Stormwater Survey Work Notice
Published on June 24, 2026
Throughout the months of July - August 2026, multiple survey projects will be conducted to assess and evaluate the stormwater systems servicing the Town of Oak Island. These projects will contribute to the development of a 5-Year Stormwater Master Plan:
Stormwater Survey
Starting on Monday, June 22, 2026, two survey crews from the Ardurra Group North Carolina (“Ardurra”) will be performing work to develop a Town-wide inventory of the existing stormwater system. This includes conducting a Stormwater Infrastructure Condition Assessment and a Stormwater Modeling Evaluation of the island portions of Town; which will also include preparing a Capital Improvement Plan focused on flood mitigation strategies.
As part of the assessment, Ardurra will be performing survey work on ALL of the Towns stormwater infrastructure, to include all ditches, pipes, outfalls, catch basins, and driveways. Workers in marked vehicles may be seen in the Town right-of-way (ROW) and other areas critical to managing stormwater runoff. These workers are gathering data to assess the condition of each stormwater asset, and are authorized by the Town of Oak Island to perform this work.
NOTE: Work will begin in Zone 3A as noted on the Field Work Map above, and proceed east through Zones 3 & 4 first, before moving on to Zone 2 and working westward. To ensure work is completed as safe and quickly as possible, please DO NOT stop or interrupt workers, to try to speak with them while performing their duties.
Aerial Elevation Survey
In last week's edition, the Town published a Stormwater Survey Work Notice being performed to support the development of a new 5-Year Stormwater Master Plan. Starting this week, nd continuing through the month of August, another component of that work will take to the skies through a special LiDar Aerial Elevation Survey.
Representatives from the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) will be conducting an Elevation Survey, using a special WingtraRay VTOL drone, similar to the one pictured below. This drone is a large, fixed-wing aircraft featuring a 4.5' wingspan and the ability to accurately capture data while flying in sustained windspeeds of up to 27 mph. Utilizing this drone method will allow work to be completed up to 30x faster than traditional, on the ground methods.
The scanning imagery it provides will be used to capture vegetation health and produce highly detailed topographic maps with digital elevation models. This data, along with the mapping generated, will be crucial in assessing drainage concerns and making recommendations on drainage projects moving forward.
IMPORTANT: Please DO NOT stop or interrupt drone pilots to try to speak with them while performing their duties, to help ensure work is completed as safe and quickly as possible. Additionally, DO NOT Interfere with the operation of this drone or attempt to damage it in any way. Doing so is illegal under federal law.
To learn more about this work, and the 5-Year Stormwater Master Plan it will support, just visit the dedicated page at OakIslandNC.gov/SWplan or click the link below.
CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE