Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Environment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
County accepts $1.63M STRAP allocation to remove debris and stabilize streams after Hurricane Helene
Summary
Burke County accepted a $1,630,000 Streamflow Rehabilitation Assistance Program (STRAP) grant to remove woody debris and stabilize stream banks on 19 identified sites; Soil and Water Director Leanne Branch said the program will close out in October 2028.
Soil and Water Director Leanne Branch presented the Streamflow Rehabilitation Assistance Program (STRAP) allocation for 2026 and asked the board to accept a $1,630,000 grant and adopt a matching budget amendment. Branch said STRAP funds (created in 2021) pay for woody debris removal and bank stabilization to mitigate flooding and that Burke County was among 39 designated high-concern counties after Hurricane Helene.
Branch said the county identified 19 projects—many in response to landowner requests after the storm—and that earlier STRAP rounds funded six projects on Silver Creek and the Catawba River. The county plans more substantial bank stabilization with this round of funding; Branch said staff project closeout in October 2028. Commissioners approved the grant acceptance and associated budget amendment by unanimous vote.
