Mid-Carolina Regional Resilience Portfolio

Bridge in Mid-Carolina region

Mid-Carolina

The Mid-Carolina Council of Governments region includes Cumberland, Harnett and Sampson counties.

The Mid-Carolina Council of Governments worked with NCORR’s RISE Program to develop a portfolio of priority projects that strengthen regional resilience. This multi-phase effort included a forward-looking vulnerability assessment, the identification of five to 10 high-priority projects and a list of the actions needed to implement each proposed project. A diverse stakeholder partnership guided the project to ensure that the scope of work reflected local priorities. The Mid-Carolina COG offered project guidance, the NC Rural Center hired a local leader to provide facilitation support and AECOM provided technical assistance.

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The Duke Energy Foundation awarded Accelerator Grant Program funding to support the following resilience project identified in the Mid-Carolina region's Resilience Project Portfolio:

Stream Gauge and Early Notification
  • Applicant: Cumberland County, NC
  • Amount: $27,650
  • Project Summary: Cumberland County will install and maintain six stream gauges and sensors at Rockfish Creek near Hoke County, Little River near Hwy 217 in Linden, Little River at Hwy 210, Little River at Wastewater Treatment Plant, Cliffdale Road in Fayetteville, and Hwy 13 at the Cumberland-Sampson Line to help improve flood warning and forecasting in areas that repetitively flood. The six additional gauges will provide information to map and communicate real-time water levels and flood risk, expanding the capacity of the State of North Carolina’s Flood Inundation and Mapping Alert Network (FIMAN). The project enhances the region’s and the State’s ability to forecast, better understand stream flows and improve flood risk communication. Additionally, the gauges will allow local officials to increase warning time before flood events occur, decreasing the loss of life.

Review the Climate Resilience Portfolio

The Mid-Carolina Regional Portfolio of Resilience Projects identifies priority projects and strategies that reduce the risks associated with extreme weather events and enhance regional resilience. The portfolio aims to produce shovel-ready actions with detailed implementation steps, including estimated costs, potential implementing partners, likely project completion challenges and more.

Review the Vulnerability Assessment

The Climate Change and Natural Hazards Vulnerability Assessment for the Mid-Carolina Region is a report describing past problems and future risks associated with extreme weather events such as hurricanes, flooding, extreme temperatures, droughts and wildfires. The report outlines the impacts of these climate hazards on housing, the environment and the economy.

Public Workshop #2: Mid-Carolina Regional Resilience Portfolio Project

Sept. 21, 2022: 10–11 a.m. and 6–7 p.m.

Workshop attendees had a chance to learn more about the Mid-Carolina Regional Resilience Portfolio Project and give feedback on potential regional projects and strategies to build future community resilience in Cumberland, Harnett and Sampson counties. Five to 10 prioritized strategies or projects will be included in the final portfolio, which will identify specific ways to help communities prepare for and recover from natural disasters and climate hazards.

Public Workshop #1: Understanding Vulnerability from the Local Perspective

April 26, 2022: 5:30–7 p.m.

During this workshop, community stakeholders learned about the Mid-Carolina Regional Resilience Portfolio Project and had the chance to provide input on important project elements such as the vulnerability assessment. Participants also had a chance to use a virtual room to provide input on issues in their region via an interactive mapping platform and a comment forum.

If you would like to receive occasional news about the project, please subscribe to email updates.

For more information about the state's RISE initiative in the Mid-Carolina COG region, contact NCORR Resilience Policy Advisor Andrea Webster.

Project Overview

Step 1. Vulnerability Assessment

The first phase of the project was the development of a vulnerability assessment. This analysis brought together science and local knowledge to paint a picture of hazards in the region and how they may change in the future.

Step 2. Propose and Prioritize Projects

The second phase of the project was the development of a portfolio of several projects that have regional benefits for resilience. Proposed projects could include construction projects, nature-based solutions, outreach and capacity-building activities, or planning and policy developments. The regional benefit could come in many forms, such as reducing downstream flooding, offering a resource to multiple local governments, or crafting a pilot project with replicability in other places.

A critical component of developing the portfolio was finding achievable paths to implementation, including funding sources and capacity considerations. The region had the opportunity to select a project for seed funding from the Duke Energy Resilience Accelerator Grant Program.

Resource Documents

The RISE effort builds on analysis and planning conducted over the last several years. These resources include:

 

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