Disaster Response

Learn more about how DART was created and how it is being used to help assess streams damaged by natural disasters. 

The Emergency Watershed Protection Program is a federal watershed recovery program aimed to protect lives and imminently threatened structures in or along waterways. You can read more about the program on the North Carolina EWP Program website.

To apply for funding through EWP or StRAP, please collect information on your potential sites using DART.  Please note that unless you have an ArcGIS Online account, you cannot edit a site once it has been submitted. You can save entries as a draft using the "Save in Outbox" option (sites saved in the outbox are NOT submitted) and return to edit and submit these sites later. Please ensure each submission is fully completed before submitting. For each program, please refer to the site specific information below:

EWP

• The first step is to contact NRCS to enroll as a sponsor organization.  Once NRCS has enrolled you as a sponsor, you will use DART to collect information the sites where you are requesting EWP funding.  For additional information, visit the EWP website.

StRAP

• StRAP will begin to collect applications soon.  Please monitor the StRAP website for updates on when the application period will open in your county.

• DART will be used to collect site information as part of your application.  For each site you want considered for StRAP funding, please fill out the StRAP Survey link on DART (listed below).  Fill out a separate response for each different stream segment/project you want considered for StRAP funds.

• As the final step of your application, you will fill out a FormSite survey with additional information needed for your application. You can go ahead and start entering sites into DART before the application window for your county begins, but you must also fill out the FormSite form once the application window opens in order to complete your application.

• For more information on what projects are eligible for StRAP, visit the StRAP main page.

In late July, staff from across the state came together to help assess damage from Hurricane Helene and complete site assessments for the Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWP).  55 people from Soil & Water Conservation Districts, NC Division of Soil & Water Conservation, Natural Resources Conservation Council, and other groups spent 5 days working in Watauga, Avery, Yancey, and McDowell counties.  We assessed 107 different sites, with over 71 sites identified as potentially eligible for EWP.   Streambank stabilization and stream restoration on these sites would benefit $86,905,008 worth of property, including homes, roads, bridges, utilities, water treatment plants, and commercial buildings.  This week was an important push towards completing stream repair projects in the wake of Helene.

Field crews assessing an eroding bank threatening a home.

Staff assessing streambank erosion along a temporary bridge built to replace a bridge destroyed during Helene.