Western North Carolina faces several large challenges to modernize its water infrastructure and secure auxiliary systems that mitigate harm in the event of failure. Hurricane Helene’s impact displayed severe deficiencies in regional water management; specifically, in the region’s largest city of Asheville, water access was unavailable to some communities for weeks (Boyle 2024; FEMA 2025). For instance, much of the city is reliant on one reservoir nearly 20 miles away – exposing over 20 miles of transmission lines to washout risk and accessibility problems due to road damage making the lines difficult to repair efficiently (Boyle 2024; City of Asheville 2026). Western North Carolina also faces broad challenges with intensifying climate conditions; projections show that while Helene was a standout event, the region should expect more extreme wet and dry conditions over the next 100 years (NCEI 2026; FirstStreet 2026). While Asheville sources its water from three locations, the city’s climate resilience and water infrastructure could be greatly improved with the implementation of decentralized stormwater management and storage, mitigating the worst impacts of storms and flooding while also adding capacity for backup water supply during droughts or when the central system goes offline (EPA 2026; Malliaraki 2026). Such improvements should command extra attention as the city continues to grow, and more people are building in, or are displaced to, rural areas of the metro area with less developed infrastructure (Buncombe County 2026). In this blog, we will lay out several ways in which Asheville Water Resources Department could build community-scale water management nodes, suggest some sites based on spatial, demographic, and environmental factors, and show how decentralized stormwater management can complement larger improvements that are underway post-Helene to create a system that is safe-to-fail (EPA 2026; NRC Solutions 2026).
In late September 2024, Category 4 Hurricane Helene struck the Gulf Coast of Florida, heading north through the Florida panhandle, Georgia, South Carolina, and western North Carolina. The associated storms and flooding took the lives of at least 108 people in North Carolina alone, making it the second-deadliest storm in the last 50 years in the continental United States after Hurricane Katrina (AccuWeather 2024). Western North Carolina is so far inland that it is was not closely associated with hurricane risk before the storm. Helene’s devastation displayed the compounding effects of flooding and environmental condition; for example, Buncombe County residents suffered a weeks-long water system outage due to heightened turbidity in the major reservoir and damaged transmission lines and roads (Boyle 2024; City of Asheville Water Resources Department 2025). Following Helene, FEMA funds were allotted to the region for upgrades, many of which went toward repairing and rebuilding critical water lines. But as the economic and demographic realities approach a new normal, communities in western North Carolina must consider what redundancies and safeguards it can put in place to mitigate harm beyond major infrastructure recovery investments.
Figure 1. Diagram of challenges faced by the water system in Asheville, NC and surroundings.
Why Decentralize?
Figure 2. Map of relevant watersheds and water treatment plants in the region. Data from OpenData Asheville.
The majority of the city’s water (80% pre-Helene) comes from the Burnett Reservoir via the North Fork Treatment Plant, followed by the Bee Tree Reservoir, then supplemented by a small intake on the French Broad River at the Mills River Treatment Plant in Henderson County (City of Asheville 2026). As shown by Helene, all of these are prone to damage in large storm events, justifying investment in widespread redundancy into the water system, such as our proposed decentralized stormwater management nodes (Boyle 2025).
Figure 3. Climate modeling showing historic record of precipitation and future projections given a higher (red line) and lower (blue line) emissions climate scenario. (NCEI 2026). Over the next 100 years, Asheville will see intense variability in the average seasonal precipitation in the region, but all climate projections show a general upward trend in precipitation (NCEI 2026).
Decentralized stormwater systems present a nimble, modular solution for the region to pursue in conjunction with larger, FEMA-funded infrastructure upgrades, as these nodes can be implemented across the county to make a real impact systemwide (FEMA 2025; EPA 2025). In this article, we present three possible typologies of nodes for Asheville to strengthen its capacity to a) delay stormwater as it approaches population centers, b) store smaller amounts of non-potable water for droughts, and c) leverage and improve public lands for both recreation and stormwater management (EPA 2026; UConn NEMO 2026). Our analysis identified areas of Asheville in a floodplain with large amounts of non-permeable pavement and publicly owned properties for interventions (MSD 2026). The three typologies are: a public recreation floodplain, an urban stormwater management solution, and a rural flood control and retention, specifically focusing on areas of the region that have experienced high population growth alongside high rates of poverty, seeking proxy indicators for high displacement due to increasing land values (FirstStreet 2026).
Proposed Interventions
FLOODPLAIN INTERVENTION
Our first pilot intervention is a floodplain solution looking at how to repurpose flood-prone areas to provide green stormwater management services while remaining natural, publicly enjoyed spaces. Embracing a natural expectation of flooding on this site guides the development, which incorporates nature-based solutions into an underutilized park to make it more resilient (SPUR 2026; Glasgow City Council 2026).
Figure 4. Land cover and floodplains in Buncombe County, NC. Land Cover via NLCD; Floodplains via FEMA.
To select a site for the floodplain intervention, the focus was entirely on environmental factors, including proximity to impervious surfaces and floodplains (MSD 2026). The site also needed to be upstream of the population centers for highest potential impact. The selected site is situated south of West Asheville and near the intersection of US 70 and I-40 and is currently operated by Buncombe County.
Figure 5. Hominy Creek River Park, selected as pilot site for floodplain intervention.
The pilot floodplain intervention for decentralized stormwater management that we noted was Hominy Creek River Park, located due south of the residential area of West Asheville, and around 3 miles upstream of the confluence of the French Broad and Swannanoa Rivers and the River Arts District.
Figure 6. Photo of Hominy Creek River Park flooded. Photo from https://helenehistory.omeka.net/items/show/290.
The park took significant damage during Hurricane Helene, and due to its location along the river, frequently floods (FEMA 2025).
Figure 7. Photo of Hominy Creek River Park damage. Photo from https://helenehistory.omeka.net/items/show/290.
Given the inevitability of flooding (as shown by the images alongside the Digital Elevation Model) the park would be an ideal location to redesign for stormwater management optimization.
Figure 8. Digital Elevation Model of Hominy Creek River Park and surroundings. Data from USGS.
Our floodplain intervention reimagines the underutilized and flood-prone recreation area of Hominy Creek River Park as a multifunctional wetland park that embraces periodic inundation. Located directly south of I-40, the site experienced significant flooding during Hurricane Helene. The design restores natural floodplain processes by introducing a series of hydrologically connected landscape zones. At the lowest elevations, constructed wetlands and side channels provide primary stormwater storage and sediment capture, addressing ongoing turbidity concerns in Asheville’s water system (EPA 2026). A central seasonal wet meadow can accommodate periodic flooding while remaining usable as recreational space during drier conditions (Longwood Gardens 2026). A riparian forest acts as a buffer between streambanks and improves and expands habitat (French Broad River Partnership 2026), and an elevated trail system ensures continued access during minor flood events (Great Rivers Greenway 2026). The project also incorporates environmental education features, and visible water level markers to make hydrologic processes legible to the public. By allowing water to spread horizontally across the landscape, the intervention reduces peak flow intensity downstream (NRC Solutions 2026), while simultaneously transforming the site into a safe-to-fail ecological and social asset.
Figure 9. Diagram of proposed interventions in the floodplain park.
This solution, which could be replicated in other areas, would include the construction of an active floodplain wetland and a seasonal wet meadow (Glasgow City Council 2026). Both of these could hold floodwater and increase biodiversity in the area. Construction could also include replacing the current impervious parking lot with permeable pavers, and constructing canals to push the floodwater from the river into the wetlands, in conjunction with a newly planted riparian buffer (EPA 2026; UConn NEMO 2026). Lastly, the park could benefit from floodable amenities such as an elevated greenway system or floodable playground (Great Rivers Greenway 2026).
RURAL INTERVENTION
Our second pilot intervention focuses on more rural areas of Buncombe County with poor accessibility to traditional urban water infrastructure. This analysis also adds a socioeconomic dimension to the site selection process, resulting in a flood-prone site that can provide wide support to a vulnerable area across multiple extreme climate scenarios (Buncombe County 2026; FirstStreet 2026).
Figure 10. Map of rural site selection showing criteria considered, including poverty rate, percent increase in median income, and floodplain proximity. Data from ACS 2013 and 2023.
This specific site, located along the Swannanoa River, presents an excellent opportunity to increase the riverside floodwater storage capacity of the watershed and mitigate downstream flooding (NRC Solutions 2026).
Figure 11. Satellite imagery of selected site. Photo obtained from Buncombe County Parcel Database.
This site was picked due to its location in Swannanoa, an area with documented high population growth and high poverty, absorbing people who are being displaced from more expensive urban areas of Asheville. The location of this site next to the KOA campground with a large pond enables the interventions to take a more nature-based approach: the pond and related flooding proves the hydrologic viability and environmental necessity of a hyperlocal solution to flooding on the site.
Figure 12. Diagram and description of soil types on rural pilot site, which guides intervention design.
A major consideration when siting the rural intervention is the soil type. Our pilot site contains approximately 70% well-draining gravelly loam and 30% poorly draining silt loam with a higher water table; this makeup positions the site to host a hybrid intervention offering both flood control (best suited to well-draining soil) and non-potable water supply (best suited to low permeability soils). Analysis of site soils is available via the Web Soil Survey.
Using the site as a guide, this intervention proposes a decentralized stormwater retention and emergency supply node on an 8-acre county-owned parcel within the Swannanoa watershed. During storm events, the system captures and slows runoff, reducing downstream flood risk while also improving water quality through sediment settling and vegetative filtration (EPA 2026; Xeriscaping Basics 2026). After storm events, retained water can be stored and treated at a basic level for non-potable or emergency use (Philadelphia Water Department 2026; Ferguson Waterworks 2026). Asheville’s water system remains highly centralized and vulnerable to disruption; this intervention introduces localized redundancy, providing a distributed backup resource (Boyle 2025).
Figure 13. Diagram of a rural solution including stormwater capture, emergency water reuse, and flood control to and from the surrounding bodies of water.
Figure 14. Diagram 2 showing intervention in action through a series of flood events.
URBAN INTERVENTION
The final site proposes using high-risk areas within densely populated neighborhoods to mitigate instead of catalyze the effect of flooding.
Figure 15. Map of urban intervention showing site selection criteria including floodplain proximity, population density, and median income.
To select this site, criteria focused on identifying environmental factors like floodplain proximity and grade in neighborhoods with high population density and high poverty rates (FirstStreet 2026).
Figure 16. Satellite imagery of selected site
This intervention transforms the steep, underutilized buffer land below Riverside Cemetery into a flood-adaptive greenway designed to intercept, slow, and store stormwater before it reaches vulnerable neighborhoods and critical infrastructure such as I-26. The site currently functions as a rapid runoff channel, where water accelerates downslope during storm events, contributing to flash flooding in lower-lying, often lower-income areas.
Figure 17. DEM of Riverview Cemetery. Data via USGS.
Riverview Cemetery is located on a particularly steep slope, dropping elevation rapidly into canals on both the north and south side of the property, creating conditions for high-velocity runoff threatening the interstate below. Emerging research suggests that cemeteries can offer critical stormwater management on excess land (Malliaraki 2026).
Figure 18. Google street view of I-26 beneath Riverview Cemetery before Helene (April 2024).
Figure 19. Google street view of site after Helene (September 2025).
Google Street View imagery from before (April 2024) and after (September 2025) Hurricane Helene shows the impact of fast-moving water on steep slope vegetation. The water also runs directly into the French Broad River below, increasing downstream flow volume and velocity.
Figure 20. Diagram of proposed urban solution featuring a controlled cascade down to water storage and eventual release into the French Broad River.
The proposed design introduces a cascading system of green infrastructure interventions organized along the slope. At the upper elevations, contour swales and terracing reduce runoff velocity and promote infiltration (PNNL 2026). Mid-slope, a linear wetland corridor doubles as a public greenway, providing floodable open space that stores and filters water (SPUR 2026). At the base of the slope, a detention basin captures peak flows, while subsurface storage systems hold excess water for non potable reuse (Ferguson Waterworks 2026). This terraced approach distributes water management across the landscape, reducing reliance on centralized systems and increasing resilience (EPA 2026).
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
Asheville currently sells water to commercial customers at a decreasing block rate. While there is no publicly available list of commercial water users, major commercial water users may include the hotel and tourism industry, golf clubs, and the brewing industry, and manufacturing.
To fund consistent improvements to the region’s water supply and landscape, Asheville could shift the decreasing block rate to an increasing rate for commercial consumers. This would serve a dual purpose of raising funds for the city while also incentivizing conservation. The water utility and city could also explore other ways to encourage or require stormwater capture, storage, and reuse on private property.
A core benefit of decentralized stormwater management is its scalability based on financial availability and community needs. For instance, a retention pond could be a simple retention pond, or it could employ smart technology to release and hold water at different times. A more advanced system could even offer on-site filtration or connect into the water distribution system to provide backup water supply on a wider scale. A combination of political will, community interest, and funding available will govern the level at which these interventions can happen.
Conclusion
There is no one solution to implementing a well-functioning, safe-to-fail water system, and Asheville faces unique challenges related to its steep topography and hydrological context at the confluence of the French Broad and Swannanoa Rivers. The city is confronted with the threat of climate change, especially through increased unpredictability in precipitation. After Hurricane Helene, attention had turned toward the city’s aging water infrastructure with many of the disaster recovery funds going to system-wide repairs (which were highly necessary) that will cost millions of dollars and cannot be supported by the city or state after recovery funds lapse. Given these concerns, Asheville may consider turning to additional methods to secure its water access and mitigate harm from flooding. Decentralized modular stormwater management nodes represent a proposal for where to start.
The three interventions we suggest – one in a rural area, one in an urban area, and one in a floodplain – are not exhaustive. There are naturally many other sites that can be utilized and for which interventions can be adapted to hyperlocal hydrological, environmental, or social conditions. Using the frameworks for site selection and principles for interventions we detail here can help guide the process of building redundancy into Asheville’s water system.
Decentralized stormwater management also have the potential to serve regional communities beyond Asheville, many of which lie well outside the city limits. While there have been multiple attempts to improve the resilience of the dam transmission lines, which originate in the more rural eastern part of Buncombe County, they wash out repeatedly. Compounded with damage to the roads needed to access water lines, repairs become cumbersome, especially in post-disaster situations. Preventing washouts before they happen ensures safety for citizens and saves public funds while enabling quicker recovery operations when failures do happen.
Hurricane Helene was among the deadliest storms that the United States has ever seen. 108 people lost lives during the hurricane or in the subsequent landslides and flash floods. The region is irreparably changed—environmentally, economically, and experientially. It also snapped the perception of a region that was generally thought to be safe from the effects of climate change to attention. It uncovered previously hidden deficiencies in the regional water infrastructure and providing crucial qualitative and quantitative insights into a worst-case scenario. Western North Carolina must think dynamically about how it will address its growing environmental threats in this post-Helene chapter of its story. In so doing, it can use its immense assets as a cultural and recreational hub to work within the natural context of the area to create a healthier, safer, and protected future for the region.
References
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Precedent References
Xeriscaping Basics. (2026). Designing for water runoff management.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2026). SNEP network boosts support for water protection.
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. (2026). Swale and berm installed across slope to slow water flow [Image].
University of Connecticut NEMO Program. (2026). Low impact development design standards.
Malliaraki, E. (2026). Towards intelligent green and blue infrastructures.
Municipal Water Leader. (2026). Multipurpose solutions for Atlanta’s Historic Fourth Ward Park.
NRC Solutions. (2026). Floodwater detention.
Ferguson Waterworks. (2026). R-Tank stormwater modules.
Philadelphia Water Department. (2026). Cistern design tools.
Glasgow City Council. (2026). Wetland restoration.
University of Arkansas Community Design Center. (2026). Riparian meadows, mounds, and rooms.
Longwood Gardens. (2026). Meadow garden.
SPUR. (2026). Re-envisioning Guadalupe River Park.
Great Rivers Greenway. (2026). Greenway bridge projects connecting the St. Louis region.