FLOOD06186

• County: Statewide
• Basin: Statewide
• Title: North Carolina Mitigation Strategy Report
• Date: 2/1/1997
• Prepared For: North Carolina
• Prepared By: FEMA
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Flood Mitigation/Flood Warning/Watershed Restoration

Mitigation Strategy Report
FEMA-1134-DR-NC

State of North Carolina
Division of Emergency Management

. Coastal Areas Require Special Planning Emphasis

. Storm Surge and Coastal Flooding

Perhaps the most dramatic evidence of Hurricane Fran's destructive force was associated with the
coastal storm surge. Many coastal residences and businesses sustained severe storm surge damage,
particularly those constructed pre-FIRM, and those with enclosures below the BFE. The debris from
destroyed homes battered nearby structures, significantly magnifying the damages. Structures were
particularly vulnerable to storm surge due to the destruction of the protective frontal dune system
during Hurricane Bertha. The vulnerability of the remaining buildings located along the oceanfront are
further magnified due to the destruction of houses along the first row.

FiQure 3: Storm Surge-Related Damages, North Topsail Island

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In order to beller prepare for future events, coastal storm surge modeling studies are necessary. The
results of this analysis should be used in conjunction with revised FIRMs, where applicable, to encourage
more stringent building codes, subdivision ordinances, and improved land use practice,

Several land use planning policies have been adopted to check unsound development practices along
the coast. They include: the Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA), CAMA, and CBRA. The CZMA
is a Federal-State initiative that encourages States to adopt and implement coastal land use planning
measures that assist in the overall management of coastal resources. CAMA, initiated by the State of
North Carolina, expanded this purpose to include Areas of Environmental Concern (AECs). AECs are
identified coastal locales in which uncontrolled development may cause irreversible damage to property,
public health, and the natural environment. AECs cover virtually all of the coastal waters and 3% of the
land area found in the 20 North Carolina coastal counties. Special rules govern these areas concerning
development, setback requirements and other standards.

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