Stormwater Survey Work Notice

Published on June 30, 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:

Aerial Elevation Survey

Representatives from the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) will be conducting an Elevation Survey, using a special WingtraRay VTOL drone equipped with LiDAR technology, similar to the one pictured below. Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology uses pulsed lasers to measure distances and build extremely precise, three-dimensional models of environments, similar to the spatial measuring technology found in ground-based survey equipment, construction tools, and even smartphones or augmented reality (AR) games.

The drone that will be used is a large, fixed-wing aircraft featuring a 4.5' wingspan and the ability to accurately capture data while flying in sustained winds 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.

Stormwater Survey

Started on June 22, 2026, two survey crews from the Ardurra Group North Carolina (“Ardurra”) are currently 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. This work will also include preparing a Capital Improvement Plan focused on flood mitigation strategies.

The survey work being performed by Ardurra is part of the Conditions Assessment, and includes ALL of the Towns stormwater infrastructure, such as 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 began in Zone 3A as noted on the Field Work Map above, and is proceeding EAST through Zones 3 & 4, after which it will move to Zone 2 and work westward. To ensure work is completed as safe and quickly as possible, please DO NOT stop or interrupt workers, or try to speak with them while performing their duties.

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