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WithersRavenel received the North Carolina Chapter of the American Public Works Association (APWA-NC) Stormwater Project of the Year Award in the Natural Systems category for its work on the Duffyfield Stormwater Community Enhancements project in New Bern, NC.
The award was presented during the 2026 APWA-NC Stormwater Division Conference, held September 13–15 in Winston-Salem, NC.
Developed in response to years of severe flooding in the Greater Duffyfield community, the project demonstrates how local governments can pair essential stormwater improvements with environmental, recreational, and economic benefits.
Hurricane Florence brought widespread flooding and damage to New Bern in September 2018, underscoring the need for long-term hazard mitigation. The City of New Bern subsequently developed its Resiliency and Hazard Mitigation Plan, which identified the Duffyfield project as its highest-priority resiliency action.
WithersRavenel began working with the City in 2020, providing stormwater engineering, utilities design, stormwater modeling, and funding administration across three project phases. The work included rehabilitating and expanding the Biddle Street stormwater wet pond and pump station, installing approximately 2,300 linear feet of stormwater force main, and creating approximately 5–6 acres of interconnected constructed wetlands.
The wetlands repurposed City-owned vacant parcels previously acquired through Federal Emergency Management Agency hazard mitigation programs. Targeted drainage improvements direct runoff into the system, while approximately 1,500 feet of multipurpose paths and boardwalks provide community access to the site’s native plantings and aquatic habitat. During construction, the project team also adjusted portions of the wetland design to preserve several mature oak trees.
Funding from North Carolina Emergency Management, the North Carolina Land and Water Fund, and American Rescue Plan Act appropriations through the Local Assistance for Stormwater Infrastructure Investments program supported the project. Although each phase carried separate funding requirements, the City and project team approached the improvements as one connected stormwater system.
Completed between May 2025 and January 2026, the improvements capture runoff from approximately 59 acres and account for anticipated development within the drainage area. The system is designed to reduce nuisance flooding and flood duration, improve water quality, enhance wildlife habitat, and support continued investment in the Duffyfield community.
The APWA-NC recognition celebrates what is possible when resiliency, environmental stewardship, and community needs shape a project together. What began as a response to devastating flooding now stands as a lasting asset for Duffyfield, helping protect the neighborhood while creating a place residents can walk, gather, and enjoy.
