6 months after Hurricane Matthew

On Oct. 8, 2016, Hurricane Mathew made landfall on N.C. and proved dangerous as rivers throughout eastern N.C. those to levels not scene since Hurricane Floyd.As the Category one hurricane tore through the state, small communities lying in floodplains found themselves underwater.

Princeville, N.C. was one of the hardest hit communities in the state, with some areas of the town submerged in up to 10 feet of water. In preparation of the impending flood, Town Manager, Daniel Gerald, saved lives after he orchestrated an evacuation.

According to the Town of Princeville official statement, “Torrential rain from Hurricane Mathew on Saturday caused flash flooding throughout the town. Due to the rising water, several citizens in the Southern Terrace and Lone Pine communities were evacuated and early Sunday morning the town issued a voluntary evacuation.”

According to the State National Flood Insurance Program coordinator John Gerber, Hurricane Mathew had winds of 75mph and with added rainfall, the storm created a base flood elevation (BFE) of 46 feet. When the Tar River receded it was discovered that Town Hall, African American Firsts Museum, Senior Community Center and the volunteer fire station all sustained significant damages.

According to the Town of Princeville, North Carolina Hurricane Mathew Flood Assessment Study, This isn’t the first time that Princeville has flooded. According to the Army Corp of Engineers (USACE) report, the town was settled in a natural floodplain along the Tar River.

Princeville is in Edgecombe County with a population of approximately 2,046 (according to 2013 census report). In 1865 Freedom Hill was established by freed slaves after the Civil War. It wasn't until 1885 was renamed Princeville in honer of Turner Prince, an African American man involved in building many of the towns homes.

Princeville is the oldest town run by African Americans in the country according to city records. Residents call it a historic landmark. According to the Flood Assessment Study, since 1885 Princeville was “overwhelmed” with seven major floods. In 1967 USACE constructed a three mile long earthen levee “along the south bank of the Tar River.”

In 1999 Hurricane Floyd raised the water level of Tar River to 50.8 feet. The report said that it took 10 days for water to recede. After the flood, President Bill Clinton mandated that the USACE create a report on what failed during Hurricane Floyd and what can be done to better protect Princeville.

The report was entitled: “Princeville, North Carolina – Flood Risk Management Integrated Feasibility Report and Environmental Assessment.” The report was completed in December 2015 and revised in April 2016. After Hurricane Mathew, MacConnell & Associates was hired as a third party to develop a similar report.

In the report MacConnell & Associates analyzed the USACE report and said, “Upon our review, of the information in the report and the consequences of Hurricane Mathew, the report proved to be quite accurate and prophetic.”

Hurricane Floyd was a rare event. In the Hurricane Mathew Flood assessment study,

“Rain events from Hurricane Floyd caused the Tar River water elevation to rise to levels predicted to occur less than once every 500 years, meaning any rain event occurring in any given year has a less than 0.2% chance of producing Tar River water levels observed following Hurricane Floyd.”

In the Hurricane Mathew Flood Assessment Study, the Tar River entered the town from four different points. At the intersection of US-258 N and N. Shiloh farm Rd there are no levee systems in place. According to the report, this was one of the first areas to be flooded.

At the northern end of the levee system the BFE was estimated to reach 37 feet. The levee that was designed in 1919 was only built to contain BFE of 37 feet. The levee that was designed in 1919 was only build to contain BFE of 33 feet. Therefore, water easily overtopped the levee located along I -258.

The two points of entry that remain both run along US Highway 64 in the southern part of Princeville. In 1995, US Highway 64 was updated and the southern part of the existing levee was abandoned.

The USACE Report said that the new section of the highway was not designed at the same height of the existing levee. The renovated highway also left culverts ungated allowing water to flow freely into the abandoned levee. The main question is why was the southern part of the levee abandoned if USACE knew that highway 64 was not designed to replace it?

This section of the highway is thought to be the main reason why the town flooded. Maintenance Director of Edgecombe County and eyewitness Jimmy Price said in the report that saw water rushing around the ends of the levee behind a home located at 624N. Ridgewood Road, Tarboro.

Prior to Hurricane Mathew the Federal Emergency Management Agency, (FEMA) categorized Princeville Flood Zone X. After Hurricane Mathew FEMA updated the category to Flood Zone AE. According to the Hurricane Mathew Flood Assessment Study, the question remains, “Why was the town of Princeville labeled as a Flood Zone X, even after the flooding that occurred in 1999 from Hurricane Floyd?”

After six months of reconstruction and relief efforts Princeville is still largely uninhabited. Representative Shelly Willingham whose district includes Princeville said to WUNC, “There were very few people that were able to move back into their houses so if you will ride through Princeville now it still looks like a war zone, you know, because all the houses are boarded up.”

On a Thursday afternoon Princeville Elementary remained silent. The school which is located in the southern part of town is abandoned. In front of Princeville Elementary a welcome sign remains unchanged since the storm. Reminding students and parents of, “National Lunch week” on the ninth of October. Houses surrounding the school still have debris in the front yard awaiting pickup from the city council. FEMA estimates that Hurricane Mathew caused $1.5 million in damages.

Now Princeville has three options for the future of their town. In accordance with the latest FEMA approved BFE, the town could be raised so that the lowest floor is 2 feet above the BFE. This options allows the oldest African American run town to be above a BFE of 46 feet. However in some areas of town, this plan is not feasible according to the Hurricane Mathew Flood Assessment Study.

Another option is to rebuild the existing levee structures surrounding Princeville. This would require that the levee along US Highway 64 to be raised. This plan would cost an estimated $21,540,000 excluding the costs to rebuild Princeville itself.

The final option is to relocate the town. FEMA has agreed to buy out each individual property. This way residents who were affected by the flood can relocate to a higher area outside of town.

“I was lucky,” said Princeville resident Walter Foreman. “I live higher than other people so I don’t have much to complain about.”

Foreman lives on the outskirts of town and enjoys fishing in the Tar River. Foreman admits that he’s unsure if people will move back to Princeville. In 1999 flood victims weren’t given the option to have FEMA buy their property, but now they do.

With most of the town uninhabited, displaced residents are occupying hotels and living with relatives. FEMA has offered to buy properties in the flood zone at a, “fair market price,” but some people are worried they won’t get enough to relocate.

“How much you think they’re gonna pay for a house that’s been underwater twice?” he asked.

Since the flooding of Princeville FEMA and

In an Interview with North State Journal Mayor of Princeville Bobbie Jones said,

“We will rebuild,” “The heart of Princeville is to stay where it is. Our ancestors’ blood, sweat and tears built this town. If we move, what does that say about the sacrifice and work of the freed slaves who established us?”