Federal Funds Approved for Buncombe Storm Repairs After Helene

Buncombe County received federal approval on December 22 for the first round of Emergency Watershed Protection funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service totaling $37.47 million. The funds cover initial requests to address damage from Tropical Storm Helene and will finance engineered repairs to streams and streambanks along with debris removal to protect public and private infrastructure.

The EWP program allows eligible projects such as removing trees that threaten bridges, reshaping eroded streambanks, and other emergency measures aimed at reducing future flooding and erosion. County staff are completing contract work and are continuing to work with affected property owners to obtain right of entry agreements needed before work can begin on private lands. Officials said additional federal or state funding will be required to fully implement the program countywide.

During the program s initial phase a 46 member team from the Buncombe County Soil and Water Conservation District and partner agencies conducted 492 site inspections and secured approval for 209 project locations. Repairs at those approved sites will be engineered and provided at no cost to landowners. Once contracts are finalized and further funding secured the county plans to issue a request for qualifications to hire engineering firms for project design and construction. Officials estimate the overall work will take two to five years to complete because of the number of sites and the complexity of the repairs.

This marks the first EWP funding for Helene related damage in the county, though local officials noted similar projects were completed after Tropical Storms Florence and Fred. The scale and duration of the recovery effort underscore the need for sustained coordination among federal agencies county departments and property owners. For residents this work aims to reduce future flood risk protect roads and bridges and limit erosion impacts on private property, but progress will depend on securing additional funds completing contracts and obtaining access agreements.

Local leaders will need to maintain clear public communication about timelines funding gaps and site selection to ensure accountability and to help residents understand how and when individual properties will be addressed.