$5.7M for Flood Resilience Projects in the French Broad River Basin

$1.2M for flood resilience projects in Swannanoa and Rosman

Looking Ahead

In early 2027, the Blueprint will publish a French Broad River Basin Action Strategy (RBAS), which is a comprehensive framework designed to guide long-term flood resilience planning and decision-making across the basin. It will be developed with local input and informed by existing flood planning efforts and vulnerability assessments. The RBAS will identify specific flood resilience strategies to help French Broad communities reduce flood risk and strengthen resilience.

In late 2026, the Blueprint release new advisory flood maps for the French Broad River Basin. The new mapping effort will refine and expand advanced two-dimensional rain-on-grid models—numerical models that apply precipitation directly onto a landscape, simulating surface runoff and routing. The maps, not used for legal or regulatory purposes, will be available for previously unmapped or undermapped basins that were too small to be included on regulatory maps. They also expand beyond what is normally included in traditional regulatory floodplain mapping and include areas that flood despite being many miles from the nearest stream. Communities can also explore their future risk in the face of more frequent and severe storms, sea level rise and projected growth patterns. 

The new maps mean that French Broad North Carolinians will be able to make more informed decisions and better investments to build their resilience in the face of more frequent and severe flooding.

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