Subtask1_1_LitReviewAndDataCollectionInventory

Subtask 1.1: Literature Review and
Data Collection Inventory
North Carolina Flood Resiliency Blueprint
Prepared for the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality by AECOM
August 2023
North Carolina Flood Resiliency Blueprint
Subtask 1.1: Literature Review and Data Collection Inventory | i
Table of Contents
Definitions ...................................................................................................................... iii
Acronyms ........................................................................................................................ iv
1 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 1
1.1 Purpose and Intended Uses of Literature Review and Data Collection Inventory ................... 1
1.2 Connections to Other NC Flood Resiliency Blueprint Tasks ...................................................... 1
1.3 Overview and Organization of Key Components of Existing Work ............................................ 2
1.4 Inclusion Criteria ......................................................................................................................... 3
2 Index .......................................................................................................................... 4
2.1 Parameter Assessment Overview ............................................................................................... 4
3 Review and Inventory ............................................................................................... 12
3.1 Plans and Strategies.................................................................................................................. 12
3.1.1 North Carolina Climate Risk Assessment and Resilience Plan ................................ 12
3.1.2 North Carolina Department of Transportation Resiliency Strategy Report ............ 13
3.1.3 2022 Climate Strategy Reports.................................................................................. 14
3.1.4 State of North Carolina 2023 Enhanced Hazard Mitigation Plan ............................. 16
3.1.5 North Carolina Natural and Working Lands Action Plan .......................................... 17
3.1.6 North Carolina Coastal Habitat Protection Plan: 2016 Source Document .............. 19
3.1.7 North Carolina Coastal Habitat Protection Plan: 2021 Amendment ....................... 20
3.1.8 Hurricane Matthew Resilient Redevelopment Plans................................................ 21
3.1.9 Action Plan for Nature-Based Stormwater Strategies: Promoting Natural
Designs that Reduce Flooding and Improve Water Quality In North Carolina
(March 2021) .............................................................................................................. 22
3.2 Technical Reports and Memos .................................................................................................. 23
3.2.1 North Carolina Climate Science Report .................................................................... 23
3.3 State Laws and Policies............................................................................................................. 24
3.3.1 North Carolina Executive Order 80: North Carolina’s Commitment to
Address Climate Change and Transition to a Clean Energy Economy .................... 24
3.3.2 North Carolina Executive Order 246: North Carolina’s Transformation to a
Clean, Equitable Economy ........................................................................................ 25
3.3.3 NCDOT Resilience Policy (NCDOT Policy F.35.0102) ................................................ 25
3.4 Research Projects and Studies ................................................................................................. 26
3.4.1 Collaboratory Flood Resiliency Study ...................................................................... 26
North Carolina Flood Resiliency Blueprint
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3.4.2 Growing Safely or Building Risk? Floodplain Management in North Carolina ........ 27
3.5 Programs ................................................................................................................................... 28
3.5.1 Regions Innovating for Strong Economies and Environment Program .................. 28
3.5.2 North Carolina Resilient Coastal Communities Program ........................................ 31
3.6 Data Tools .................................................................................................................................. 31
3.6.1 North Carolina Resilience Clearinghouse ................................................................. 31
3.6.2 Resilience Analysis and Planning Tool ...................................................................... 32
3.6.3 Environmental Justice Screening and Mapping Tool (EJScreen) ............................ 33
3.6.4 NOAA Coastal Flood Exposure Mapper ..................................................................... 34
3.6.5 NOAA Digital Coast Data Access Viewer .................................................................... 34
3.6.6 National Flood Hazard Layer ..................................................................................... 35
3.6.7 Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool ........................................................ 36
3.6.8 NCDEQ North Carolina Community Mapping System .............................................. 37
3.7 Concluding Remarks ................................................................................................................. 38
4 Appendix .................................................................................................................. 39

Tables
Table 2-1: Parameter Assessment and Key Components of Existing Work Summary Table .................... 5

North Carolina Flood Resiliency Blueprint
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Definitions
A comprehensive list of definitions applicable to multiple Flood Resiliency Blueprint documents is
provided in a separate document.

North Carolina Flood Resiliency Blueprint
Subtask 1.1: Literature Review and Data Collection Inventory | iv
Acronyms
AT&T – American Telephone and Telegraph
CEJST – Climate and Economic Justice
Screening Tool
CHHP –
CHPP - Coastal Habitat Protection Plan
CRC – Coastal Resources Commission
CRS - Community Rating System
CSC - CHPP Steering Committee
DAV – Data Access Viewer
DCM – Division of Coastal Management within
the Department of Environmental Quality
EJ – Environmental justice
EMC – Environmental Management
Commission
EO – Executive Order
EPA – Environmental Protection Agency
FEMA – Federal Emergency Management
Agency
FIRM – Flood Insurance Rate Map
FRA - Fisheries Reform Act
GHG – Greenhouse gas
GIS – Geographic information system
HES – Hurricane Evacuation Study
KMZ - Keyhole Markup language Zipped
LOE – Level of effort
MFC – Marine Fisheries Commission
NC – North Carolina
NCCF – North Carolina Coastal Federation
NCCMS – North Carolina Community Mapping
System
NCCSR - North Carolina Climate Science
Report
NCDEQ – North Carolina Department of
Environmental Quality
NCDOT – North Carolina Department of
Transportation
NCEM – North Carolina Emergency
Management
NCORR – North Carolina Office of Resilience
and Recovery
NFHL – National Flood Hazard Layer
NOAA – National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
NWL – Natural and working lands
RAPT - Resilience Analysis and Planning Tool
RCCP – Resilience Coastal Communities
Program
RISE – Regions Innovating for Strong
Economies and Environment
RPO – Rural Planning Organization
TAG – Technical Advisory Group
TNC – The Nature Conservancy
US – United States
US EPA – United States Environmental
Protection Agency
USGS – United States Geological Survey

North Carolina Flood Resiliency Blueprint
Subtask 1.1: Literature Review and Data Collection Inventory | 1
1 Introduction
1.1 Purpose and Intended Uses of Literature Review and Data
Collection Inventory
The purpose of this document is to conduct a thorough literature review and data collection inventory
of existing data, planning efforts, research projects, studies, and regional scale modeling that have
been developed to provide a basis for understanding, to build upon existing efforts, and to help meet
the intent of the North Carolina (NC) Flood Resiliency Blueprint. The inventory will result in a report
that summarizes the efforts, the lessons learned, the key components of existing work, and an index
with links to all resources reviewed.
Technical Advisory Group (TAG) representatives are subject matter experts who provide advisory
input and feedback during the development of the NC Flood Resiliency Blueprint. Their expertise
contributes to identifying key components of the existing work gathered in the inventory.
This inventory will enable all those involved to build upon existing efforts to help meet the intent of
the NC Flood Resiliency Blueprint. Phase I is a statewide effort to create a basis of knowledge
including an understanding of the vast amount of resiliency planning done throughout the state.
Stakeholders from each basin will have the opportunity to add local and regional planning efforts to
narrow the NC Flood Resiliency Blueprint consideration for regional and local needs.
1.2 Connections to Other NC Flood Resiliency Blueprint Tasks
There are various interconnections between this literature review (Task 1.1) and other tasks in the NC
Flood Resiliency Blueprint, listed below.
• Task 1.7 identifies specific recommendations from planning efforts across the state that
correspond with flood resilience strategies.
• Task 2.1 creates a statewide inventory of types and sources of flooding.
• Task 2.3 expands this literature review and data collection inventory to current flood resiliency
efforts and sources of flooding within the Neuse River Basin, as well as identifying existing
investments in flood resilience.
Reviewed materials are organized by purpose in the sections listed below.
• (3.1) Plans and Strategies
• (3.2) Technical Reports and Memos
• (3.3) State Laws and Policies
• (3.4) Research Projects and Studies
• (3.5) Programs
• (3.6) Data Tools
For each source, the report includes a brief background, summary of efforts, lessons learned where
applicable, key components of existing work, primary and supporting TAG(s) related to the identified
key components of existing work, and a link to the full document. Assessment parameters, including
applicability to the NC Flood Resiliency Blueprint, community engagement level of effort (LOE), ease
of use, year published, and update cycle are summarized in the Index. Additional information and
North Carolina Flood Resiliency Blueprint
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summary statistics related to stakeholder and community feedback are summarized in the
Stakeholder and Community Feedback Summary Table.
1.3 Overview and Organization of Key Components of Existing Work
Many of the reviewed materials identify specific recommendations that correspond with flood
resilience strategies listed in full in the Statewide Planning Efforts with Flood Resilience Strategies
spreadsheet within Task 1.7 (i.e., identifying specific recommendations from existing statewide
planning efforts). Presented in a spreadsheet format, users can navigate all listed actions for Task 1.7.
The recommendation areas included in this report refer to how the Principal Advisory Group
(Principal), Core Advisory Group, Technical Advisory Groups (TAGs), and other stakeholders may use
key documents to enhance and complement their participation in NC Flood Resiliency Blueprint
development. Key components of existing work included in this report are organized into key topic
areas that emerged as common threads in the review process. These topic areas, and key components
identified from the reviewed materials nested within these areas, may be particularly useful for NC
Flood Resiliency Blueprint development and are listed and described below. The Parameter
Assessment and Key Components of Existing Work Summary Table below lists a matrix of literature
that contain these topic areas.
• Stakeholder and/or Community Feedback. Many materials included in this literature review and
data inventory were informed by previous robust stakeholder engagement efforts from across the
state. Engaged stakeholders include local government representatives, non-profits and faith-based
organizations, technical and subject matter experts, community leaders, the public, and other
relevant individuals on an as need basis. Feedback received through these planning efforts,
particularly input provided from the public and community members who will not be engaged in
NC Flood Resiliency Blueprint, can help establish a baseline for community perception of flood and
resilience related challenges, successes, and ideas that have already been documented. The
Stakeholder and Community Feedback Summary Table summarizes key statistics, topics
addressed, the number of people involved in the community, and geographical spread of
engagement for each source as applicable.
• Data or Modeling. When materials offer original datasets or indices, updated projections, or other
data considerations, this key component of existing work is identified along with additional
information about the dataset.
• Environmental Justice. As defined by US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), environmental
justice is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color,
national origin, or income, concerning the development, implementation, and enforcement of
environmental laws, regulations, and policies.1 A strategic goal of the NC Flood Resiliency Blueprint
is to consider, consult, and meaningfully involve vulnerable and underserved communities in the
decision-making process. Where materials outline efforts related to Environmental Justice (EJ),
this key area is identified.
• Decision Support Tool Example. If the source is and/or references any decision support tools, these
examples are included.
• Establishing how to use the robust efforts, findings, and information included in the many
hundreds of pages of relevant documentation is a key part of setting a basis for understanding.

1 US EPA. “Environmental Justice.” U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 2023.
https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice#:~:text=Environmental%20justice%20is%20the%20fair,laws%2C%20regulatio
ns%2C%20and%20policies.
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This process acknowledges the extensive efforts from diverse cross-sector stakeholders across
North Carolina, while presenting key components of existing work when available, for how this
content can strategically inform NC Flood Resiliency Blueprint development.
1.4 Inclusion Criteria
The inclusion criteria for resources within this literature review and data inventory are listed below.
Resources identified that do not meet the inclusion criteria but are valuable for awareness and
reference are listed in the Appendix.
• State-wide geographic scope. The geographic scope for this literature review and data collection
inventory is the state of North Carolina. The materials included have state-wide considerations
and/or local and regional applicability that can be implemented in other locations.
• Credible and vetted. Resources have state or agency support and/or have been reviewed by
subject matter experts.
• Up-to-date, latest version. Generally, resources were published in 2019 or later, in response to
Governor Roy Cooper’s 2018 Executive Order 80. For resources updated annually, only the latest
version was reviewed although earlier versions may be mentioned or linked in the document.

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2 Index
2.1 Parameter Assessment Overview
Assessment parameters are described below along with included options.
• Community Engagement LOE. Community engagement refers to engagement with members of the
public that provide valuable understanding of their communities and how flooding affects it, but
who may or may be subject matter experts. The included community engagement was listed in
the reviewed reports; however community engagement could have occurred that was not reported
and therefore would not be included. As listed below, this parameter is based on information
contained in each material.
o Low: The material referenced no or little community engagement that was conducted to
inform the development of the material; the material does not specify or include engagement
strategies.
o Medium: The material referenced some community engagement and mentioned community
engagement plans or strategies that were conducted to inform the development of the
material. Feedback received and included in the material is not representative of the entire
state.
o High: The material referenced robust community engagement conducted with a thoughtful
and intentional community engagement plan that informed the development of the material.
Feedback received and included in the material is relatively representative of the entire state.
• Applicability to NC Flood Resiliency Blueprint
o Low: Somewhat relevant sources but missing foundational context.
o Medium: Highly relevant sources; often secondary (i.e., found within highly relevant
documents).
o High: Highly relevant documents; foundational in content or function.
• Ease of Use
o Low: Long and/or highly technical document.
o Medium: Possibly technical but well-organized and clear.
o High: Effectively summarized and easily understandable.
• Age and Update Cycle: Narrative form that includes the year it was published or released along
with any known information on the update cycle.

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Table 2-1: Parameter Assessment and Key Components of Existing Work Summary Table
Parameter Assessment Key Components of Existing
Work
Title and Link Year Update Cycle
Community
Engagement
LOE
Applicability Ease of
Use S/CF Data EJ DST
Plans and Strategies
North Carolina Climate
Risk Assessment and
Resilience Plan
https://files.nc.gov/ncdeq/
climate-change/resilience-
plan/2020-Climate-Risk-
Assessment-and-
Resilience-Plan.pdf
2020 The state will support and
update
Medium High Mediu
m
✓ ✓
State of North Carolina
2023 Hazard Mitigation
Plan2

https://www.ncdps.gov
/our-
organization/emergenc
y-management/hazard-
mitigation/enhanced-
hazard-mitigation-plan

2023 Every 5 years Low High Mediu
m
✓
NCDOT Resiliency Strategy
Report
https://files.nc.gov/ncdeq/
climate-change/resilience-
2021; 2022 Annual Low High High ✓ ✓

2 Component of the North Carolina Risk Assessment and Resilience Plan.
North Carolina Flood Resiliency Blueprint
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Parameter Assessment Key Components of Existing
Work
Title and Link Year Update Cycle
Community
Engagement
LOE
Applicability Ease of
Use S/CF Data EJ DST
plan/agency-
reports/Department-of-
Transportation-2021-
Resilient-Strategy-
Report.pdf
NCDOT 2022 Resiliency
Strategy Report
https://www.ncdot.gov/in
itiatives-
policies/Transportation/tr
ansportation-
resilience/Documents/ncd
ot-resilience-report.pdf
North Carolina Natural
and Working Lands Action
Plan3
https://files.nc.gov/ncdeq/
climate-change/natural-
working-lands/NWL-
Action-Plan-FINAL---
Copy.pdf
2020 A living document with no
prescribed update schedule
Low High High ✓
North Carolina Coastal
Habitat Protection Plan:
Source Document 2016
https://deq.nc.gov/marine
-fisheries/coastal-habitat-
protection-plan/2016-
2016 Every 5 years High High High

3 Component of the North Carolina Risk Assessment and Resilience Plan.
North Carolina Flood Resiliency Blueprint
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Parameter Assessment Key Components of Existing
Work
Title and Link Year Update Cycle
Community
Engagement
LOE
Applicability Ease of
Use S/CF Data EJ DST
chpp-source-
document/open
North Carolina Coastal
Habitat Protection Plan:
2021 Amendment
Every 5 years High High High ✓
2022 Climate Strategy
Reports (for 11 State
Agencies)
https://deq.nc.gov/energy
-climate/climate-
change/nc-climate-
change-interagency-
council/climate-strategy-
reports#2022-11687
2022 Annual Varies High High ✓ ✓
Hurricane Matthew
Resilient Redevelopment
Plans
https://www.rebuild.nc.g
ov/resiliency/hurricane-
matthew-resilient-
redevelopment-plans
2017 N/A Medium High Mediu
m
✓
Technical Reports and Memos
North Carolina Climate
Science Report 4
https://ncics.org/wp-
content/uploads/2020/10/
2020 Updated as needed to
incorporate new decision-
relevant information
Low High Mediu
m
✓

4 Component of the North Carolina Risk Assessment and Resilience Plan.
North Carolina Flood Resiliency Blueprint
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Parameter Assessment Key Components of Existing
Work
Title and Link Year Update Cycle
Community
Engagement
LOE
Applicability Ease of
Use S/CF Data EJ DST
NC_Climate_Science_Repo
rt_FullReport_Final_revise
d_September2020.pdf
State Laws and Policies
Executive Order 80: North
Carolina’s Commitment to
Address Climate Change
and Transition to a Clean
Energy Economy
https://governor.nc.gov/m
edia/967/open
2018 N/A N/A Low High
Executive Order 246:
North Carolina’s
Transformation to a Clean,
Equitable Economy
https://governor.nc.gov/m
edia/2907/open
2022 N/A N/A Low High ✓
2021 NCDOT Resilience
Policy
https://www.ncdot.gov/in
itiatives-
policies/Transportation/tr
ansportation-
resilience/Documents/ncd
ot-resilience-policy.pdf
2021 Next review date: 9/27/2025 N/A Medium High
Research Projects and Studies
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Parameter Assessment Key Components of Existing
Work
Title and Link Year Update Cycle
Community
Engagement
LOE
Applicability Ease of
Use S/CF Data EJ DST
Collaboratory Flood
Resilience Study
2.1.1.1 https://collabora
tory.unc.edu/wp-
content/uploads/
sites/476/2021/0
6/flood-
resiliency-
report.pdf
2021 N/A Low High High ✓ ✓
Growing Safely or Building
Risk? Floodplain
Management in North
Carolina
https://www.tandfonlin
e.com/doi/full/10.1080/
01944363.2022.2141821
2023 N/A Low High Mediu
m
✓ ✓
Programs
Regions Innovating for
Strong Economies and
Environment Program
2.1.1.2 RISE and
Environment
Program |
ReBuild NC
2021 N/A Medium High Mediu
m
✓ ✓
North Carolina Resilient
Coastal Communities
Program
2020 N/A Medium High Mediu
m
✓
North Carolina Flood Resiliency Blueprint
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Parameter Assessment Key Components of Existing
Work
Title and Link Year Update Cycle
Community
Engagement
LOE
Applicability Ease of
Use S/CF Data EJ DST
2.1.1.3 NC Resilient
Coastal
Communities
Program | NC
DEQ
Data Tools
North Carolina Resilience
Clearinghouse
https://www.usmangroup.
com/experience/north-
carolina/
Not Listed Unknown Low High TBD ✓ ✓
Resilience Analysis and
Planning Tool (RAPT)
https://www.fema.gov/no
de/resilience-analysis-
and-planning-tool-rapt
2020 Not specified Low High Mediu
m
✓ ✓
Environmental Justice
Screening and Mapping
Tool (EJScreen)
https://www.epa.gov/ejsc
reen
2015 (public
release)
Annually, with new and best
available data
Low High High ✓ ✓ ✓
NOAA Coastal Flood
Exposure Mapper
https://coast.noaa.gov/dig
italcoast/tools/flood-
exposure.html
Not listed Not specified Low Medium High ✓
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Parameter Assessment Key Components of Existing
Work
Title and Link Year Update Cycle
Community
Engagement
LOE
Applicability Ease of
Use S/CF Data EJ DST
NOAA Digital Coast Data
Access Viewer (DAV)
https://coast.noaa.gov/da
taviewer/#/
Not listed Not specified Low Medium Mediu
m
✓
National Flood Hazard
Layer
https://www.fema.gov/flo
od-maps/national-flood-
hazard-layer
2013 Continuously Low High Mediu
m
✓ ✓
Climate and Economic
Justice Screening Tool
(CEJST)
https://screeningtool.geo
platform.gov/en/about

2022 Annually, based on public
feedback, research, and the
availability of new data
Medium High High ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
NCDEQ North Carolina
Community Mapping
System
https://deq.nc.gov/outrea
ch-
education/environmental-
justice/deq-north-
carolina-community-
mapping-system

2019 Not specified Low Medium Low ✓ ✓

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3 Review and Inventory
3.1 Plans and Strategies
3.1.1 North Carolina Climate Risk Assessment and Resilience Plan
(https://files.nc.gov/ncdeq/climate-change/resilience-plan/2020-Climate-Risk-Assessment-and-
Resilience-Plan.pdf)
3.1.1.1 Background
The North Carolina Climate Risk Assessment and Resilience Plan (“2020 Resilience Plan”) was released
in June 2020. The development of the 2020 Resilience Plan, led by the Department of Environmental
Quality (NCDEQ) with interagency collaboration and stakeholder support, was a key action directed
by Governors Cooper’s Executive Order 80 (EO 80), signed in October 2018. The plan's purpose is to
guide state action, engage policymakers and stakeholders, and facilitate collaboration among many
partners to protect the state against high-impact, low-frequency weather events. The plan states
“Heavy precipitation accompanying hurricanes and other weather systems is likely to increase, thus
increasing the potential for flooding in inland and coastal areas.” This is one example of how the
Climate Risk Assessment and Resilience Plan could be pertinent to the Blueprint.
3.1.1.2 Summary of Efforts
The 2020 Resilience Plan also establishes the North Carolina Resilience Strategy, formed by four
component documents: (1) The North Carolina Science Report, (2) State Agency Resilience Strategies,
(3) Statewide Vulnerability Assessment and Resilience Strategies, and (4) the state of North Carolina
Enhanced Hazard Mitigation. Task 1.7 provides a comprehensive understanding of the
recommendations in the 2020 Resilience Plan. This plan offers the following results:
• Our best understanding of the projected change in the climate.
• Climate justice considerations.
• State infrastructure, assets, programs, and services that are vulnerable and at risk to climate and
non-climate stressors within the following 11 critical sectors:
o Agriculture and Forestry
o Coastal Resources and Infrastructure
o Commerce and Business
o Cultural Resources
o Ecosystems
o Health and Human Services
o Housing, Buildings, and Support Services
o Public Safety
o Transportation
o Water and Land Resources
o Energy
• Preliminary actions currently underway or which could be taken to reduce the risk for at least three
example vulnerability areas.
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• Recommendations for nature-based solutions to enhance ecosystem resiliency and sequester
carbon in the state’s natural and working lands (NWL).
The 2020 Resilience Plan also establishes the following Cross-Cutting Resilience Strategies:
• Consider resilience criteria in making state investments.
• Update plans, standards, and design values.
• Increase resilience capacity in state agencies.
• Identify sustainable funding sources for resilience.
• Increase communication and outreach on climate change.
3.1.1.3 Key Components of Existing Work
Primary TAG: Resilience/Mitigation/Reduction
Supporting TAG(s): Vulnerability/Risk/Impact, Hazard Identification
Stakeholder and/or Community Feedback: To support the implementation of Governor Roy Cooper’s
Executive Order 80, Section 9, the North Carolina Division of Coastal Management (DCM) and North
Carolina Coastal Federation (NCCF) held two regional coastal resilience workshops and one coastal
resilience summit. NCDEQ and key stakeholders throughout the Piedmont and Mountain regions of
the state replicated these engagements in five dispersed locations. Over the eight workshops, more
than 300 participants representing 82 of the 100 counties offered input. Key outcomes and
thematically organized feedback can be found in the reports listed below and included in the North
Carolina Climate Risk Assessment and Resilience Plan appendices.
• Appendix D: North Carolina Coastal Regional Workshops Report
• Appendix C: North Carolina Mountain and Piedmont Regional Workshops Report
Environmental Justice: Chapter 4 of the 2020 Resilience Plan, titled “Climate and Environmental
Justice” is a valuable resource to inform statewide efforts. Chapter 4 establishes a shared
understanding of inequity in climate vulnerability and resilience born from centuries of structural
racism resulting in compounding vulnerabilities.
The Climate and Environmental Justice spotlight issues include:
• Energy cost burden and higher heat,
• Workers, small businesses, and family businesses in vulnerable industries,
• African American property ownership, and
• Insurance inequalities.
3.1.2 North Carolina Department of Transportation Resiliency Strategy
Report
(2021: https://files.nc.gov/ncdeq/climate-change/resilience-plan/agency-reports/Department-of-
Transportation-2021-Resilient-Strategy-Report.pdf)
(2022: https://www.ncdot.gov/initiatives-policies/Transportation/transportation-
resilience/Documents/ncdot-resilience-report.pdf)
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3.1.2.1 Background
The first North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) Resilience Strategy Report published
in 2021 aligns agency goals and objectives and will serve as the guiding document for agency
activities, policy and practice improvements, and decision-making moving forward. Flooding is
highlighted as a risk in both the 2021 and 2022 Resilience Strategy Reports; namely, as observed
highway and railroad bridge washouts and closings in Western North Carolina in 2021. Various flood
resilience activities including flood inundation analyses and other research projects are identified in
the 2021 Report with status updates in the 2022 Report.
3.1.2.2 Summary of Efforts
The NCDOT Strategy includes a review of completed and ongoing agency activities, studies, plans, and
state and national tools for use in contextualizing the recommended strategies. A peer review of three
other state departments of transportation has found relevant practices that help to inform NCDOT as
it pursues future resilience-related actions, such as vulnerability assessments or pilot studies. The
NCDOT 2022 Resilience Strategy Report supplies a status update and progress report on agency
actions.
3.1.2.3 Key Components of Existing Work
Primary TAG: Hazard Identification
Supporting TAG(s): Vulnerability/Risk/Impact, Resilience/Mitigation/Reduction
Stakeholder and/or Community Feedback: NCDOT held a series of virtual meetings with key
stakeholders including those across NCDOT, Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), Rural
Planning Organizations (RPOs) and state partners. Results are presented in a summary table on page
16 with focus areas and key themes.
Data or Modeling: Various research projects, studies, tools, and other efforts are identified and a
sampling of these are listed below.
• Application for Site-Specific Information Storage and Tracking (ASSIST)
• BridgeWatch Pilot Project
• Flood Inundation Mapping and Alert Network for Transportation (FIMAN-T)
3.1.3 2022 Climate Strategy Reports
(https://deq.nc.gov/energy-climate/climate-change/nc-climate-change-interagency-council/climate-
strategy-reports#2022-11687)
3.1.3.1 Background
As of October 2022, Cabinet agencies have combined the annual reporting on Executive Order 80,
Executive Order 246, and the Climate Risk Assessment and Resilience Plan actions into Climate
Strategy Reports, sent to the Climate Change Interagency Council. The eleven state agencies that
released 2022 Climate Strategy Reports are listed below.
• Department of Administration
• Department of Agriculture and Consumer Affairs
• Department of Commerce
• Department of Environmental Quality
• Department of Health and Human Services
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• Department of Information Technology
• Department of Military and Veteran Affairs
• Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
• Department of Public Safety
• Department of Revenue
• Department of Transportation
While the Cabinet agency Climate Strategy Reports have a much broader focus than flood resilience
alone, statewide climate impacts include significant flood-related impacts, such as increased total
annual precipitation, extreme precipitation and frequency, sea level rise along the coast, frequency
and intensity of storms, storm surge flooding in the coastal region, and inland flooding. Accordingly,
many agency reports outline strategies and actions to reduce flood impacts that are specifically
nested within Section 2 included in the section below.
3.1.3.2 Summary of Efforts
In the 2022 Climate Strategy Reports, each state agency shows their vulnerabilities to climate change
and describes the agency approach to completing the strategies outlined in the NC Climate Risk
Assessment and Resilience Plan. All Climate Strategy Reports include agency-specific actions and
progress (including expected completion dates) for the statewide interagency goals and objectives
listed below.
1. Reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
1.1. Reduce energy consumption per square foot in state-owned buildings by at least 40% from
the fiscal year 2002-2003 levels.
1.2. Support the use and expansion of energy-efficient and clean energy resources.
1.3. Increase the number of registered Zero Emission Vehicles to at least 1,250,000 by 2030 so that
50% of in-state sales of new vehicles are zero-emission by 2030.
1.4. Prioritize Zero Emission Vehicles (ZEVs) in the purchase or lease of new vehicles and for
agency business travel.
1.5. Initiate other initiatives to decarbonize the transportation sector.
1.6. Initiate other projects aimed at reducing statewide greenhouse emissions.
2. Increase statewide resilience to the impacts of climate change.
2.1. Evaluate the impacts of climate change on cabinet agencies’ programs and operations.
2.2. Integrate climate change adaptation practices and resiliency planning into cabinet agencies’
policies and operations.
2.3. Assist the communities served by each cabinet agency to implement climate change
adaptation practices and resiliency planning.
3. Address the public health impacts of climate change.
3.1. Increase understanding and awareness of the health impacts of climate change.
3.2. Advance health equity.
3.3. Initiate other projects aimed at addressing the public health impacts of climate change.
North Carolina Flood Resiliency Blueprint
Subtask 1.1: Literature Review and Data Collection Inventory | 16
4. Invest in historically underserved communities.
4.1. Increase affordability for low- and moderate-income households.
4.2. Create jobs and economic growth.
4.3. Alert residents and businesses, particularly those in underserved communities, of state and
federal grant opportunities.
4.4. Initiate other projects aimed at investing in underserved communities.
3.1.3.3 Key Components of Existing Work
Primary TAG: Resilience/Mitigation/Reduction
Supporting TAG(s): Vulnerability/Risk/Impact
Stakeholder and/or Community Feedback: Each Climate Strategy Report addresses the agency’s
public participation plan, often including a hyperlink to an agency-specific public participation plan.
Environmental Justice: Each Climate Strategy Report describes the agency’s approach and path
forward to address environmental injustices and inequities. Each agency’s status and intended
actions for meeting all objectives listed in Goal 4: Invest in Historically Underserved Communities, are
other valuable reference points.
3.1.4 State of North Carolina 2023 Enhanced Hazard Mitigation Plan
(https://www.ncdps.gov/our-organization/emergency-management/hazard-mitigation/enhanced-
hazard-mitigation-plan)
3.1.4.1 Background
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) requires state and local governments to develop
and adopt hazard mitigation plans to receive certain types of non-emergency disaster funds. North
Carolina's Enhanced Hazard Mitigation Plan (322 Plan) makes the state eligible for more funds to
prevent future damage. Due to the enhanced plan status, North Carolina qualifies for 20 percent (as
opposed to 15 percent) of the total federal recovery assistance funds (i.e., what has been paid out
through the individual and public assistance programs combined). These funds can now be used on
projects that minimize the impact of future storms. The State of North Carolina Enhanced Hazard
Mitigation Plan is referenced in the 2020 Climate Risk Assessment and Resilience Plan and is
considered a component of the North Carolina Resilience Strategy. It is listed as a standalone source
for this literature review.
Flooding is a natural hazard identified in the Risk and Vulnerability Assessment portion of the NC
Enhanced Hazard Mitigation Plan. Specifically, the plan highlights the two major categories, flash
floods and general floods, and identifies further flood types including riverine flooding, coastal
flooding, sea level rise (as a factor of coastal flooding), urban flooding, and inflow and infiltration (as a
factor of urban flooding).
3.1.4.2 Summary of Efforts
The Enhanced Hazard Mitigation Plan includes a Risk Identification and Vulnerability Assessment
considering natural and technological hazards, corresponding vulnerabilities, and critical asset
inventory. Statewide mitigation capabilities, including North Carolina Emergency Management
(NCEM) functions, state agency roles, mitigation programs and funding, local and tribal capabilities,
North Carolina Flood Resiliency Blueprint
Subtask 1.1: Literature Review and Data Collection Inventory | 17
mitigation planning, and mitigation grants management are identified and summarized. The
mitigation strategy section identifies goals, objectives, and actions.
In Task 2.3, a detailed review of relevant Regional Hazard Mitigation Plans is completed to address
and identify efforts done on a local scale.
3.1.4.3 Key Components of Existing Work
Primary TAG: Resilience/Mitigation/Reduction
Supporting TAG(s): Vulnerability/Risk/Impact; Hazard Identification; Partnership/Funding
Stakeholder and/or Community Feedback: The Risk Management Coordinating Council is the
coordinating body for 322 Plan updates and holds annual meetings concerning the content and status
of the plan. The Council includes state agencies that are key stakeholders and solicits feedback,
provides updated data and specific recommendations relevant to the plan. The public was invited to
comment at the beginning of the plan update process and invited again to comment on the draft
update prior to submission to FEMA for review.
3.1.5 North Carolina Natural and Working Lands Action Plan
(https://files.nc.gov/ncdeq/climate-change/natural-working-lands/NWL-Action-Plan-FINAL---
Copy.pdf)
3.1.5.1 Background
The North Carolina Natural and Working Lands Action Plan (“NWL Action Plan”) was released in June
2020. The plan was a summary of the North Carolina Natural and Working Lands Action Plan is
included in the 2020 Climate Risk Assessment and Resilience Plan and the plan in its entirety is
considered a part of the North Carolina Resilience Strategy. It is listed as a standalone source for this
literature review. Overall, the efforts and recommendations in the NWL Action Plan demonstrate the
opportunity for nature-based solutions to advance flood resilience. Various priority recommendations
within the NWL Action Plan relate to flooding, for example, the transformative recommendation to
“protect and restore forests and wetlands within flood prone areas” and priority recommendations
for floodplains, wetlands, and coastal habitats broadly.
3.1.5.2 Summary of Efforts
The purpose of the NWL Action Plan is to find and create opportunities and outline specific projects
for North Carolina’s natural and working lands that sequester carbon, build ecosystem and
community resilience, provide ecosystem benefits, and enhance our economy. The plan is intended
for various stakeholders including public and private landowners; universities; NGOs (non-
government organizations); federal, state, and local planners; and policymakers to collectively work
towards the presented goals. The NWL Action Plan addresses the following issues:
• Define the stakeholders’ shared goals developed for the NWL Action Plan.
• Present the current state of our NWL.
• Quantify the potential impact of various actions.
• Recommend specific actions that facilitate meeting the shared goals.
• Identify implementation pathways, partners, and funding to facilitate taking action.
• Discuss roadblocks currently preventing the use of certain action pathways, and
• Encourage working on broad policy initiatives that would greatly enhance meeting our goals.
North Carolina Flood Resiliency Blueprint
Subtask 1.1: Literature Review and Data Collection Inventory | 18
The NWL Action Plan shows some long-term, high-impact and short-term and cost-effective actions.
The recommendations presented are clustered in the following areas: Transformative
Recommendations and Recommendations for Forest Lands, Floodplains and Wetlands, Pocosins,
Coastal Habitats, Urban Lands, and Agriculture. The Plan is intended to be a living document with
periodic changes and status updates.
3.1.5.3 Key Components of Existing Work
Primary TAG: Resilience/Mitigation/Reduction
Supporting TAG(s): Vulnerability/Risk/Impact
Data or Modeling. One transformative recommendation listed in the NWL Action Plan is to “build a
natural and working lands solutions toolbox (p. 26).” To contextualize this recommendation, the NWL
Action Plan lists tools, datasets, and models that currently exist or are underway (as of the publish
date in 2020); many are relevant for NC Flood Resiliency Blueprint as included below.
• Green Growth Toolbox developed by built by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
and partners.
• The DCM produced the NC Coastal Community Resiliency Guide.
• The US EPA contacted North Carolina about developing a state-specific version of its Adaptation
Resource Center (ARC-X) interactive resource. Arc-X currently offers a regional scale.
• The Coastal Resilience Evaluation and Siting Tool and Regional Coastal Resilience Assessments
were developed by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, in partnership with the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the US Army Corps of Engineers, University of
North Carolina Asheville’s National Environmental Modeling and Analysis Center, and NatureServe.
• Duke University’s Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions launched two new tools in
2023: the Conservation Prioritization Tool and the Benefits Calculator. These join a growing suite of
tools, including three dashboards launched in 2022: the Overview Dashboard, Conservation
Dashboard, and Carbon Dashboard.
• Duke University’s Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions also completed spatial
modeling. More information can be found here, and the dataset is accessible at Data from: Coastal
protection and blue carbon mapping for six mid-Atlantic states.5
• Datasets accessible at Data from: Opportunity assessment for carbon and resilience benefits on
natural and working lands in North Carolina6 were used to estimate potential recommendations
featured in the NWL Action Plan.
• The Nature Conservancy (TNC) developed a Coastal Resilience decision-support tool to make best
available local data on coastal hazards more accessible and a Natural Solutions Toolkit made up of
spatial decision-making tools and web apps to support and drive conservation.
• United States Geological Survey (USGS) South Atlantic Water Science Center has completed a 3-
year study called the Coastal Carolinas Focus Area Study .
• The North Carolina Wildlife Habitat Threat Data Viewer and Analysis Tool is a decision-making that
combines threat projections and allows the user to explore various scenarios.

5 Warnell, K., & Olander, L. (2020). Data from: Coastal protection and blue carbon mapping for six mid-Atlantic states. Duke
Research Data Repository. https://doi.org/10.7924/r4pg1qw8p.
6 Warnell, K., & Olander, L. (2020). Data from: Opportunity assessment for carbon and resilience benefits on natural and
working lands in North. Carolina. Duke Research Data Repository. https://doi.org/10.7924/r4ww7cd91.
North Carolina Flood Resiliency Blueprint
Subtask 1.1: Literature Review and Data Collection Inventory | 19
• The American Farmland Trust developed the Carbon Reduction Potential Evaluation (CaRPE) Tool
and has offered to collaborate with North Carolina to create “spatially explicit data” at state and
county scales using the CarPE ToolTM.
• The Tool for Environmental, Agricultural and Military reporting developed by the North Carolina
Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is an example of a toolkit that ultimately
provides actionable and concrete implementation measures paired with funding sources and
technical assistance.
Decision Support Tool Example: TNC’s Coastal Resilience decision-support tool has an international
scope with a North Carolina scale option.
3.1.6 North Carolina Coastal Habitat Protection Plan: 2016 Source
Document
(https://deq.nc.gov/marine-fisheries/coastal-habitat-protection-plan/2016-chpp-source-
document/open)
3.1.6.1 Background
The North Carolina Coastal Habitat Protection Plan (CHPP) was developed in response to the Fisheries
Reform Act (FRA) that the Governor signed into law in 1997. With pressures from coastal development,
North Carolina’s estuaries had suffered from water quality degradation, major fish kills, and habitat
loss. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources, now the Department of Environmental
Quality (NCDEQ), was tasked with developing the CHPP to identify threats to North Carolina’s coastal
fishery habitats and to provide implementable management actions to protect and restore these
critical resources. The first CHPP plan was drafted in 2004 and approved by the Coastal Resources
(CRC), the Environmental Management Commission (EMC), and the Marine Fisheries (MFC) regulatory
commissions. Implementation was a key desired outcome of the CHPP, and following its adoption,
each division and department also established a bi-annual implementation plan for components
within their purview. The CHPP provides a critical ecosystem perspective to be incorporated in flood
resilience efforts, particularly pertinent for nature-based solution approaches and efforts.
3.1.6.2 Summary of Efforts
The 2016 CHPP is an update to the 2015 plan and maintains the same four overarching goals to
protect coastal habitats in North Carolina: (1) Improve effectiveness of existing rules and programs
protecting coastal habitats, (2) Identify and delineate strategic coastal habitats, (3) Enhance coastal
habitat and protect it from physical impacts, and (4) Enhance and protect water quality. The CHPP has
three parts.
1. Part 1: Provides information on coastal habitats, including their description, distribution,
ecological role, status, and trends.
2. Part 2: Discusses the existing and potential threats to habitats, including those related to physical
disturbances, hydrological alterations, water quality degradation, and other stressors.
3. Part 3: Outlines existing habitat protection, restoration, and enhancement efforts. The section
also discusses ecosystem management and habitat area assessments.
3.1.6.3 Key Components of Existing Work
Primary TAG: Resilience/Mitigation/Reduction
North Carolina Flood Resiliency Blueprint
Subtask 1.1: Literature Review and Data Collection Inventory | 20
Supporting TAG(s): Vulnerability/Risk/Impact
Stakeholder and/or Community Feedback: The 2016 CHPP was developed with robust input from the
public. Outreach and engagement efforts included an online survey that garnered 817 responses from
residents in 55 counties. Several public meetings were held, and public comments were also received
at MFC, CRC, EMC, and CSC (CHPP Steering Committee) meetings.
3.1.7 North Carolina Coastal Habitat Protection Plan: 2021 Amendment
(https://deq.nc.gov/media/26810/open)
3.1.7.1 Background
The need for a coastwide habitat plan(s) originated in the 1990s when fish populations, habitat, and
water quality concerns were becoming increasingly clear. Developing Coastal Habitat Protection
Plans (CHPPs) were required in the Fisheries Reform Act of 1997(FRA; G.S. 143B-279.8). The legislative
goal of the CHPP is the long-term enhancement of coastal fisheries associated with coastal habitats.
The law specifies that the CHPP finds threats and recommends management actions to protect and
restore coastal habitats critical to NC’s coastal fishery resources. Building on the 2016 CHPP Source
Document, the 2021 Amendment further emphasizes nature-based solution implementation to
protect and restore wetlands, acknowledging flood control benefits.
3.1.7.2 Summary of Efforts
The CHPP has four fundamental goals to protect coastal habitats in North Carolina: (1) Improve
effectiveness of existing rules and programs protecting coastal habitats, (2) Identify and delineate
strategic coastal habitats, (3) Enhance coastal habitat and protect it from physical impacts, and (4)
Enhance and protect water quality. The CHPP was previously updated in 2016. To simplify the CHPP
process in 2021, the CSC chose to develop an amendment to the 2016 CHPP Source Document and
selected five priority issues to pursue:
1. Submerged Aquatic Vegetation protection and restoration through water quality improvements.
2. Wetland protection and restoration through Nature-based Solutions.
3. Environmental rule compliance to protect coastal habitats.
4. Wastewater infrastructure solutions for water quality improvement.
5. Coastal habitat mapping and monitoring to assess status and trends.
For each priority issue area, the CHPP supplies background information, proposed strategies, and
details recommended actions. The CHPP also outlines implementation progress on the earlier priority
habitat issues found in the 2016 CHPP: Oyster Reef Habitat Restoration, Encourage Use of Living
Shorelines, Sedimentation in Estuarine Creeks, and Generating Metrics on Management Success and
Habitat Trends, along with progress on other coastal habitat protection plan recommendations.
3.1.7.3 Key Components of Existing Work
Primary TAG: Resilience/Mitigation/Reduction
Supporting TAG(s): Vulnerability/Risk/Impact
Stakeholder and/or Community Feedback: Appendix A of the CHPP is the North Carolina Coastal
Federation and the Pew Charitable Trusts Stakeholder Workgroup Report, which summarizes
Findings, Conclusions, and Recommendations by the independent stakeholder workgroup met by the
North Carolina Flood Resiliency Blueprint
Subtask 1.1: Literature Review and Data Collection Inventory | 21
North Carolina Coastal Federation and The Pew Charitable Trusts during development of the 2021
amendment to the NC CHPP. Additionally, a public comment period on the draft plan occurred from
September 21 to October 21, 2021. Comments were received at five MFC Advisory Committee
meetings held virtually in October, an online survey, and mailed and emailed comments. Additionally,
the draft NC CHPP Amendment Public Comment survey asked for feedback from 93 individuals.
NCDEQ also received two petitions in staunch support of the CHPP amendment and action
implementation from NC Audubon (461 signatures) and NC Conservation Network (796 signatures), in
addition to 40 letters via email about the amendment. Of these, 33 were letters of support. Appendix B
of the CHPP summarizes public comments.
3.1.8 Hurricane Matthew Resilient Redevelopment Plans
(https://www.rebuild.nc.gov/resiliency/hurricane-matthew-resilient-redevelopment-plans)
3.1.8.1 Background
Following Hurricane Matthew in 2016, the Disaster Recovery Act of 2016 directed NCEM to lead efforts
resulting in a resilient redevelopment plan for all fifty counties included in the Presidential Disaster
Declaration. Counties included in the Presidential Disaster Declaration and direct links to associated
county plans are included in the list below.
• Anson County
• Beaufort County
• Bertie County
• Bladen County
• Brunswick County
• Camden County
• Carteret County
• Chatham County
• Chowan County
• Columbus County
• Craven County
• Cumberland County
• Currituck County
• Dare County
• Duplin County
• Edgecombe County
• Franklin County
• Gates County
• Greene County
• Halifax County
• Harnett County
• Hertford County
• Hoke County
• Hyde County
• Johnston County
• Jones County
• Lee County
• Lenoir County
• Martin County
• Montgomery County
• Moore County
• Nash County
• New Hanover County
• Northampton County
• Onslow County
• Pamlico County
• Pasquotank County
• Pender County
• Perquimans County
• Pitt County
• Richmond County
• Robeson County
• Sampson County
• Scotland County
• Tyrrell County
• Wake County
• Warren County
• Washington County
• Wayne County
• Wilson County

In 2017, NCEM also facilitated the development of regional resilient redevelopment plans for four
"prosperity zones" as identified by the North Carolina Department of Commerce. The four regional
plans are listed below.
• Hurricane Matthew Resilient Redevelopment Plan – North Central Region
• Hurricane Matthew Resilient Redevelopment Plan – Northeast Region
• Hurricane Matthew Resilient Redevelopment Plan – Southeast Region
• Hurricane Matthew Resilient Redevelopment Plan – Sandhills Region
North Carolina Flood Resiliency Blueprint
Subtask 1.1: Literature Review and Data Collection Inventory | 22
Each County and Regional Resilient Redevelopment Plan provides a summary of Hurricane Matthew
Storm Damage for the jurisdiction caused by extensive rainfall and subsequent flooding from the
slow-moving, Category 3 hurricane.
3.1.8.2 Summary of Efforts
These summary documents supply a snapshot of the current needs of the counties found in these
regions on holistic recovery and redevelopment.
The four regional plans supply a profile of the region; overview of impact from Hurricane Matthew;
and list possible regionally scaled strategies for resilience related to economic development,
infrastructure, and the environment.
3.1.8.3 Key Components of Existing Work
Primary TAG: Resilience/Mitigation/Reduction
Supporting TAG(s): Vulnerability/Risk/Impact; Hazard Identification
Data or Modeling: Data profiles and storm impact data included in the regional and county plans may
be helpful starting points for data considerations in NC Flood Resiliency Blueprint for previous storm
events. Datasets and sources referenced in the storm impact sections include total rainfall depth,
documented stream gage data from the USGS, coastal/tidal station records from USGS and NOAA, and
Individual Assistance claims and Public Assistance claims from FEMA.
3.1.9 Action Plan for Nature-Based Stormwater Strategies: Promoting
Natural Designs that Reduce Flooding and Improve Water Quality In
North Carolina (March 2021)
(https://www.nccoast.org/project/nbss/)
3.1.9.1 Background
The Action Plan for Nature-Based Stormwater Strategies, published in March of 2021, was created by
the North Carolina Coastal Federation and funded through The Pew Charitable Trust to determine
nature-based solutions that would assist in the mitigation of flooding caused by stormwater.
3.1.9.2 Summary of Efforts
The Action Plan breaks efforts down across four work groups made up of individuals serving North
Carolina through various governmental and contractor positions. These work groups were tasked
with determining a set of recommendations for mitigating flooding caused by stormwater, that served
across all groups. The works groups were also tasked with creating a set of individual
recommendations for mitigating stormwater flooding that centered on the focus of the work group.
These work groups were titled the New Development Work Group, Roadways Work Group,
Stormwater Retrofit of Existing Land Use Work Group, and the Working Lands Work Group. Each work
groups decision frame was guided by six principles that served as base agreements and
understandings to build nature-based solution suggestions from. Using these principles, a list of
major impediments was discovered, and were used to determine a set of recommendations that
could serve on a state, local, and project-specific level. Critical first steps were identified and shared
alongside the recommendations as action items for the North Carolina Coastal Federation to
encourage the Pew Charitable Trust and the stakeholders to work on and encourage.
North Carolina Flood Resiliency Blueprint
Subtask 1.1: Literature Review and Data Collection Inventory | 23
3.1.9.3 Key Components of Existing Work
Primary TAG: Resilience/Mitigation/Reduction
Supporting TAG(s): Vulnerability/Risk/Impact; Hazard Identification
Stakeholder and/or Community Feedback: In May 2023, the North Carolina Coastal Federation, Pew
Charitable Trusts, the N.C. Office of Recovery and Resiliency, N.C. Department of Administration,
Governor Roy Cooper’s office, and 50 members of the Work Groups came together to discuss and
understand how nature-based solution application functioned under Executive Order 266.
3.2 Technical Reports and Memos
3.2.1 North Carolina Climate Science Report
(https://ncics.org/wp-
content/uploads/2020/06/NC_Climate_Science_Report_FullReport_Final_revised_May2020.pdf)
3.2.1.1 Background
The 2020 North Carolina Climate Science Report (NCCSR) supplies a rigorous, comprehensive, peer
reviewed assessment of the weather and climate future of North Carolina. The NCCSR was developed
by North Carolina-based climate experts with review by an expert panel from state and federal
research and science positions along with a rigorous peer review process. It is informed by the latest
climate science produced at the federal and international level, including the U.S. Fourth National
Climate Assessment, the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change,
and details included in the North Carolina State Summary. The 2020 North Carolina Climate Science
Report summary and findings are included within the 2020 Climate Risk Assessment and Resilience
Plan and is considered a part of the North Carolina Resilience Strategy. It is listed as a standalone
source for this literature review. The NCCSR outlines the likelihood of various flood-related climate
patterns and conditions in North Carolina due to climate change.
3.2.1.2 Summary of Efforts
The NCCSR presents key findings of observed changes in the past climate of North Carolina and
projected changes and associated likelihood for the states’ climate future through the end of the
century. Analyses included are informed on vetted, well-established observational and modeling
datasets, climate assessments at the nationwide and global scale, and peer-reviewed scientific
literature, among others. Key findings for observed and projected changes are presented for and
organized into the following categories: temperature, precipitation, sea level, hurricanes, storms,
floods, droughts, and wildfire, other compound events, and engineering design standards. The NCCSR
offers findings for the state and regionally specific findings for the Western Mountains, the Piedmont,
and the Coastal Plain. An overview of findings can be found in the NCCSR Report Findings and
Executive Summary.
3.2.1.3 Key Components of Existing Work
Primary TAG: Hazard Identification
Supporting TAG(s): Vulnerability/Risk/Impact
Data or Modeling: Data and projections included in NCCSR are the most recent and robust climate
science for the state of North Carolina. This science should ground all materials and be included in NC
North Carolina Flood Resiliency Blueprint
Subtask 1.1: Literature Review and Data Collection Inventory | 24
Flood Resiliency Blueprint. Findings that will result in more frequent or intense flooding and impacts
are highly relevant and are listed below.
• It is likely that annual total precipitation for North Carolina will increase.
• It is very likely that extreme precipitation frequency and intensity in North Carolina will increase
due to increases in atmospheric water vapor content.
• It is virtually certain that sea level along the North Carolina coast will continue to rise due to
expansion of ocean water from warming and melting of ice on land, such as the Greenland and
Antarctic ice sheets.
• Heavy precipitation accompanying hurricanes that pass near or over North Carolina is very likely
to increase, which would in turn increase the potential for freshwater flooding in the state.
• It is likely that the frequency of severe thunderstorms in North Carolina will increase.
• It is likely that total snowfall and the number of heavy snowstorms in North Carolina will decrease
due to increasing winter temperatures.
• It is virtually certain that rising sea level and increasing intensity of coastal storms, especially
hurricanes, will lead to an increase in storm surge flooding in coastal North Carolina.
• It is likely that increases in extreme precipitation will lead to increases in inland flooding in North
Carolina.
Finally, the need for enhanced engineering design standards for buildings and infrastructure
statewide to keep pace with the changing climate and expected impacts will grow by mid-century.
3.3 State Laws and Policies
3.3.1 North Carolina Executive Order 80: North Carolina’s Commitment to
Address Climate Change and Transition to a Clean Energy Economy
(https://governor.nc.gov/media/967/open)
3.3.1.1 Background
Signed by Governor Roy Cooper on October 29, Executive Order 80 (EO80) drives statewide action for
collective, interagency efforts to address and enact climate change adaptation and mitigation.
Adaptation to flooding and flood-related impacts are a key facet of climate change adaptation within
North Carolina.
3.3.1.2 Summary of Efforts
EO80 directs the creation of the North Carolina Climate Change Interagency Council and the North
Carolina Climate Risk Assessment and Resilience Plan. EO 80 directs the state to carry out the
following goals by 2025 : (1) reduce statewide greenhouse gas emissions to 40% below 2005 levels, (2)
increase the number of registered, zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) to at least 80,000, and (3) reduce
energy consumption per square foot in state-owned buildings by at least 40% from fiscal year 2002-
2003 levels. Several agencies received specific charges and all cabinet agencies received general
directives related to the goals.
3.3.1.3 Key Components of Existing Work
Primary TAG: Governance
Supporting TAG(s): Partnerships/Funding
North Carolina Flood Resiliency Blueprint
Subtask 1.1: Literature Review and Data Collection Inventory | 25
EO 80 is a foundational source to understand the state landscape for climate action and framework
for annual agency progress reports submitted to the Governor. Statewide progress made towards
achieving the goals in EO80 as of February 2022 are detailed in Executive Order 80: 2022 Status Report.
3.3.2 North Carolina Executive Order 246: North Carolina’s Transformation
to a Clean, Equitable Economy
(https://governor.nc.gov/media/2907/open )
3.3.2.1 Background
Signed by Governor Roy Cooper on January 7, 2022, Executive Order 246 (EO246) builds on EO80 to
advance the state’s pathway towards greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions, with an emphasis on
environmental justice and job creation. Environmental justice is a critical component of building
statewide flood resilience.
3.3.2.2 Summary of Efforts
EO246 outlines the following goals that North Carolina will strive to carry out: (1) reduce statewide
GHG emissions to at least 50 percent below 2005 levels by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions as
soon as possible, no later than 2050; and (2) increase the total number of registered, zero-emission
vehicles (ZEVs) to at least 1,250,000 by 2030 and increase the sale of ZEVs so that 50 percent of in-state
sales of new vehicles are zero-emission by 2030. EO246 stipulates more specific directives.
3.3.2.3 Key Components of Existing Work
Primary TAG: Governance
Supporting TAG(s): Partnerships/Funding
Environmental Justice: “Section 2. Environmental Justice and Equity” encourages all agencies,
departments, and other entities to consider equity and environmental justice. “Section 9. Community
Input on Environmental Justice” describes the process by which the state will request public input on
furthering executive action related to equity and environmental justice.
3.3.3 NCDOT Resilience Policy (NCDOT Policy F.35.0102)
(https://www.ncdot.gov/initiatives-policies/Transportation/transportation-
resilience/Documents/ncdot-resilience-policy.pdf)
3.3.3.1 Background
The NCDOT Resilience Policy is a formalized outcome of directives included in state and federal
guidance (including Governor Cooper’s EO80) to incorporate resilience into all agency functions and
operations, cultivating “organization-wide resilience.” NCDOT adopted the policy in 2021. The Policy
references the Department’s goal to “manage risks and strengthen transportation resilience,
considering both natural and man-made hazards.” The NCDOT Resiliency Strategy Report identifies
flooding as one key hazard.
3.3.3.2 Summary of Efforts
NCDOT will enhance state-wide transportation system resilience in the following ways (1) act based
on the most up-to-date science, (2) implement risk-based asset management and design approaches
to identify threats and assess vulnerabilities, (3) incorporate better planning to reduce disaster losses,
North Carolina Flood Resiliency Blueprint
Subtask 1.1: Literature Review and Data Collection Inventory | 26
and (4) include processes to avoid or minimize consequences to transportation assets and the people
of North Carolina Strategy. The policy will be implemented through plans, programs, and project
development with progress reported annually through the NCDOT Resilience Strategy Report.
3.3.3.3 Key Components of Existing Work
Primary TAG: Governance
NCDOT Resilience Policy is a foundational source driving resiliency action in NCDOT efforts.
3.4 Research Projects and Studies
3.4.1 Collaboratory Flood Resiliency Study
(https://collaboratory.unc.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/476/2021/06/flood-resiliency-report.pdf)
3.4.1.1 Background
In September 2019, the North Carolina General Assembly passed Senate Bill 429, the “Disaster
Recovery Act,” (Session Law 2019- 224) into law. Among its many provisions the bill appropriated
$2,000,000 to the North Carolina Policy Collaboratory to conduct research related to flood resiliency in
eastern North Carolina. The legislation called for submittal of the final report by December of 2020.
3.4.1.2 Summary of Efforts
A research team formed of experts in a wide range of fields was developed to evaluate flood resiliency
from a comprehensive perspective. The flood resiliency study focused on five specific focal topics:
• Floodplain Buyouts
• Financial Risk
• Natural Systems
• Infrastructure
• Public Health
The study was a collaboration of many projects and researchers from the University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University as partner universities. The various lenses through
which inland flood resiliency was analyzed coalesced into the shared goals of keeping North
Carolinians healthy and safe, and improving the state’s planning for, and response to, flood and storm
events. Using research designed by leading experts, the study’s goal was to generate the latest
information to inform decisions around flooding and storms. Identified information users included
governments, non-governmental organizations, private organizations, and individuals.
Buyouts: State and local governments have adopted various mechanisms to fund buyouts, including
bonds, stormwater management fees, grants, and sales taxes. The study found 34 total funding
programs, nationwide. Many of these funding tools aim to promote autonomy from federal mitigation
programs, and ultimately, faster buyout processes. Local governments seldom keep any accounting
of their total expenditures on buyouts costs beyond the direct cost of acquiring homes. The absence
of cost data inhibits targeted policy reform and adoption of best practices. More detailed and
standardized data collection and reporting can inform more impactful and equitable buyout policy, as
well as more efficient use of public resources. Continued private sector involvement, e.g., in the
financing or management of buyouts, could lead to cost savings and a more efficient buyout process.
By distributing investment risks outside the public sector, it may be possible to re-structure programs
North Carolina Flood Resiliency Blueprint
Subtask 1.1: Literature Review and Data Collection Inventory | 27
in a manner that achieves hazard mitigation goals and better aligns stakeholder interests. Attention
must be paid to oversight and equity implications. Many communities that have implemented
buyouts concurrently allow (or even facilitate) more development in their floodplains, thus countering
any reduction in vulnerability to flooding stemming from the buyout. Historical data on buyouts are
unreliable and difficult to use. New data management structures need to be developed to accurately
keep buyout records for any policy analysis or evaluation purposes.
3.4.1.3 Key Components of Existing Work
Primary TAG: Resilience/Mitigation/Reduction
Supporting TAG(s): Vulnerability/Risk/Impact
Data or Modeling: Key data findings can supply important context. For example, high level findings
include: 100 electric generators and hundreds of electrical substations in the aerial footprint of severe
flooding, up to 1.5 feet water level reduction is possible with natural infrastructure implementation,
and there is a 12-14% potential reduction in structural damage by using natural infrastructure
measures. Understanding the geospatial components of these findings and more will help to
understand more nuances of flood risk and opportunities for enhancing flood resilience.
Decision Support Tool Example: The Collaboratory Flood Resiliency Study names a suite of actions
within the Implementation Plan. Additionally, findings throughout the flood resiliency studies may be
instrumental in shaping assumptions to be included in the Decision Support Tool.
3.4.2 Growing Safely or Building Risk? Floodplain Management in North
Carolina
(https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01944363.2022.2141821)
3.4.2.1 Background
This study was conducted out of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and published in The
Journal of the American Planning Association in 2023. The goal of the study was to determine whether
communities that allowed or did not have restrictions against building new structure in floodplains
had more severe costs of damages following a flooding event compared to communities that had less
development in their floodplains. The study investigates if “communities with the most advanced
floodplain management programs also experienced the most floodplain development.” The
researchers looked to compare the effectiveness of putting restrictions on developing in a floodplain
versus waiting to buy the land back after catastrophic events have rendered the structures useless.
There is information showing that less development in floodplains leads to less cost of damages in the
future, however the number of populations exposed to flood risk has increased over time, even with
preventative measures. Findings also show that many flood risk mitigation techniques
disproportionately benefit white and or/ wealthier communities through the Community Rating
System (CRS) point program and federal buyouts programs. These same programs are also theorized
to have adverse reactions compared to their intended use, where communities can use the benefits
created by these plans to build more structures in their floodplains.
3.4.2.2 Summary of Efforts
The three research questions driving this study include:
1. How much development has occurred in North Carolina’s floodplains in the past two decades?
North Carolina Flood Resiliency Blueprint
Subtask 1.1: Literature Review and Data Collection Inventory | 28
2. How does floodplain development relate to number of buyouts, participation in the CRS, and
other community socioeconomic and geographic characteristics?
3. Based on current zoning, what is the potential for future floodplain development across the state?
The study found that on average, for every property that was bought out between 1996 and 2017, over
10 new residential structures were built in floodplains. Communities that experience lower levels of
buyouts also had statistically higher numbers of new properties built, with a good portion of these
properties being $200,000 or higher value homes. It was also found that the percentages of properties
being sold in floodplains also increased over the same year period, regardless of other resiliency
planning communities have for floodplain management. The study did not find a statistically
significant relationship between communities with high involvement with the CRS program and an
increase in structures in their floodplain, which goes against their hypothesis. Overall, this was a study
done to try and determine the amount of floodplain development that is currently occurring in North
Carolina, or has occurred in the last 20 years, and whether or not there is a statistically significant
relationship between floodplain development and other flood mitigation techniques and their
positive or negative effects on aid.
3.4.2.3 Key Components of Existing Work
Primary TAG: Vulnerability/Risk/Impact
Supporting TAG(s): Resilience/Mitigation/Reduction
Data or Modeling: Use existing data from this study and other public data locations listed in the
article, to help determine effective plans of action when creating or editing community mitigation
plans. Review the CRS program and determine if there is a way the NC Flood Resiliency Blueprint can
supplement the action items that the CRS point program tries to attain, while also working to fill any
gaps.
Environmental Justice: Findings related to the study’s second research question, focused on the
relationship between floodplain development and number of buyouts, CRS participation, and other
community socioeconomic and geographic characteristics can help inform and shape nuanced
understandings of socioeconomic underpinnings of mitigation strategy offerings. For example, as
stated in the article, “nationwide, buyouts are more common among wealthier and whiter
communities” (Elliot et. al., 2020; Mach et al., 2019). Understanding who may be more likely to be
offered a buyout, for example, or who may be disproportionately less likely to be approached for
mitigation strategies is important as the NC Flood Resiliency Blueprint Decision Support Tool is
developed. With this information, decision-making prompts and tools can be designed with fair and
equitable access to mitigation strategies. For example, North Carolina buyouts are more broadly
equitable than other states partly because the state has typically picked up the non-Federal match
(25%) on Hazard Mitigation Grant Program-funded acquisitions.
3.5 Programs
3.5.1 Regions Innovating for Strong Economies and Environment Program
(RISE and Environment Program | ReBuild NC)
North Carolina Flood Resiliency Blueprint
Subtask 1.1: Literature Review and Data Collection Inventory | 29
3.5.1.1 Background
Regions Innovating for Strong Economies and Environment (RISE) is developed by a partnership
between NCORR (North Carolina Office of Resilience and Recovery) and the NC Rural Center. RISE aims
to support resilience primarily in the storm-impacted regions of North Carolina. RISE is promoting
Statewide Resiliency by supplying support and tools to regional partners. RISE supports resilience
efforts in eastern North Carolina regions that have been affected by recent storms, including those
that have experienced flood impacts.
3.5.1.2 Summary of Efforts
RISE is a multi-phase effort that includes a forward-looking vulnerability assessment, the
identification of 5 to 10 high-priority projects and a list of the actions needed to implement each
proposed project. A diverse stakeholder partnership is guiding the project to ensure that the scope of
work reflects local priorities. RISE Project aims to support resilience primarily in the storm-impacted
regions of Eastern North Carolina in three primary ways:
1. RISE will be supplying coaching and technical assistance to regional partners to support
community vulnerability assessments, find priority actions to reduce risk and enhance resilience
in their region, and develop paths to implementation.
2. Developing the North Carolina Resilient Communities Guide, as a statewide resource that supplies
tools, guidance and opportunities for building community resiliency.
3. Hosting regional leadership training workshops that emphasize resilience as a tool for community
economic development.
3.5.1.2.1 Phase 1: Community Engagement & Risk/Vulnerability Assessment
The first phase of the project includes performing a risk and vulnerability assessment, developing a
community action team, and engaging with the public. This analysis brings together science and local
knowledge to paint a picture of hazards in the region and how they may change in the future.
3.5.1.2.2 Phase 2: Planning, Project Identification, & Prioritization
Phase 2 of the program involves a community- and data-driven process to find priority actions that
can be taken to adapt to short- and long-term hazards. This phase of the project includes 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 that may be replicated in other places. A critical part of developing the portfolio is finding
achievable paths to implementation, including funding sources and capacity considerations. The
region will have the opportunity to select a project for seed funding from the Duke Energy Foundation
RISE Accelerator Grant Program.
3.5.1.2.3 Phase 3: Engineering & Design
Phase 3 is the engineering, design, and permitting of the prioritized projects. A critical part of
developing the portfolio is finding achievable paths to implementation, including funding sources and
capacity considerations. Grants will be available for communities who successfully completed Phases
1 and 2 to develop projects that are shovel ready.
North Carolina Flood Resiliency Blueprint
Subtask 1.1: Literature Review and Data Collection Inventory | 30
3.5.1.2.4 Phase 4: Project Implementation
Phase 4 grants will be available for communities who successfully completed Phases 1, 2, and 3 for
implementation of a shovel-ready project(s) and must include a natural or nature-based part.
There will be two final products: A vulnerability assessment that stands alone but is also right for
integration into regional and local plans, grant applications, public presentations, and other planning
tools; and the regional resilience portfolio, which will include goals, a summary of the vulnerability
assessment, selected priority projects, and the implementation plans for the priority projects.
RISE is building a foundation for a more resilient future in North Carolina. At the end of the program,
200 emergent leaders in Eastern North Carolina will have the tools to incorporate resilience in
community and economic development. Communities statewide will be able to use the North
Carolina Resilient Communities Guide to enhance their resilience, and storm-impacted regions will be
prepared to implement priority resilience activities. These activities will support existing efforts such
as regional hazard mitigation planning and strategizing for comprehensive economic development.
Over time, and as ability increases with staff and funding, the NC Resilient Communities Program
expects to supply opportunities across North Carolina.
The Duke Energy Foundation has committed $600,000 in grant funding to support the RISE Regional
Resilience Portfolio Program through accelerator grants. The grants are being made available to
support the implementation of priority projects found in each RISE region's portfolio.
The grant program will allow each region to kick-start all or part of a project. The project and
applicant eligibility will be evaluated by a committee of representatives from the Duke Energy
Foundation and NCORR. The goal is to fund at least one project in each RISE region, but funding isn't
guaranteed in each region. The state is helping to fund the RISE program.
RISE is funded by a $1.1 million U.S. Economic Development Administration grant, with support from
both NCORR and the NC Rural Center.
3.5.1.3 Key Components of Existing Work
Primary TAG: Partnerships/Funding
Supporting TAG(s): Resilience/Mitigation/Reduction
Stakeholder and/or Community Feedback: Input from stakeholders is a critical part of the
development of the North Carolina Resilient Communities Guide and Regional Resilience Portfolio
Program. Project teams will use a breadth of stakeholder engagement methods to understand the
pressing issues. These include a steering committee, focus groups by invitation, effective inclusion of
other representatives, surveys, and open feedback on specific items to a wider audience.
Environmental Justice: The program illustrates the importance of educating communities about
historical racial inequity and its impact on equitable economic development. Achieving equity is an
issue for urban, suburban and rural areas. Both economic development and equity are interconnected
and necessary to achieve meaningful and effective communitywide resilience. RISE strives to center
environmental justice and all kinds of diversity as integral components in leadership training,
guidebook development, and regional portfolio creation.
RISE looks to ensure that rural communities, communities of color, and low-income communities
equitably share the benefits of the program and projects that are developed because of RISE. A
fundamental principle that guides RISE’s work is that everyone should have the same degree of
environmental protection and equal access to the decision-making process of this program.
North Carolina Flood Resiliency Blueprint
Subtask 1.1: Literature Review and Data Collection Inventory | 31
3.5.2 North Carolina Resilient Coastal Communities Program
(NC Resilient Coastal Communities Program | NC DEQ)
3.5.2.1 Background
The NC Resilient Coastal Communities Program (RCCP) supplies financial grants and technical
assistance to support a proactive, locally driven, and equitable approach to coastal resilience
planning and project implementation. RCCP was developed to address the devastating impacts that
flooding and other coastal hazards have on economies and livelihoods in eastern North Carolina,
exacerbated by climate change and development pressures.
3.5.2.2 Summary of Efforts
The NC Resilient Coastal Communities Program aims to facilitate a community-driven process for
setting coastal resilience goals, assessing existing and needed local capacity, and identifying and
prioritizing projects to enhance community resilience to coastal hazards. Participating communities
will walk through a framework leading to the development of “shovel-ready” projects. Local
governments throughout the 20 coastal counties will be eligible to apply for direct technical help to
complete a community engagement process, risk, and vulnerability assessment, and develop a
resilience project portfolio.
The four phases of the program include:
• Phase 1: Community Engagement and Risk & Vulnerability Assessment
• Phase 2: Planning, Project Selection, and Prioritization
• Phase 3: Engineering and Design
• Phase 4: Implementation
This initiative, funded through the NC State Legislature and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation,
will supply funding to local governments to help overcome barriers in coastal resilience and
adaptation planning, boost local government ability, and support a proactive, sustainable, and
equitable approach to coastal resilience planning and project implementation.
3.5.2.3 Key Components of Existing Work
Primary TAG: Partnerships/Funding
Supporting TAG(s): Resilience/Mitigation/Reduction
Stakeholder and/or Community Feedback: RCCP is a potential avenue for NC Flood Resiliency
Blueprint introduction to support coastal communities in creating and developing project
applications for submission to the program. NC Flood Resiliency Blueprint usage may also be
incorporated into technical assistance that DCM provides to coastal communities as requested.
3.6 Data Tools
3.6.1 North Carolina Resilience Clearinghouse
(Climate Resilience Toolkit & Clearinghouse User Research (usmangroup.com))
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Subtask 1.1: Literature Review and Data Collection Inventory | 32
3.6.1.1 Background
In the wake of 2018’s devastating Hurricane Florence, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper set up the
(NCORR to lead the state’s efforts in rebuilding smarter and stronger. At that time, many eastern North
Carolina counties had yet to recover from two storms in two years, which brought flooding and
extensive damage to many of the same communities. NCORR, in partnership with the Department of
Environmental Quality and several North Carolina environmental nonprofits and universities, has
begun a project to develop an online climate resilience clearinghouse for local governments and
community leaders.
3.6.1.2 Summary of Efforts
NCORR plans to launch an online Climate Resilience Clearinghouse to address climate-related risks in
all communities across the state, especially those that are most vulnerable, as well as provide local
governments and community leaders with solutions that mitigate and safeguard against the
hazardous effects of climate change.
3.6.1.3 Key Components of Existing Work
Primary TAG: Tool Development/Acceptance
Data or Modeling: Leveraging simple, geospatial climate-change resilience maps specific to North
Carolina that live on the Clearinghouse site rather than third-party platforms could help curate
hyperlocal data specific to North Carolina.
Decision Support Tool Example: When completed, the Clearinghouse will supply key information to
inform equitable resilience building.
3.6.2 Resilience Analysis and Planning Tool
(https://www.fema.gov/node/resilience-analysis-and-planning-tool-rapt )
3.6.2.1 Background
Developed by FEMA, the Resilience Analysis and Planning Tool (RAPT) is a free geographic information
system (GIS) web map that allows federal, state, local, tribal and territorial emergency managers and
other community leaders to examine the interplay of census data, infrastructure locations, and
hazards, including real-time weather forecasts, historic disasters and estimated annualized frequency
of hazard risk.
Flood hazard-specific data includes layers of real-time radar and watch and warning notifications
from the National Weather Service (severe weather, excessive rainfall, river flood outlooks etc.), live
stream gauges, historical hazard data for hurricanes, flood risk, and future forecast layers of 4 to 6 ft.
sea-level rise.
3.6.2.2 Summary of Efforts
RAPT is a combination of over 20 community resilience indicators with correlation analysis. Users can
combine layers for analysis and to inform decision making.
3.6.2.3 Key Components of Existing Work
Primary TAG: Tool Development/Acceptance
Supporting TAG: Hazard Identification; Vulnerability/Risk/impact
North Carolina Flood Resiliency Blueprint
Subtask 1.1: Literature Review and Data Collection Inventory | 33
Data or Modeling: Data included in RAPT, and the RAPT user experience may inform NC Flood
Resiliency Blueprint development. RAPT has been linked to other data tools; interconnections and
analyses are listed below as added reference materials.
• More information is accessible in the Resilience Analysis and Planning Tool User Guide (2022),
RAPT Resource Center, and RAPT Overview and Quick Start.
• RAPT references the Community Resilience Indicator Analysis as its foundational indicator. the
Community Resilience Indicator Analysis: Commonly Used Indicators from Peer-Reviewed
research: Updated for Research Published 2003-2021. Appendix A of the report compiles more than
90 methodologies FEMA reviewed for the analysis.
• Integrating DSS-WISETM Lite Results into RAPT is a 2022 report produced by FEMA that could inform
data integration guidance. Decision Support System for Water Infrastructural Security Web, or DSS-
WISETM Lite is a web-based, automated two-dimensional modeling and mapping capability
developed by the National Center for Computational Hydroscience and Engineering, the University
of Mississippi. DSS-WISE™ Lite allows users to quickly set up dam-break/ levee-breach flood
inundation simulations with minimum user input data.
• The Climate Risk & Resilience Portal (ClimRR) was created by the Center for Climate Resilience and
Decision Science at Argonne National Laboratory in partnership with AT&T (American Telephone &
Telegraph) and FEMA.
Decision Support Tool Example: RAPT and the incorporation of DSS-WISETM are examples of decision
support tools.
Environmental Justice: RAPT incorporates layers related to equity, including the National Flood
Insurance Program policy penetration rates and broadband description.
3.6.3 Environmental Justice Screening and Mapping Tool (EJScreen)
(https://www.epa.gov/ejscreen)
3.6.3.1 Background
The Environmental Justice Screening and Mapping Tool (EJScreen) was developed by the EPA. The
EPA began to develop the tool in 2010 and it was peer-reviewed in 2014. EJScreen was released
publicly in 2015. EJScreen is intended to better meet the Agency's responsibilities related to the
protection of public health and the environment in a way consistent with EO 12898 and the goals of EJ
2020, EPA's environmental justice strategic plan. EJScreen includes flood-related data such as Coastal
Flood Hazard, 100 Year Floodplain, Sea Level Rise (NOAA), and Flood Risk. The critical value that
EJScreen offers is centering environmental justice in flood risk areas to better understand which
communities have greatest need.
3.6.3.2 Summary of Efforts
EJScreen uses maps and reports to present various kinds of information: environmental indicators
and socioeconomic indicators, which combine to form EJ/supplemental indexes. The 13 EJ and
supplemental indexes summarize how an environmental indicator and socioeconomic factors come
together in the same location. EJScreen displays data at the census block group scale and makes
state-wide, EPA regional, and national comparisons available.
3.6.3.3 Key Components of Existing Work
Primary TAG: Tool Development/Acceptance
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Subtask 1.1: Literature Review and Data Collection Inventory | 34
Supporting TAG: Vulnerability/Risk/impact; Hazard Identification
Environmental Justice: Designed with environmental justice at the center, EJScreen can be used to
identify areas with people of color and/or low-income populations, potential environmental quality
issues, a combination of environmental and demographic indicators that is greater than usual, and
other factors that may be of interest.
Data or Modeling. The development and technical components of EJScreen may be helpful for NC
Flood Resiliency Blueprint and can be found detailed in the EJScreen Technical Documentation
published in October 2022.
Decision Support Tool example: The EPA data displayed, and indices included in EJScreen can be
used to support development and decisions related to “educational programs, grant writing,
community awareness efforts, and other purposes.”
3.6.4 NOAA Coastal Flood Exposure Mapper
(https://coast.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/tools/flood-exposure.html)
3.6.4.1 Background
The Coastal Flood Exposure Mapper was released and continues to be hosted and supported by the
NOAA Office for Coastal Management. It was designed in response to feedback expressing the need for
visualization tools that display coastal flood hazards, sea level rise, and community assets.
3.6.4.2 Summary of Efforts
This online visualization tool supports communities that are assessing their coastal hazard risks and
vulnerabilities. The tool creates a collection of user-defined maps that show the people, places, and
natural resources exposed to coastal flooding. The maps can be saved, downloaded, or shared to
communicate flood exposure and potential impacts. In addition, the tool supplies guidance for using
these maps to engage community members and stakeholders. A user can “visualize people, places,
and natural resources exposed to coastal flood hazards and share online maps to communicate with
and engage stakeholders.”
3.6.4.3 Key Components of Existing Work
Primary TAG: Tool Development/Acceptance
Supporting TAG: Vulnerability/Risk/Impact; Hazard Identification
Data or Modeling: Aggregation method for the coastal flooding composite hazard layer may be
considered for the NC Flood Resiliency Blueprint Decision Support Tool. The map layer aggregates risk
information for multiple coastal flood hazards and shows the gradient of coastal flood risk that ranges
from areas outside the FEMA 1% annual chance floodplain that are still at risk from high magnitude,
low frequency events like major landfalling hurricanes and tsunamis, to areas nearer the coast that
are also at risk from higher frequency flood events, wave impacts, and long-term sea level change. At
any given location, the user can query which coastal flood hazards may impact that spot.
3.6.5 NOAA Digital Coast Data Access Viewer
(https://coast.noaa.gov/dataviewer/#/)
North Carolina Flood Resiliency Blueprint
Subtask 1.1: Literature Review and Data Collection Inventory | 35
3.6.5.1 Background
The Data Access Viewer (DAV) was released and continues to be hosted and supported by the NOAA
Office for Coastal Management. The layers provided by NOAA’s DAV including land cover, elevation,
and imagery layers are important components to understand the movement of water during a flood
event.
3.6.5.2 Summary of Efforts
The DAV allows a user to search for and download elevation (lidar), imagery, and land cover data for
the coastal U.S. and its territories. The data can be customized, requested, and downloaded for free
through a checkout interface. An email supplies a link to the customized data, while the original data
set is available through a link within the viewer. A user can view image services for each data set, view
technical specifications and metadata for each data set, and access data in several projections and
datums.
3.6.5.3 Key Components of Existing Work
Primary TAG: Tool Development/Acceptance
Supporting TAG: Hazard Identification
Data or Modeling: Downloadable data layers available through DAV for North Carolina may be
considered for the NC Flood Resiliency Blueprint Decision Support Tool.
3.6.6 National Flood Hazard Layer
(https://www.fema.gov/flood-maps/national-flood-hazard-layer)
3.6.6.1 Background
The National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL) is a geospatial database that has current effective flood
hazard data. FEMA supplies flood hazard data to support the National Flood Insurance Program. The
NFHL is designed to enable individuals and communities to better understand their level of flood risk
and type of flooding.
3.6.6.2 Summary of Efforts
The NFHL is formed of effective flood maps and Letters of Map Change provided to communities.
Users can search by address or using the map to find a specific location and print a full Flood
Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) or FIRMette where applicable. Users can also download data layers directly
from the FEMA Flood Map Service Center for county or state in a GIS file format.
3.6.6.3 Key Components of Existing Work
Primary TAG: Tool Development/Acceptance
Supporting TAG: Hazard Identification; Vulnerability/Risk/Impact
Data or Modeling: As stated above, data layers may be downloaded. Other data and information that
may be relevant is included below:
• Technical References for Flood Risk Analysis and Mapping: A collection of technical references
considered specifications of a technical nature essential to the success of the program but too
granular to be considered standards. These are database, product and documentation
North Carolina Flood Resiliency Blueprint
Subtask 1.1: Literature Review and Data Collection Inventory | 36
requirements where consistency is needed. There are several standards mandated compliance
with Technical References.
• Draft National Flood Hazard Layer: This ArcGIS data viewer displays potential future changes to
regulatory flood map information that is not yet effective (and therefore not yet included in the
National Flood Hazard Layer).
• Using the National Flood Hazard Layer Web Map Service in Google Earth: Offers information on
how to use the KMZ (Keyhole Markup language Zipped) shapefile within Google EarthTM.
Decision Support Tool Example: GIS web services are available to integrate the NFHL database into
other websites and GIS applications. More information can be found in the NFHL GIS Services User
Guide. Information detailed in the Data or Modeling recommendation area may be considered for NC
Flood Resiliency Blueprint Decision Support Tool development.
3.6.7 Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool
(https://screeningtool.geoplatform.gov/en/about)
3.6.7.1 Background
The White House Council on Environmental Quality developed and launched the Climate and
Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST) Version 1.0 in as directed by President Biden’s Executive
Order 14008. Federal agencies will use the tool to help show disadvantaged communities that will
receive help from programs included in the Justice40 Initiative. The Justice40 Initiative seeks to
deliver 40% of the overall benefits of investments in climate, clean energy, and related areas to
disadvantaged communities.
Various explicitly flood-related or adjacent datasets are considered within the CEJST methodology,
most significantly within the climate change burden category. This burden category includes
projected flood risk (sourced from Climate Risk Data Access produced by the First Street Foundation),
expected agriculture loss rate, expected building loss rate, and expected population loss rate (the
latter three are sourced from the National Risk Index produced by FEMA). Furthermore, a critical value
that CEJST offers is, like EJScreen, centering climate and economic justice in viewing flood risk areas
to better understand which communities have greatest need.
3.6.7.2 Summary of Efforts
CEJST has an interactive map and uses datasets that are indicators of burdens in eight categories:
climate change, energy, health, housing, legacy pollution, transportation, water and wastewater, and
workforce development. The tool uses this information to find disadvantaged communities that are
overburdened and underserved. It shows the data at the census tract scale using 2010 census tract
boundaries.
3.6.7.3 Key Components of Existing Work
Primary TAG: Tool Development/Acceptance
Supporting TAG: Vulnerability/Risk/Impact; Hazard Identification
Stakeholder and/or Community Feedback: As a federally developed tool, CEJST was widely socialized
and highly vetted. CEJST continues to support a Site Satisfaction Survey for public feedback and
submissions to improve the Tool in future iterations.
North Carolina Flood Resiliency Blueprint
Subtask 1.1: Literature Review and Data Collection Inventory | 37
Environmental Justice: Awareness of federal efforts related to equity and environmental justice, such
as the CEJST tool and the Justice40 Initiative broadly, is valuable for multiple reasons. The CEJST tool
and/or method can inform understanding and identification of overburdened and underserved
communities to advance equitable application of mitigation strategies and benefits to areas of
highest need. Second, CJEST could inform funding opportunities available for mitigation activities in
connection to the Justice40 Initiative and the Biden Administration’s commitment to deliver funds to
disadvantaged communities.
Data or Modeling: Data layers included within CEJST are broad ranging in key categories of burden
that communities experience. Burdens are ranked using percentiles or have a binary yes/no rank. The
data method used in CEJST may be useful in the development of the NC Flood Resiliency Blueprint
Decision Support Tool.
Decision Support Tool Example: CEJST determination of “disadvantaged” or “not disadvantaged” at
the community scale could help ensure that underserved communities are centrally considered in all
stages of state, local, tribal and territorial project design and development and receive the ultimate
benefits and outcomes of the project when implemented.
3.6.8 NCDEQ North Carolina Community Mapping System
https://ncdenr.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=1eb0fbe2bcfb4cccb3cc212af8a0
b8c8
3.6.8.1 Background
The Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) developed the NCDEQ North Carolina Community
Mapping System (NCCMS) to inform its own decision-making and to increase transparency,
knowledge, understanding, and local on issues related to permitting and other environmental
information. The NCCMS satisfies two primary goals: (1) to present program information (including
permitting and incident tracking), and (2) to provide an environmental justice tool (EJ Tool) that
allows all users to understand the sociodemographic and health characteristics of communities
across North Carolina. Although no flood data is included in the tool, like CEJST and EJScreen, the
NCDEQ NCCMS can be used to understand the geospatial components of other hazards that flooding
may further exacerbate in addition to identifying communities with the greatest need.
3.6.8.2 Summary of Efforts
The NCDEQ North Carolina Community Mapping System consolidates various existing datasets into
one map for streamlined access to information and for a depiction of the spatial distribution of the
data. Examples of the incorporated data include air quality permit sites, animal feed operation
permits, contaminated dry-cleaning sites, National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
stormwater permits, and Brownfields Program sites, and Potentially Underserved Block Groups.
3.6.8.3 Key Components of Existing Work
Primary TAG: Tool Development/Acceptance
Supporting TAG: Vulnerability/Risk/Impact; Hazard Identification
Stakeholder and/or Community Feedback: A beta version of the mapping tool was released for testing
and community feedback. Community members, academics, advocates, and industry representatives
engaged with the beta version and provided more than 100 comments that were incorporated to
North Carolina Flood Resiliency Blueprint
Subtask 1.1: Literature Review and Data Collection Inventory | 38
improve the NCCMS. The development process also included interviews, focus groups, and meetings
with communities and non-governmental organizations. The NCCMS Version 1.0 background
document outlines how feedback was addressed and used to improve specific aspects of the tool.
Environmental Justice: The NCCMS includes the Environmental Justice Tool, which incorporates
demographic and health data to highlight how the spatial distribution of these factors interact with
permitting and other environmental information.
3.7 Concluding Remarks
The first draft of this literature review and data collection inventory was prepared in March 2023. This
living document may be updated as reports, plans, studies, and other relevant resources are
published and with input from the TAGs. An index with links to all resources reviewed in the literature
review are included in the next section and an appendix follows with more adjacent resources for
awareness and reference.

North Carolina Flood Resiliency Blueprint
Subtask 1.1: Literature Review and Data Collection Inventory | 39
4 Appendix
The sources included in the Literature Review and Data Inventory met the resource inclusion criteria
and were reviewed and considered against key assessment parameters to focus efforts on resources
of highest applicability, relevance, ease of use, and foundational nature to NC Flood Resiliency
Blueprint. However, there are many other resources that may be valuable for awareness and
reference.
This appendix displays more adjacent resources (organized in analogous categories, with the addition
of “webpages” that may hold a collection of other nested materials, tools, studies, etc.).
Title and Link Year Lead Agency Notes (if applicable)
Plans and Strategies
2019 NC ZEV Plan: A Strategic Plan
for Accelerating Electric Vehicle
Adoption in North Carolina
https://www.ncdot.gov/initiatives-
policies/environmental/climate-
change/Documents/nc-zev-plan.pdf
2019 NCDOT N/A
NCDEQ Public Participation Plan
https://deq.nc.gov/media/29825/do
wnload?attachment
2022 NCDEQ N/A
NC Statewide Public Involvement
Plan
https://www.ncdot.gov/projects/pu
blic-
involvement/Documents/statewide
-public-involvement-plan.pdf
2022 NCDOT N/A
NC Moves 2050 Plan
https://www.ncdot.gov/initiatives-
policies/Transportation/nc-2050-
plan/Documents/nc-moves-final-
plan.pdf
2021 NCDOT N/A
NCDOT Transportation Asset
Management Plan
https://connect.ncdot.gov/resource
s/Asset-
Management/TAMP/Final%20TAMP
%20-%20June%202021.pdf
2019 NCDOT N/A
North Carolina Statewide
Multimodal Freight Plan
https://connect.ncdot.gov/projects/
planning/Statewide-Freight-
Plan/Documents/NCDOT_SWFrtPln_
FinalReport_05182022.pdf
2022 NCDOT N/A
North Carolina Flood Resiliency Blueprint
Subtask 1.1: Literature Review and Data Collection Inventory | 40
Title and Link Year Lead Agency Notes (if applicable)
Comprehensive State Rail Plan
https://connect.ncdot.gov/resource
s/Rail-Division-
Resources/Documents/2015%20Co
mprehensive%20State%20Rail%20
Plan-%20Full%20Report.pdf
2015 NCDOT N/A
Connecting North Carolinians to
Opportunities
https://www.ncdot.gov/divisions/in
tegrated-mobility/public-transit-
services/statewide-strategic-
plan/Documents/december-2018-
strategic-plan.pdf
2018 NCDOT N/A
Statewide Transportation Demand
Management (TDM) Strategic Plan
Update
https://connect.ncdot.gov/business
/Transit/Documents/North%20Caro
lina%20Statewide%20Transportati
on%20Demand%20Management%2
0(TDM)%20Strategic%20plan%20U
pdate%20-
%20January%202018.pdf
2018 NCDOT N/A
North Carolina Transportation
Network Update
https://connect.ncdot.gov/projects/
planning/STC%20Documents/Strat
CorrFramework_NCDOT_Final_150
831.pdf
2015 NCDOT N/A
State Laws and Policies
Executive Order 266: Updating the
North Carolina Uniform Floodplain
Management Policy for State
Construction
https://governor.nc.gov/executive-
order-no-266
2022 Gov. Cooper N/A
Executive Order 271: Growing North
Carolina’s Zero-Emission Vehicle
Market
https://governor.nc.gov/executive-
order-no-271
2022 Gov. Cooper N/A
2020 Water/Wastewater Public
Enterprise Reform Act (House Bill
1087)
https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookup/
2019/H1087
2020 NC General Assembly N/A
North Carolina Flood Resiliency Blueprint
Subtask 1.1: Literature Review and Data Collection Inventory | 41
Title and Link Year Lead Agency Notes (if applicable)
Disaster Recovery Act of 2016
https://www.ncleg.net/enactedlegi
slation/sessionlaws/html/2015-
2016/sl2016-124.html
2016 NC General Assembly N/A
North Carolina Strategic
Transportation Corridor Policy
https://www.ncdot.gov/initiatives-
policies/Transportation/strategic-
corridors/Documents/strategic-
corridors-prioritization-policy.pdf
2015 NCDOT N/A
Research Projects and Studies
Flood Extent Mapping: An
Integrated Method Using Deep
Learning and Region Growing Using
UAV Optical Data
https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/s
tamp.jsp?arnumber=9324919
2021 Hashemi-Beni &
Gebrehiwot (NC A&T)
N/A
The Power of Place in Disaster
Recovery: Heritage-based Practice
in the Post-Matthew Landscape of
Princeville, North Carolina
https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5s
q9z4n9
2020 Naylor et al. (NCSU) N/A
Hurricane Flooding and
Gastrointestinal Illness in North
Carolina
https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/abs/1
0.1289/isee.2020.virtual.O-OS-650
2020 Quist et al.
(UNC-Chapel Hill)
N/A
Assessing the full costs of floodplain
buyouts
https://link.springer.com/article/10
.1007/s10584-021-03178-x
2021 Curran-Groome et al.
(UNC-Chapel Hill)
N/A
Natural Infrastructure Practices as
Potential Flood Storage and
Reduction for Farms and Rural
Communities in the North Carolina
Coastal Plain
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-
1050/13/16/9309
2021 Hovis et al. (NCSU) N/A
North Carolina Flood Resiliency Blueprint
Subtask 1.1: Literature Review and Data Collection Inventory | 42
Title and Link Year Lead Agency Notes (if applicable)
Uncovering climate (in)justice with
an adaptive capacity assessment: A
multiple case study in rural coastal
North Carolina
https://www.sciencedirect.com/
science/article/abs/pii/S0264837
718313309
2020 Jurjonas et al. (NCSU) N/A
Assessing the Vulnerability of
Coastal Plain Groundwater to Flood
Water Intrusion Using High
Resolution Mass Spectrometry
https://repository.lib.ncsu.edu/bits
tream/handle/1840.20/38926/etd.p
df?sequence=1
2021 Hayden Rudd (NCSU) N/A
Community Resilience-Focused
Technical Investigation of the 2016
Lumberton, North Carolina Flood:
An Interdisciplinary Approach
https://www.nist.gov/publications/
community-resilience-focused-
technical-investigation-2016-
lumberton-north-carolina
2020 van de Lindt et al.
(Texas A&M)
N/A
Enhanced Hydrologic Monitoring
using Fiber Optics- Implementing
Distributed Temperature Sensing to
Uncover Flow Paths and
Groundwater Interactions in
Stormwater Conveyance Structures
https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/
2020AGUFMH202...01D/abstract
2020 DeBell et al. (NCSU) N/A
A Hidden Markov Tree Model for
Flood Extent Mapping in Heavily
Vegetated Areas based on High
Resolution Aerial Imagery and DEM:
A Case Study on Hurricane Matthew
Floods
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/a
bs/10.1080/01431161.2020.1823514
2020 Jiang &Sainju
(University of Alabama)
N/A
Modeling Compound Flooding from
Hurricane Florence Using ADCIRC
https://agu.confex.com/agu/osm20
/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/656871
2020 Blanton et al.
(UNC-Chapel Hill)
N/A
North Carolina Flood Resiliency Blueprint
Subtask 1.1: Literature Review and Data Collection Inventory | 43
Title and Link Year Lead Agency Notes (if applicable)
Three-Dimensional Inundation
Mapping Using UAV Image
Segmentation and Digital Surface
Model
https://www.mdpi.com/2220-
9964/10/3/144
2021 Gebrehiwot & Hashemi-
Beni (NC A&T)
N/A
Using High Resolution Mass
Spectrometry to Evaluate the
Impact of Hurricane Florence in
2018 on Water Quality of North
Carolina Coastal Aquifers
https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/
2020AGUFMH163.0016R/abstract
2020 Rudd et al. (NCSU) N/A
Communicating Climate Change in
Eastern North Carolina: Rural
Attitudes on Extreme Weather and
Climate Resilience
https://dukespace.lib.duke.edu/dsp
ace/bitstream/handle/10161/20483/
Rural%20Attitudes%20North%20Ca
rolina_Final.pdf?sequence=1&isAllo
wed=y
2020 Elizabeth Rowe
(Duke University)
N/A
Finding voices in the floods of
Freedom Hill: innovating solutions
in Princeville, North Carolina
https://link.springer.com/article/10
.1007/s13412-021-00701-5
2021 Grace-McCaskey et al.
(ECSU)
N/A
From abstract futures to concrete
experiences: How does political
ideology interact with threat
perception to affect climate
adaptation decisions?
https://www.sciencedirect.com/sci
ence/article/abs/pii/S146290112030
1507
2020 Schwaller et al.
(UNC-Chapel Hill)
N/A
Addressing Needs in Observed and
Simulated Storm Surge Data for
Uncertainty Quantification
https://agu.confex.com/agu/osm20
/meetingapp.cgi/Person/712070
2020 Asher et al.
(UNC-Chapel Hill)
N/A
Assessing Compound Flooding from
Landfalling Tropical Cyclones on
the North Carolina Coast
https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley
.com/doi/full/10.1029/2019WR0267
88
2020 Gori et al. (Princeton) N/A
North Carolina Flood Resiliency Blueprint
Subtask 1.1: Literature Review and Data Collection Inventory | 44
Title and Link Year Lead Agency Notes (if applicable)
Community flood vulnerability and
risk assessment: An empirical
predictive modeling approach
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi
/full/10.1111/jfr3.12739
2021 Wang & Sebastian
(UNC-Chapel Hill)
N/A
Downscaling of Real-Time Coastal
Flooding Predictions for Decision
Support
https://ccht.ccee.ncsu.edu/nh-
2021-downscaling/
2021 Rucker et al. (NCSU) N/A
Forecasting of Future Flooding and
Risk Assessment under CMIP6
Climate Projection in Neuse River,
North Carolina
https://www.mdpi.com/2571-
9394/2/3/18
2020 Pokhrel et al.
(Southern Illinois)
N/A
High-resolution flood risk approach
to quantify the impact of policy
change on flood losses at
community-level
https://www.sciencedirect.com/sci
ence/article/pii/S221242092100390
3
2021 Nofal & van de Lindt
(Colorado State
University)
N/A
The role of beach state and the
timing of pre-storm surveys in
determining the accuracy of storm
impact assessments
https://www.sciencedirect.com/sci
ence/article/abs/pii/S002532272030
089X
2020 Straub et al.
(UNC-Chapel Hill)
N/A
Sea Level Rise in North Carolina-
Strategies for Mitigating Flood Risk
https://docplayer.net/200704475-
Sea-level-rise-in-north-carolina-
strategies-for-mitigating-flood-
risk.html
2020 David Nimer
(Duke University)
N/A
Spatial Analysis of Flood
Susceptibility Throughout
Currituck County, North Carolina
https://ascelibrary.org/doi/abs/10.1
061/%28ASCE%29HE.1943-
5584.0001948
2020 Giovannettone et al.
(Virginia)
N/A
North Carolina Flood Resiliency Blueprint
Subtask 1.1: Literature Review and Data Collection Inventory | 45
Title and Link Year Lead Agency Notes (if applicable)
Typology of Hazard Event Severity
Metrics for Multi-Hazard Research
https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/
2021EGUGA..23.6468W/abstract
2021 Wang & Sebastian
(UNC-Chapel Hill)
N/A
Probabilistic Flood Loss Assessment
at the Community Scale: Case Study
of 2016 Flooding in Lumberton,
North Carolina
https://ascelibrary.org/doi/abs/10.1
061/AJRUA6.0001060
2020 Nofal & van de Lindt
(Colorado State
University)
N/A
Distribution and Antibiotic
Resistance Profiles of Salmonella
enterica in Rural Areas of North
Carolina After Hurricane Florence in
2018
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3
3709047/
2020 Mao et al.
(University of Illinois)
N/A
Examining Coastal Dynamics and
Recreational Water Quality by
Quantifying Multiple Sewage
Specific Markers in a North Carolina
Estuary
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3
2795790/
2020 Hart et al.
(UNC-Chapel Hill)
N/A
Microbial Contamination in
Environmental Waters of Rural and
Agriculturally-Dominated
Landscapes Following Hurricane
Florence
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/ac
sestwater.1c00103
2021 Harris et al. (NCSU) N/A
Search for Campylobacter spp.
Reveals High Prevalence and
Pronounced Genetic Diversity of
Arcobacter Butzleri in Floodwater
Samples Associated with Hurricane
Florence in North Carolina, USA
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3
2769187/
2020 Niedermeyer et al.
(NCSU)
N/A
Integrating Culture and Molecular
Quantification of Microbial
Contaminants into a Predictive
Modeling Framework in a Low-
Lying, Tidally-Influenced Coastal
Watershed
2021 Price et al.
(UNC-Chapel Hill)
N/A
North Carolina Flood Resiliency Blueprint
Subtask 1.1: Literature Review and Data Collection Inventory | 46
Title and Link Year Lead Agency Notes (if applicable)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/sci
ence/article/abs/pii/S004896972103
3039
A Framework for Planning and
Evaluating the Role of Urban
Stream Restoration for Improving
Transportation Resilience to
Extreme Rainfall Events
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-
4441/12/6/1620
2020 Doll et al. (NCSU) N/A
Floodplain Buyouts and Municipal
Finance
https://ascelibrary.org/doi/full/10.1
061/%28ASCE%29NH.1527-
6996.0000380
2020 BenDor et al.
(UNC-Chapel Hill)
N/A
A Review of Funding Mechanisms
for US Floodplain Buyouts
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-
1050/12/23/10112
2020 Peterson et al.
(UNC-Chapel Hill)
N/A
Flood Flow Frequency Analysis to
Estimate Potential Floodplain
Nitrogen Treatment during
Overbank Flow Events in Urban
Stream Restoration Projects
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-
4441/12/6/1568
2020 Doll et al. (NCSU) N/A
A Method for Probabilistic Surge
Forecasting with High-Fidelity
Models
https://ams.confex.com/ams/34HU
RR/mediafile/Manuscript/Paper372
745/ExtendedAbstractV2.pdf
2021 Plumlee et al.
(UNC-Chapel Hill)
N/A
Pulsed Terrestrial Organic Carbon
Persists in an Estuarine
Environment After Major Storm
Events
https://meetingorganizer.copernicu
s.org/EGU2020/EGU2020-8587.html
2020 Asmala et al. (NCSU) N/A
Recent Increases of Rainfall and
Flooding from Tropical Cyclones
(TCs) in North Carolina (USA):
Implications for Organic Matter and
Nutrient Cycling in Coastal
Watersheds
https://link.springer.com/article/10
.1007/s10533-020-00693-4
2020 Paerl et al.
(UNC-Chapel Hill)
N/A
North Carolina Flood Resiliency Blueprint
Subtask 1.1: Literature Review and Data Collection Inventory | 47
Title and Link Year Lead Agency Notes (if applicable)
Simulating Coupled Surge and River
Flow and its Influence on
Compound Inundation in an
Idealized Test Case
https://agu.confex.com/agu/osm20
/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/654239
2020 Feng et al.
(UNC-Chapel Hill)
N/A
Storm-Driven Erosion and
Inundation of Barrier Islands from
Dune-To Region-Scales
https://ccht.ccee.ncsu.edu/wp-
content/uploads/sites/10/2020/0
4/Gharagozlou-2020-CE.pdf
2020 Gharagozlou et al.
(NCSU)
N/A
Use of Geospatial, Hydrologic, and
Geochemical Modeling to
Determine the Influence of
Wetland-Derived Organic Matter in
Coastal Waters in Response to
Extreme Weather Events
https://www.frontiersin.org/article
s/10.3389/fmars.2020.00018/full
2020 Rudolph et al. (NCSU) N/A
NCHRP 15-61 Pilot Project - Climate
Change Design (Applying Climate
Change Information to Hydrologic
and Hydraulic Design of
Transportation Infrastructure)
https://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBN
etProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=404
6
2016-2019 Roger Kilgore et al. N/A
NCHRP 20-44(23) Rainfall/Runoff
Modeling for resilient Design (Pilot
Test of Climate Change Design
Practices Guide for Hydrology and
Hydraulics)
https://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBN
etProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=485
8
2022 Siamak Esfandiary N/A
Predicting Roadway Washout
Locations During Extreme Rainfall
Events
https://connect.ncdot.gov/projects/
research/Pages/ProjDetails.aspx?Pr
ojectID=2021-03
In progress Barbara Doll (NCSU) N/A
North Carolina Flood Resiliency Blueprint
Subtask 1.1: Literature Review and Data Collection Inventory | 48
Title and Link Year Lead Agency Notes (if applicable)
Improving Resilience of
Transportation Infrastructure to
Hurricane Damage
https://connect.ncdot.gov/projects/
research/Pages/ProjDetails.aspx?Pr
ojectID=2021-08
In progress B. Shane Underswood
(NCSU)
N/A
Evaluation of Road Network
Resilience to Natural Hazards using
Network Analysis
https://connect.ncdot.gov/projects/
research/Pages/ProjDetails.aspx?Pr
ojectID=2023-16
In progress Evan Goldstein
(UNC Greensboro)
N/A
Programs
NCDOT 2020-2029 Current State
Transportation Improvement
Program (STIP)
https://connect.ncdot.gov/projects/
planning/STIPDocuments1/NCDOT
%20Current%20STIP.pdf
2023 NCDOT N/A
Homegrown Leaders
https://www.ncruralcenter.org/lea
dership/homegrown-leaders/
2021 NCORR N/A
NC Climate and Health Program
https://epi.dph.ncdhhs.gov/oee/pro
grams/climate.html
Not listed NC DHHS N/A
NC Environmental Public Health
Tracking Program
https://epi.dph.ncdhhs.gov/oee/pro
grams/EnvPubHealthTracking.html
Not listed NC DHHS N/A
Data Tools
Geo-FRIT: A Web-based Geospatial
Analytics Tool for Quantifying
Freight Risk and Resilience in
Transportation
https://connect.ncdot.gov/projects/
research/Pages/ProjDetails.aspx?Pr
ojectID=2022-18
In progress Wenwu Teng
(UNC Charlotte)
N/A
Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate
Disasters
https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/
billions/mapping
2022 NOAA N/A
Moving to Digital Flood Hazard
Information
2009 FEMA This Fact sheet lists FEMA
digital flood hazard
products and tools.
North Carolina Flood Resiliency Blueprint
Subtask 1.1: Literature Review and Data Collection Inventory | 49
Title and Link Year Lead Agency Notes (if applicable)
https://mdfloodmaps.net/pdfs/Kno
w_Your_Risk/moving_to_digital_inf
o.pdf
FEMA Flood Map Service Center:
Products and Tools Overview
https://msc.fema.gov/portal/resour
ces/productsandtools
Various FEMA The FEMA Flood Map
Service Center (MSC) is
the official source for a
variety of products
detailing communities'
flood risk. It organizes
products and tools into
regulatory mapping
products, regulatory
product status, flood map
tools, and non-regulatory
products.
Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) Social
Vulnerability Index (SVI)
https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/placean
dhealth/svi/index.html
2022 CDC N/A
CDC Environmental Justice Index
https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/placean
dhealth/eji/index.html
2022 CDC N/A
Social Vulnerability Index (SoVI®)
https://www.sc.edu/study/colleges
_schools/artsandsciences/centers_
and_institutes/hvri/data_and_reso
urces/sovi/index.php
2010-2014 University of South
Carolina
N/A
National Risk Index
https://hazards.fema.gov/nri/
2023
update
FEMA N/A
FEMA Community Resilience Index
(CRI)
https://experience.arcgis.com/expe
rience/376770c1113943b6b5f6b58ff
1c2fb5c/page/CRIA/
2022 FEMA N/A
NC Environmental Health Data
Dashboard (EHDD)
https://epi.dph.ncdhhs.gov/oee/pro
grams/EnvPubHealthTracking.html
2023 NC DHHS N/A
Resources related to Environment
and Climate, Health Effects and
Community Health, and Resources
for Environmental Health and
Community Resources
Varies Varies A full list of
Environment/Climate and
Health
Effects/Community
Health data sources can
North Carolina Flood Resiliency Blueprint
Subtask 1.1: Literature Review and Data Collection Inventory | 50
Title and Link Year Lead Agency Notes (if applicable)
https://epi.dph.ncdhhs.gov/oee/pro
grams/EnvPubHealthTracking.html
be found here. Scroll
down to related
resources.
North Carolina Flood Risk
Information System (FRIS)
https://fris.nc.gov/fris/Home.aspx?
ST=NC
Not listed NC Floodplain Mapping
Program
N/A
Other Resources
North Carolina Resilient Coastal
Communities Program Planning
Handbook
https://deq.nc.gov/media/19867/do
wnload
2021 NC DCM N/A
Natural Hazards Resilience: A Quick
Start Guide for North Carolina
Communities
https://www.rebuild.nc.gov/media/
495/open
2020 NCORR N/A
Adaptation Clearinghouse
https://www.adaptationclearingho
use.org/search/?sid%5B%5D=293
Ongoing Georgetown Climate
Center
Searchable by state, the
Adaptation Clearinghouse
supplies adaptation
resources for a breadth of
sectors.
Naturally Resilient Communities
https://nrcsolutions.org/strategies/
?fwp_hazards=coastal%2Ctidal%2C
stormsurge%2Criverineerosion%2C
riverineflood&fwp_region=southea
st
Not listed APA, ASCE, TNC, Sasaki,
EWRI, ASFPM, NACo7,
EU Commission
Guide of nature-based
solutions and included
case studies.
FEMA Resources for Climate
Resilience
https://www.fema.gov/sites/def
ault/files/documents/fema_reso
urces-climate-resilience.pdf
2021 FEMA N/A
Adaptation Types and Examples
https://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/
coastal-management/coastal-
adaptation-and-
resiliency/adaptation-types-and-
examples#Tab-
Not listed NC DEQ Collection of ideas sorted
into Bank of Ideas,
Community Planning,
Ocean Shoreline
Management, and
Estuarine Shoreline
Management.

7 APA- American Planning Association, ASCE- American Society of Civil Engineers, TNC – The Nature Conservancy, EWRI-
Environmental & Water Resources Institute , ASFPM – Association of State Floodplain Managers, NACo – National
Association of Counties
North Carolina Flood Resiliency Blueprint
Subtask 1.1: Literature Review and Data Collection Inventory | 51
Title and Link Year Lead Agency Notes (if applicable)
WhatareAdaptationandResilience-
1817