Marshall named key site in state’s flood recovery effort

MARSHALL, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Standing along the banks of the French Broad River in Marshall on Thursday morning, Gov. Josh Stein announced $6 million in state grants to reduce flood risks across the state and strengthen communities hit hard by Tropical Storm Helene last fall.

The funding, provided through the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Flood Resiliency Blueprint program, will support 11 projects across the state — including major work to restore stream channels and riverbanks in the French Broad River Basin.

“Last year’s flooding of the French Broad River after Helene is a somber reminder of how damaging flooding can be,” Stein said. “We must stay prepared for future severe weather events, and this funding will help communities become more resilient and less vulnerable.”

In Marshall, the Land of Sky Regional Council will receive $789,000 for the Rollins and Fortner Hollow Riverbank Restoration Project. The work will stabilize nearly a mile of stream channel, restore about 2.75 acres of streambank vegetation and create 11 acre-feet of floodplain water storage to reduce future flood impacts.

“Investing in resilience and enhancing the French Broad River Basin will help us to better protect towns like Marshall from future flooding and protect rivers from pollution,” Stein said.

Sarah Noah, of Mount Valley’s Resources Conservation and Development Council, said as soon as the flood waters receded, people in the Marshall area rolled up their sleeves and got to work.

“And in less than 13 months, with a tremendous amount of support, we moved mountains on our path to recovery,” Noah said.

Two additional projects in the French Broad River Basin will receive funding:

• Yancey County Soil and Water Conservation District: $100,000 for the Cattail Creek Flood Resiliency project, which will restore 1,000 feet of stream channel in a residential area damaged by Helene.
• Southwestern Commission: $110,000 for the Town of Clyde Flood Resiliency project to restore a half-mile of the Pigeon River and create 6 acre-feet of floodplain water storage.

DEQ Secretary Reid Wilson said the investments are part of a long-term plan to make North Carolina more resilient to worsening storms.
“These targeted investments will strengthen resilience and help local governments reduce the costs, extent and disruption of flooding events,” Wilson said.

Local leaders in Marshall described the funding as a turning point for the community. Floodwaters from Helene sent the French Broad River surging more than 25 feet, inundating homes, bridges and businesses across Madison County.

“This project represents our region’s commitment to rebuilding smarter, stronger and with natural disaster resilience at the forefront,” Jane Margaret Bell, of the Land of Sky Regional Council, said. “By restoring the French Broad’s floodplain, we’re protecting people, property and the river itself.”

The Flood Resiliency Blueprint, created by the General Assembly in 2021, guides flood mitigation efforts statewide. To date, DEQ has funded 72 projects totaling $35 million, with more rounds of funding expected in the coming months.

As Stein looked out over the French Broad, he called Marshall a fitting place for the announcement.

“I’ve been to Marshall a handful of times, and I’m inspired every time I come. These folks have worked incredibly hard to recover,” he said. “When it came time to bring some good news, I wanted to come right here to Marshall.”