Upper Broad River Watershed Protection Program

What is the most beautiful stream you have ever seen in Western North Carolina? What did it look like? Was the water crystal clear? What did the stream banks look like? Were they nicely manicured and mowed? Were there lots of trees and shrubs growing? Was there shade over the water or was it in open sunlight? Were there lots of rocks in the streambed? People have different perceptions of what a stream should look like. This is evident if you drive through the watershed and notice the areas where the river or a small tributary flows through someone's yard, pasture, or field. The differences will amaze you. Appearance is important in determining the health of a particular stream. Clear water means that there are very few suspended particles in the water. Clear water usually means that there is a substantial riparian buffer throughout the watershed. A riparian buffer is the area along a stream where the vegetation is strongly influenced by the presence of water. This vegetation acts as a filtering system by capturing storm water as it runs off, trapping the sediment that it is carrying, and allowing the water to flow into the stream clean and pure. This mixture of native trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants provides shade to the stream which keeps water temperatures and algae levels low. This is good for fish, salamanders, and aquatic invertebrates. The presence of abundant rock and clean pebbles is essential for aquatic life. Small particle substrates such as sand and silt that are often present in storm water can cover up the larger stones, reducing the amount of habitat. Streams should also have both fast-moving stretches and slow pools. The fast moving water increases oxygen levels, while slower moving pools provide fish spawning grounds and feeding areas for both vertebrates and invertebrates. Finally, there should be plenty of natural debris (leaf litter, branches, etc.) that provides food for many of the aquatic organisms. This is the ideal appearance of a stream.

 

The streams in the Upper Broad River watershed are suffering. In fact, because of the amount of sediment going into the Broad River, its future as trout waters is uncertain. The Upper Broad River Watershed Protection Program (UBRWPP) was put together with the sole purpose of protecting soil and water resources in our watershed. The program is designed to provide landowners with technical assistance and advice that is free and non-regulatory. The program offers financial incentives for landowners interested in fixing existing erosion problems.

 

The Upper Broad River Watershed Protection Program (UBRWPP) began when a committee of concerned citizens, town representatives, business owners, and agencies got together to address the concerns of excessive sediment going into the Broad River and Lake Lure as a result of major storms and floods (particularly the 1996 Flood). This committee, known as the Upper Broad River Watershed Protection Committee, was able to acquire the two grants through the help of Mountain Valleys Resource Conservation and Development Council. The money from those grants were used to implement erosion control measures throughout the watershed through volunteer landowner participation, to acquire conservation easements in order to protect the riparian buffers, and to inform and assist the citizens of our watershed.

 

The Upper Broad River Watershed Protection Program is going strong. On December 31, 2003, the first grant from the North Carolina Clean Water Management Trust Fund ended. The North Carolina EPA Section 319(h) NPS program came to an end in September of 2003. Since the program began in 1999, it has had some huge successes and has made some astounding efforts to protect water quality in the Upper Broad River Watershed.

 

The Upper Broad River Watershed Protection Program has written 118 conservation plans for interested landowners, 56 of which have been implemented. Under those 56 conservation plans, erosion control measures were established over approximately 50 acres, the smallest of these being about .01 acres and the largest being around 5 acres. So far protected 63.33 acres of riparian buffer along major tributaries in the watershed (Cane Creek, Wolf Creek, and Pool Creek).

 

The Upper Broad River Watershed Protection Program (UBRWPP) also has a website that was designed with the intention of not only getting the word out about the services that are offered, but also gives people resources for information and technical expertise. The homepage has links to all of the partner organizations that work with the UBRWPP. There is a weather link so you can see what the current conditions are in Lake Lure. This can be helpful information when you are concerned with erosion and sedimentation problems. There is a history page that tells about how the organization came to be and what has been accomplished. There are links to state and federal agencies, county governments, other watershed groups, to educational materials, and more. There is a photo gallery that includes photos from all over the watershed. There are pictures of projects that we have been worked on in the past, pictures of particular erosion control measures, and photos intended to increase awareness and appreciation for the natural resources found in our area. The UBRWP website address is www.upperbroadriver.org. In addition, There is a watershed video available for use in presentations and a Watershed Protector's Handbook that is available for anyone who is interested.

 

The Upper Broad River Watershed Protection Program is now operating on two new grants from Clean Water and EPA 319(h). If you have an existing erosion problem that predates 2003, we can help you. Our cost share program is designed to help landowners fix problems that they may not be able to afford to fix on their own. Remember, erosion affects everyone. If you have questions or would like to find out more about our program, please contact Clint Calhoun at 828-625-9983, ext. 123 or send an email to ECO@TownofLakeLure.com.