Communities within the Tar-Pamlico River Basin, North Carolina have a long history of flooding during major rainfall and hurricane events.  Many communities within the basin have experienced major recurring flood events over the past 25 years associated with Hurricanes Fran (1996), Floyd (1999), Matthew (2016)—each of which ranking among the most destructive storms in state history and representing among the top four floods of record for major population centers within the basin.  Recurring flooding within the basin results in considerable economic damages to homes, businesses, industry, and public infrastructure.  For example, Hurricane Matthew is estimated to have caused over $110M in damage to residential, non-residential, and public structures.  Inundation of structures and roadways (i.e., reduced access to critical services and recovery aid, inundation of occupied vehicles) also results in increased life safety risks both during and following flood events.

In response to recent flooding that occurred as a result of Hurricanes Matthew (2016) and Florence (2019), North Carolina received funding through the 2019 Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief (H.R. 2157) for a feasibility study to assess and recommend actions that reduce flood risk and increase resiliency within the Tar-Pamlico River Basin. A series of flood risk management alternatives designed to reduce flood risks within the basin through various combinations of structural (e.g., floodwalls, levees, detention basins), non-structural (e.g., acquisition and relocation, home elevation), and natural and nature-based measures (e.g., wetland and floodplain storage) will be developed and compared with the goal of identifying and recommending an alternative that reduces flood risk while protecting environmental resources.

The study area comprises the entire Tar River Basin in North Carolina, as well as the area along the Pamlico River immediately downstream of the Tar River.  The Tar River Basin begins in the piedmont of North Carolina and extends 215 miles southeast through the Coastal Plan and flows to the Pamlico Sound estuary.  The basin covers about 6,100 square miles.  The study encompasses all or part of 13 counties.  Major population centers in the Tar River Basin include the cities of Louisburg, Rocky Mount, Greenville, Tarboro, and Princeville, NC. Washington, NC is also included in the study area. Although much of Washington is situated along the Pamlico River/Sound immediately downstream of the Tar River Basin, it is also affected by riverine flooding.

Location of the study area within North Carolina. The study area consists of the entire Tar River Basin and its confluence with the Pamlico River/Sound. Counties, major population centers, and rivers are shown.