Tropical Storm Helene Information

Recommendations and Resources from HCSWCD Staff:

• For damage that threatens a structure, such as a house or road, please report at: www.disasterassistance.gov
• For landslide issues, it is recommended to contact a retaining wall expert or geotechnical engineer. These folks should be able to come to the site and assess the damage at no cost. They should be able to provide a recommendation on how to stabilize the slope. Please be aware that Henderson County does have regulations and permit requirements for retaining walls. These rules have not been waived as they are designed to protect human life. Contact Deb Johnston at Henderson County Site Development Department at 828-694-6553 or visit the Site Development Contact website. Also included here is a short list of native plants that are beneficial for erosion control.
  1. Retaining Wall Experts
  2. Riparian Area Seeding (Mountain Area)
  3. Slope Safety After Landslides
  4. Landslide Safety for Homeowners
  5. Landslide Types and Processes
• For stream-related damage and debris, the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has primary jurisdiction over these matters. Below are several resources provided by USACE to help give guidance for such issues. Contact information is included in the materials. It is highly recommended that you contact North Carolina Division of Water Resources and Henderson County Floodplain Development to ensure you meet any other permitting requirements. **NOTE** A property located in a floodplain MUST complete a no-rise certification and permit approval prior to starting any stream restoration work. No waiver on these requirements has been issued.
  1. USACE Guidance
  2. Post-Helene Permitting
  3. Regulatory Flood Response in North Carolina - Fact Sheet
  4. SAMPLE FORM - No-Rise Certification
  5. Henderson County Floodplain Development
  6. Frequently Asked Questions about Local Floodplain Regulations in North Carolina
• The following files are to provide direction on how to safely and environmentally complete some repairs. These files were provided by USACE and do not necessarily exempt you from permits. These are provided for information only.
  1. Live Stake Cross Section Diagram
  2. Live Stake Installation Instructions
  3. Guidance for Stream Restoration
  4. Stream Bank Restoration
  5. Backyard Stream Repair Guide
  6. Coir Matting
  7. Correctly Installed Culvert
  8. Incorrectly Installed Culvert
  9. Bypass Pumping
• Other Useful Links:
  1. North Carolina Tropical Storm Helene (DR-4827-NC) - FEMA
  2. Henderson County Helene Updates
  3. Soil Management Recommendations for Hurricane-impacted Western NC

Note: While Henderson County Soil & Water Conservation District strives to make the information on this website as timely and accurate as possible, the District makes no claims, promises, or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the contents of this site, and expressly disclaims liability for errors and omissions in the contents of this site. No warranty of any kind, implied, expressed, or statutory, including but not limited to the warranties of non-infringement of third party rights, title, merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose or freedom from computer virus, is given with respect to the contents of this website or its links to other Internet resources.

Reference in this site to any specific commercial product, process, or service, or the use of any trade, firm or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the public, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by Henderson County Soil & Water Conservation District.