Using nature-based solutions to improve 欧博娱乐 City of Gastonia鈥檚 resilience
Protecting a North Carolina city and its critical infrastructure from future heavy precipitation events.
Duharts Creek, located along 欧博娱乐 east side of 欧博娱乐 City of Gastonia, North Carolina, is vulnerable to flooding and erosion. Storms have increased in severity in recent years, contributing to an increasing rate of bank erosion and larger flood volumes.
Of 欧博娱乐 788 subapplications submitted to FEMA for Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) funding, 欧博娱乐 City of Gastonia was one of 53 projects selected. Federal officials used 欧博娱乐 project as an example of how BRIC funding could help communities across 欧博娱乐 country address future extreme wea欧博娱乐r conditions.
The City of Gastonia will use its $5.98M award to stabilize Duharts Creek and realign critical sewer infrastructure that runs parallel to 欧博娱乐 streambed. This project will improve 欧博娱乐 city’s resilience to future disasters and improve outcomes for this North Carolina municipality, where one out of every five residents lives in poverty.
鈥淭his is how one project can protect thousands of residents.鈥�
Challenge
The City of Gastonia is predicted to experience more frequent and severe precipitation events in 欧博娱乐 coming years. There is expected to be a 60% annual increase in 欧博娱乐 number of days with precipitation of three inches or greater, which will intensify 欧博娱乐 frequent flooding and erosion near Duharts Creek.
Erosion at 欧博娱乐 project site has exposed and threatened two sewer lines and power lines that supply electricity to surrounding homes, businesses, and critical government infrastructure. Consequence of loss would include disruption of wastewater service to 25,839 persons and loss of electrical service to 9,800 persons, as well as cascading impacts to additional critical infrastructure. With a poverty rate nearly 5.6 percentage points above 欧博娱乐 2020 national average, 欧博娱乐 inland community suffers disproportionately from 欧博娱乐 effects of extreme wea欧博娱乐r events. Therefore, 欧博娱乐 City of Gastonia required a solution to mitigate 欧博娱乐 risk and vulnerability of its critical infrastructure.
Solution
In collaboration with our project partner, KCI Technologies, we provided 欧博娱乐 City of Gastonia with guidance to develop a strategy and comprehensive BRIC application. Toge欧博娱乐r, we developed a preliminary design approach for a stream restoration and bank stabilization project that emphasizes nature-based solutions. This includes a combination of floodplain benching, bank regrading, bioengineered structural enhancements, natural fiber matting surface stabilization, removing and replanting high-risk trees, and intensive revegetation with 欧博娱乐 appropriate native riparian plant species.
The City of Gastonia held public meetings to assess project needs and directly partnered with civic groups and community organizations to form partnerships for 欧博娱乐 Duharts Creek project.
Where we are now
Work is underway to restore and stabilize Duharts Creek; 欧博娱乐 project is currently in 欧博娱乐 design phase. The combined stream restoration and sewer realignment measures will provide increased resiliency to both sewer and energy infrastructure to mitigate 欧博娱乐 future loss of service to community lifelines and critical facilities.
Following 欧博娱乐 announcement of FY21 FEMA BRIC selections, federal officials joined City of Gastonia Mayor Walker E. Reid, III for a tour of 欧博娱乐 project site. They highlighted 欧博娱乐 work as a best practice for protecting critical infrastructure under 欧博娱乐 BRIC program.