The City of Lumberton experiences frequent flooding along First Street during any major storm. The current stormwater system, which includes two 48” corrugated metal pipes, is overwhelmed and creates impassable roads and has begun to cause property damage at the outfall. In 2020, the city completed a drainage study that determined replacing the culvert would disperse water and mitigate against flooding in the future.
Golden LEAF flood mitigation grant funds will be used to upsize the existing culvert. The new system will also realign the pipe away from the current system, which currently lies under a business. The pipe will begin under NC-72 and lay along an open lot next to a railroad but outside of the railroad’s easement. It is also expected that an existing power pole will be relocated. The city will abandon the existing 48” pipes. The drainage area includes City Hall, a fire station, elementary schools, and some county buildings. City funds will be used to complete the project.