RALEIGH, N.C.,– Tropical Storm Debby made its second landfall in the Carolina’s last Thursday. The storm brought rainfall that totaled 15 inches for the state of North Carolina, according to the National Weather Service. The rain brought considerable flash floods, breaching one dam in Cumberland County. To date there have been 5 confirmed tornadoes and 24 tornado warnings in North Carolina. The storm has also been attributed to several deaths across the southeast. Despite this, there are programs available to help those who were negatively impacted by Debby. 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) offers several programs that may help communities that have been affected by Tropical Storm Debby. One of the programs is called the Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) Program.

Background

The USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS) administers the EWP, which responds to emergencies created by natural disasters. It is not necessary for a national emergency to be declared for an area to be eligible for assistance.

The program is designed to help people and conserve natural resources by relieving imminent hazards to life and property caused by floods, fires, wind­storms, and other natural occurrences. EWP is essentially an emergency recovery program. All projects undertaken, apart from the pur­chase of floodplain easements, must have a project sponsor.

USDA-NRCS may bear up to 75 percent of the construction cost of emergency measures. The remaining 25 per­cent must come from local sources and can be in the form of cash or in-kind services. Funding is subject to Congressional approval.

Type of Work Authorized

EWP is designed for installation of recovery measures. Activities include providing financial and technical assistance to:

• remove debris from stream channels, road culverts, and bridges
• reshape and protect eroded banks
• correct damaged drainage facilities
• establish cover on critically eroding lands
• repair levees and structures and
• repair conservation practices.

NRCS may purchase EWP easements on any floodplain lands that have been impaired within the last 12 months or that have a history of repeated flooding (i.e., flooded at least two times during the past 10 years).  These easements can restore, protect, maintain, and enhance the functions of wetlands and riparian areas. They also conserve natural values including fish and wildlife habitat, water quality, flood water retention, ground water recharge, and safeguard lives and property from floods, drought, and the products of erosion. EWP work is not limited to any one set of prescribed measures. A case-by-case investigation of the work is made by NRCS

Eligibility

Public and private landowners are eligible for assistance but must be represented by a project sponsor. Sponsors include legal subdivisions of the State, such as a city, county, general improvement district, conservation district, or any Native American tribe or tribal organization as defined in section 4 of the Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act.

How to Get Assistance

If you have suffered severe damage that may qualify for the EWP program, you should contact your local authorities and request assistance.

City and county governments, flood and water control districts, and soil and water conservation districts are the most common sponsors of EWP projects. Contact them directly to see if they are aware of the program or have contacted NRCS for help. More information is available from NRCS offices throughout the United States and the Caribbean and Pacific Basin Areas.

To get answers to your questions about EWP in North Carolina, call the NRCS State Office at (919) 873-2100.

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