Overview
To resolve water-related issues on the northern Albemarle-Pamlico peninsula, local governments and conservation land managers requested the Scuppernong Water Management Study. In this ecologically rich and diverse region, communities surrounding the Scuppernong River have experienced increasingly severe flooding, highlighting the need for updated water management systems. because of the low-lying, flat nature of the region and proximity to the Albemarle Sound APNEP was brought on as a neutral, science-based partner to help design a collaborative approach for the Study that includes input from diverse agencies and regional stakeholders. This Study aims to develop a comprehensive plan to address this flooding on both private and public lands and offer resilient solutions for the future.
Map of project area
Unfolding in three phases, this project combined community engagement with data analysis and modeling to offer recommendations to improve the area’s water management practices. As part of Phase One, the Study’s Engagement Team worked to understand local perspectives on water management and areas of concern for flooding. The Kris Bass Engineering team focused on data collection for Phase One, using surveying and water level monitoring stations to collect data that would provide the basis for watershed-scale modeling and analysis. Informed by this data and community feedback, the team at Kris Bass Engineering finalized watershed-level models to evaluate possible resilience strategies and create a water budget for the region, culminating in a list of recommendations for implementation throughout the watershed. Providing an understanding of how water moves within the region and an analysis of strategies that bolster resilience will help update existing plans, improve decision-making tools, and identify potential solutions to long-standing water management problems that affect public and private land, water, and roadways in the project area. The project team plans to present its findings to the community in July 2025 and intends to continue supporting potential water management projects in the area.
Project Team
This project's Steering Committee is made up of local decision-makers and stakeholders who share a common goal of reducing flood risk for residents and the environment. The Steering Committee advises the engagement team, facilitates effective communication with surrounding communities, and ensures useful results and products are produced.
Local Partners: The Albemarle Commission, Buckridge Coastal Reserve, Washington County, Tyrrell County, Washington County Soil and Water, Tyrrell County Soil and Water, Pettigrew State Park, Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, and NC Cooperative Extension
Engagement Team Partners: NC Coastal Reserve, Sea Grant, The Nature Conservancy, and APNEP
Additional contributors include North Carolina Forest Service, North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, NC Dept. of Transportation, Albemarle Resource Conservation and Development, NC Soil and Water Conservation Districts, NC Division of Parks and Recreation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Kris Bass Engineering, and SWCA Environmental Consultants.
For more information, please contact Stacey Feken, Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Partnership, stacey.feken@apnep.org