Project Summary

Located in Western North Carolina, Haywood County is actively grappling with the dual threats of increased environmental risks due to recurring flooding and heightened economic distress resulting from the closure of a cornerstone of local industry, the Pactiv-Evergreen Paper Mill.

ECONOMIC SHOCKS + ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS
In the last 20 years alone, floodwaters fueled by Hurricane Helene (2024), Tropical Storm Fred (2021), and Hurricane Ivan (2004) have resulted in wide-spread and catastrophic damage across Haywood County.

Additionally, Haywood County and, most directly, the Town of Canton are currently experiencing elevated economic distress due to the abrupt closure in June 2023 of one of the area’s largest employers, the Pactiv-Evergreen Paper Mill. The sudden loss of jobs for a relatively large portion of this rural community is increasing the community’s level of economic vulnerability.

The combined, compounding effects of recurring floods and the acute economic shock of the paper mill closure highlight the importance of developing local planning and design strategies that blend immediate flood recovery, mitigation, and adaptation actions with longer-term community development needs.

Tropical Storm Fred (August 2021)
In Haywood County alone, TS Fred resulted in over 900 buildings and 20 bridges being either damaged or destroyed, and was the cause of six deaths.

Hurricane Helene (September 2024)
The flood impacts resulting from Helene are unprecedented and will likely become the deadliest and most expensive storm in North Carolina history. As of October 2024, at least 96) lives have been lost and the total economic impact is estimated to exceed $53 billion in North Carolina. In Canton, the Pigeon River’s High Water Mark (HWM) peaked three (3) feet higher than the previous record, which is consistent with widespread flooding data observed across the region.