Today, North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Secretary Reid Wilson and DEQ’s Division of Mitigation Services (DMS) held a ribbon cutting to celebrate the completion of a project that reduces chronic flooding affecting businesses, roadways and access to emergency services in Goldsboro and Wayne County.  

The Stoney Creek Watershed Flood Mitigation Pilot Project is a constructed stormwater wetland basin, planted with native vegetation, on Wayne Community College’s (WCC) campus. The $1.6 million nature-based project provides flood reduction in the Stoney Creek Watershed, specifically addressing flooding along Wayne Memorial Drive.

DEQ Secretary Reid Wilson, State Rep. John Bell, WCC President Patricia Pfeiffer and other local officials spoke at the ribbon cutting ceremony today at WCC.

“Because flooding is becoming more frequent and intense throughout our state, strengthening communities’ flood resiliency is an urgent priority,” said DEQ Secretary Reid Wilson. “This nature-based project will reduce flooding for residents and businesses, provide valuable wildlife habitat, and connect with the college’s greenway system. We greatly appreciate Representative John Bell’s strong leadership on resilience issues in the General Assembly, which made this project possible.”

“This project is a good example of how DEQ is using funds the General Assembly appropriated to make communities safer and more resilient,” said State Rep. John Bell, who represents much of Wayne County and Goldsboro. “Residents of the county will benefit from less flooding, safer roads and more reliable access to emergency services.”

“The Stoney Creek flood-mitigation project is an investment in the future of our campus and our community,” said Wayne Community College President Pfeiffer. “By reducing the impact of recurring flooding, we are safeguarding the impact on our environment and potential harm to life. This project reflects our commitment to being a responsible community partner and investing in long-term solutions that benefit everyone who lives, works and studies in Wayne County."  

The project’s engineered wetland located along Reedy Creek, a tributary to Stoney Creek, captures runoff from the campus. Water held within this stormwater wetland basin slows the discharge of water to Reedy Creek, reducing water volume and peak flows to adjacent streams. Vegetation planted in the basin stabilizes the soil, improves downstream water quality by absorbing excess pollutants like nitrogen, and creates habitat for aquatic and terrestrial wildlife.  

The project is the first demonstration site under the DMS Natural Infrastructure Flood Mitigation Program (NIFMP), which the NC General Assembly established in 2020. The program uses natural infrastructure, or projects that restore natural landscapes or emulate natural ecological processes, to reduce flooding in small, targeted watersheds. Projects can include building wetlands, restoring streams and other nature-based solutions that help store water and reduce flooding.  

Lessons learned from the pilot will aid in planning for larger solutions statewide and integrate into the department’s Flood Resiliency Blueprint program to enhance community flood resilience. Nature-based solutions, such as this Stoney Creek project, are one of many resilience actions that local communities can use from the Blueprint Program.

DEQ is developing another project in the watershed that will retrofit a pond to retain water and intercept stormwater runoff before discharging into Stoney Creek. The project will decrease peak stormwater discharge, add protection to properties downstream, improve water quality and provide additional ecological benefits. DEQ is also vetting additional natural infrastructure flood reduction projects in the watershed for 2026 and 2027.