North Carolina is home to 22 inlets, more than 300 miles of oceanfront, and thousands of miles of estuarine shoreline along large sounds and tiny tidal creeks. Although these areas often are breathtaking in their beauty, they are also home to a variety of hazards.

Severe storms, hurricanes and eroding shorelines are major threats that can cause large social and economic losses among coastal communities. North Carolina Sea Grant helps build stakeholders’ understanding of the forces that influence coastal processes, a critical first step in mitigating damage from storms and erosion.

Highlights

N.C. Coastal Rivers Flood Mitigation

A collaborative study involving N.C. Sea Grant, NC State University’s Biological & Agricultural Engineering Department, the N.C. Department of Transportation, and other partners characterized flooding problems and identified mitigation strategies in several Coastal Plain communities, with a focus on the transportation network.

Coastal Construction and Insurance

Sea Grant worked with the N.C. Department of Insurance and the Institute for Business and Home Safety training program to increase building and design standards in North Carolina. Plus, find information on wind insurance incentives.

Hurricane Resources

When it comes to hazardous weather, precaution is paramount. Here are tips and resources to help you prepare for the next major storm.

Dunes

• Return of the Dunes: The Science of Post-Florence Recovery
  Florence moved a significant portion of sand offshore, but post-storm waves immediately began the slow process of bringing it back.
• The Dune Book
  A comprehensive look at sand dune formation, vegetation, erosion, and management practices.

Inlet Atlas

North Carolina’s coastal history is closely tied to changes in its barrier islands, and to the inlets that link protected sounds to the open ocean. Using a tool called Time Machine, NC State’s Center for Geospatial Analytics worked with Sea Grant to create a virtual tour of N.C. inlets, revealing how they fluctuate over time.

North Carolina Sentinel Site Cooperative

Cooperative partners work collaboratively across disciplines to provide research, monitoring and information that together address flooding, inundation and sea level rise.

Community Assessment

With assistance from Sea Grant researchers, extension staff and partners, the Town of Plymouth began to document how localized flooding could be exacerbated by future rises in sea level.