Minor flooding expected in Pender County this week

The National Weather Service expects the areas along the Black River and Northeast Cape Fear River to crest in a couple days.

PENDER COUNTY — A minor flood warning was sent out Monday morning by the Pender County Emergency Management Team.

Areas along the Black River and Northeast Cape Fear River could experience minor flooding next week, according to readings of flood gauges from the National Weather Service and NOAA. The National Weather Service has issued a flood warning, starting at 7 p.m. Monday until further notice.

According to the local National Weather Service, this is the first flood warning sent out in Pender County since Hurricane Dorian in September. Rain from last week in the area, and counties further west, have caused this concern.

“In the case of Burgaw, it‘s a coastal basin that runs up through Pender County and into Sampson and Duplin County,” said Rick Neuherz with the Wilmington National Weather Service. “This is a combination of rain in Pender County and in those other neighboring counties, which got a bit more rain last week.”

There is already minor flooding along the Cape Fear River, with the closest gauge of 9.4 feet around Burgaw. The river is forecast to crest in about 2-3 days at 11.1 feet, according to the National Weather Service. For reference, the river crested above 25 feet during Hurricane Florence.

Pender County Emergency Management said that when the river rises to 8 feet, the lowest portions of River Bend Road and River Birch Road are impacted. Minor flooding of roads in the River Bend and River Birch subdivisions, as well as Croomsbridge Road west of NC 53, begin flooding as well.

At 11 feet, these areas, plus Old Maple Hill Road, are impacted and can become impassable. The Black River is also rising; however, at this time no homes will be impacted.

Weather forecasts call for more rains on Tuesday and Thursday of this week.

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