WOODFIN, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Gov. Josh Stein on Monday announced $5.7 million in state grants for eight flood resilience projects in the French Broad River Basin, part of an effort to help Western North Carolina communities rebuild after Tropical Storm Helene and prepare for future storms.
Speaking in Woodfin, one of the communities hit hard by Helene’s heavy rains, Stein said the funding from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Flood Resiliency Blueprint will support projects designed to reduce flood risk, restore floodplains and improve water quality.
In Woodfin, Helene flooded homes, bridges, a recycling plant and the town’s largest employer, Silver-Line. After the floodwaters receded, officials said the French Broad River was left polluted.
“Rebuilding Western North Carolina after Helene means rebuilding stronger and smarter to prepare for future storms,” Stein said in a news release. “These grants not only rebuild and restore the French Broad River Basin but also help protect the surrounding communities so generations of North Carolinians can live in safety.”
The $5.7 million in awards will fund projects that create new floodwater storage, reconnect and restore floodplains, relocate vulnerable facilities and upgrade stormwater systems. The announcement builds on $3.16 million previously awarded in 2024 and 2025 for similar projects in the basin. State officials said the Flood Resiliency Blueprint has now funded 81 projects totaling more than $40 million statewide.
DEQ Secretary Reid Wilson said mountain communities were devastated by Helene and warned that storms are becoming more frequent and intense across the state.
“These Flood Resiliency Blueprint projects will make communities less vulnerable to future flooding in the French Broad River Basin and will help save lives, homes and businesses,” Wilson said in the release.
Among the projects announced:
Town of Woodfin — Riverside Park Flood Mitigation and Stormwater Improvements ($284,000): Improvements to the linear park along the French Broad River will include riverbank stabilization, stormwater wetlands, bioretention cells and infrastructure upgrades designed to withstand periodic flooding.
Town of Clyde — Downtown Floodable Riverfront Park ($401,226): The project will convert 1.08 acres of FEMA buyout property along the Pigeon River into a public park designed to safely absorb floodwaters while improving stormwater quality.
Town of Canton — Park Street River Access and Stormwater Improvements ($450,000): A new one-acre floodable park along the Pigeon River will provide Haywood County’s first public river access point and incorporate stormwater treatment and flood storage features.
Town of Canton — Chestnut Mountain Floodplain Restoration ($470,000): Led by the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy, the project will restore more than four acres in the Hominy Creek floodway, protecting U.S. 19/23 and nearby park property while adding flood storage capacity.
Town of Canton — Property Acquisition for School Relocation ($2 million): Funding will support the purchase of land to relocate vulnerable school buildings and athletic facilities out of the floodway. Existing school properties in the flood-prone area could later be repurposed for flood storage.
Town of Black Mountain — Veterans Park Floodplain and Green Infrastructure Project ($1.65 million): The project in the Swannanoa River corridor will include constructed wetlands, stream restoration and flood benching to reduce local and downstream flood risk.
City of Hendersonville — Lower Mud Creek Floodplain Restoration Phase I ($100,000): The city will restore a 27-acre floodplain and stream corridor to increase floodwater storage and reduce neighborhood flooding.
City of Hendersonville — Municipal Stormwater Infrastructure Improvements ($356,000): The project will upgrade and relocate undersized stormwater infrastructure that has contributed to past flooding.
The Flood Resiliency Blueprint was directed by the North Carolina General Assembly in 2021 and is described by state officials as the largest statewide flood mitigation investment in North Carolina history. Lawmakers have allocated $96 million for Blueprint implementation projects across six river basins, including the French Broad.
State officials said the program uses scientific data and local input to identify and prioritize projects aimed at reducing flood damage, limiting future risk and helping communities recover more quickly from disasters.