Science Café: Planning for Flooding in the Neuse River Basin

Science Café is back at the Daily Planet Café on Thursday, October 15, from 7 to 8 PM. This one focuses on flood resilience in the Neuse River Basin, and it's part of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences' monthly series—after-hours gatherings where host Chris Smith leads informal presentations and conversations with guest experts on current science topics. The whole thing is free for all ages.

For this session, Smith is joined by Madison Teeter, a CFM Flood Resilience Planner, and Suna Rosenberg, a Flood Resiliency Program Consultant. They'll be talking through the Neuse River Basin's flood history and the mitigation options available to the region. It's a conversation that hits close to home for anyone who's seen how the river behaves around here.

The discussion draws on the state's first River Basin Action Strategy for the Neuse River Basin, which the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality released in July 2026. That strategy laid out 113 flood resilience actions, and they cover a wide range: structural and non-structural projects like stormwater improvements and roadway upgrades, nature-based solutions, floodproofing, and policy and planning initiatives. All of that came out of a basin-wide vulnerability assessment, a community capacity assessment, and a gap analysis, so the conversation should touch on where the region is most at risk and what's actually being done about it.

Since it's a Science Café, the format is loose—more of a conversation than a lecture, and you can ask questions as it goes. The Daily Planet Café serves a full menu throughout the evening, so you can grab a drink or a bite while you listen. It runs from 7 to 8 PM on Thursday, October 15, at 11 W. Jones St. in downtown Raleigh, and it's free for all ages.