This reporting project was made possible by a grant from the Fourth Estate Fund.
Rising Waters (Part I): How can communities prevent more houses from falling into the ocean?
Over the past couple of decades, many North Carolina beachfront houses have been lost to the Atlantic Ocean. As climate change brings rising sea levels, the search for solutions becomes more pressing.
Rising Waters (Part II): Ocean towns face more frequent and costly beach rebuilding projects
Beachgoers along the coast of the Carolinas are enjoying more sand with their surf this summer. Multi-million-dollar rebuilding projects the past couple of winters pumped sand from offshore to restore beaches ravaged by storms, erosion, and higher sea levels. The practice is getting more frequent and expensive, and some experts wonder how long we can sustain it.
Rising Waters (Part III): On the coast of the Carolinas, storms aren't the only flooding risk
Flooding during and after big storms is always a problem in North Carolina's coastal areas. But it's also a growing headache on clear days when high tides creep up over waterfronts, flow in through storm drains, and flood streets. Experts say high-tide flooding worsens with climate change and sea-level rise, causing more frequent flooding in coastal communities.
Rising Waters Recap: Journalist David Boraks discusses his reporting for WHQR's series
Over the last week, WHQR aired and published our three-part series, Rising Waters — which looked at several different ways climate change is impacting the Carolina Coast and the Cape Fear region. WHQR’s Ben Schachtman spoke with veteran climate reporter David Boraks about his reporting for this series.
Additional reporting:
- Report looks at options for preventing coastal North Carolina's homes from collapsing into the ocean: In a report released this week, a state and federal task force studying the problem of houses falling into the ocean suggests creating a new state-funded program and finding new funding sources to address properties at risk before they collapse.
- Work group puzzles over how to deal with NC beach houses at risk of falling into the ocean (2023): Coastal experts say North Carolina lacks the money and laws it needs to deal with hundreds of beachfront houses at risk of collapsing into the Atlantic Ocean because of sea level rise and erosion. A new state task force is looking for solutions.