ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Western North Carolina residents will have three opportunities in the coming weeks to help shape plans aimed at reducing flooding in the French Broad River Basin.

The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality is holding public meetings in Waynesville, Burnsville and Mills River to hear what residents believe should be done to better protect their communities from flooding.

The meetings come as communities across the mountains continue recovering from the devastating flooding caused by Tropical Storm Helene in September 2024.

DEQ wants to hear about local flooding concerns, possible solutions and which projects residents believe should take priority.

That feedback will help shape the French Broad River Basin Action Strategy, which will identify projects and policies aimed at reducing flood risks. State officials will also use scientific data to evaluate potential solutions.

Three public meetings are scheduled:

• Monday, Oct. 26: Pigeon River Sub-Basin Open House, 4-7 p.m., Haywood County Center, 589 Raccoon Road, Waynesville.
• Tuesday, Oct. 27: Nolichucky River Sub-Basin Open House, 4-7 p.m., Town Center, 6 S. Main St., Burnsville.
• Thursday, Nov. 5: French Broad River Sub-Basin Open House, 4-7 p.m., Council Chambers, 124 Town Center Drive, Mills River.

Residents, local government officials and community organizations are encouraged to attend.

The meetings are part of North Carolina’s Flood Resiliency Blueprint, a statewide program created after the General Assembly directed DEQ in 2021 to develop a plan to better prepare communities for flooding.

Although the program predates Helene, the storm underscored the risks facing mountain communities, where flooding damaged thousands of homes, roads and bridges.

The blueprint helps local governments identify areas at risk, evaluate possible solutions and determine which projects should receive priority for future funding.

DEQ says it has awarded more than $43.3 million to 85 flood resilience projects across six North Carolina river basins. The French Broad River Basin is among the six included in the program’s initial work.

The department also reports investing more than $10 million in 19 flood resilience projects in the French Broad River Basin since 2024, including work in communities such as Swannanoa, Woodfin and Black Mountain.

The French Broad River Basin Action Strategy is expected to be presented to the General Assembly in 2027.

More information is available on the DEQ Flood Resiliency Blueprint website.