Pigeon River Fund: Recent Grants

Recent Grants

Pigeon River Fund – Spring 2011 Grants

Green Opportunities - $25,000 toward seed funding for the “GO Water Team” training program and social enterprise that will focus on storm water management projects including installation of landscape features in Asheville residential neighborhoods and restoring functions to poorly maintained stormwater installations in Buncombe County . Green Opportunities is a social justice training program that provides job and life skill training to disadvantaged youth and adults for green collar jobs. This project is a pilot to expand the job training from energy efficiencies/conservation related careers to jobs addressing water quality issues. Twenty trainees in outreach to homeowners in order to install 20 new stormwater installations and upgrade/maintain 12 existing others. The project will also develop a business plan for the social enterprise for GO to continue the program in future.

Haywood Community College Foundation - $8,523 toward plant materials, supplies and educational signage for several stormwater management installations to be developed as the first phase of a campus wide hydrology enhancement project. This project engages students learning about environmental and low impact development in projects that will integrate classroom lessons with hands-on experiential demonstration projects that address stormwater management issues on campus.

Haywood County Schools Foundation - $23,000 to continue support of the Water Quality Curriculum Coordinator for Haywood County Schools. Since 1997, PRF has funded efforts to integrate water quality education into the curriculum of 5 th and 8 th grade students. The coordinator works with classroom teachers and community resources to provide hands-on learning activities featuring local water quality issues. These lessons are coordinated with the standard course of study for science and annually impacts more than 600 students in Haywood County . A special teacher training workshop in August introduces classroom activities and curriculum materials to elementary and middle school teachers which will be expanded to ninth grade teachers and open to teachers from Buncombe and Madison counties.

HIGHTS - $4,400 to support a program that will engage 24 youth with (10) monthly experiential learning activities focused on water quality. These “at-risk” youth are receiving counseling or supportive services to address social behavior issues affecting their success in school through other programs. HIGHTS (Helping Inspire Gifts of Hope Trust and Service) staff works with these youth to provide outdoor adventure challenges as part of life training. Haywood Waterways Association will assist in the project by identify specific community service projects (like trash pick-up in streams) and water quality awareness training (VWIN monitoring) with costs for equipment provided by the grant.

Mountain Valley Resource and Development Council - $27,950 to complete a major stream restoration and stabilization project located at the Beech Glen Community Center in Madison County . In the summer of 1998 while nearby I-26 was under constructions, a thunderstorm event caused a debris blockage that transitioned the stream bed above the Community Center into a field, with a meandering stream that is scouring the stream bank causing major sedimentation issues of the Little Ivy watershed. DENR staff has assessed the situation and developed a plan to re-route approximately 1000 ft of stream back to more a natural state (straighter) and install stabilization features to reduce the significant sedimentation problems. With the completion of Hwy 19E construction and this stream restoration project, the Little Ivy Creek water quality is expected to be significantly improved. The PRF funds are needed to fully fund the project and expedite use of $60,000 in Ag. Cost share funds and land owners contributions.

Mountain Valley Resource and Development Council - $32,500 to work with Madison and Buncombe counties, Town of Mars Hill and Weaverville, Madison SWCD and Buncombe SWCD and local residents to develop a Source Water Protection Plan for the Ivy River Watershed. This plan is required to document water quality issues, identify priority projcts for future collaborative efforts by the affected communities that will improve and protect the water supply for major sections of these counties. Although the Ivy River has been designated a water supply watershed, sections are rated as impaired and increasing development will cause additional problems. The SWPP will be a watershed management tool that identifies priority projects and will be the basis for funding requests.

Southwestern NC Resource Conservation and Development Council - $20,000 to continue a project in the Bethel Community encouraging conservation of rural lands to improve water quality of the Upper Pigeon River in Haywood County. By maintaining priority lands along the watershed in natural, working farm or other rural conditions, the project will help maintain higher water quality and capacity to moderate both heavy flood and drought conditions. Funds will support targeted outreach and conservation option planning for individual landowners and public education efforts to implement best management practices.

Western NC Alliance - $11,940 to support a revitalized WNC Stream Monitoring Information Exchange (SMIE) project at the new Environmental Quality Institute (EQI). The project will provide volunteer monitors with proper training in identification of “bugs” and what presence/lack of certain species indicates for water quality Volunteers also need to be recruited, provided supplies and assigned sites to monitor to provide consistent trend information. Grant funds will support the coordination and training of volunteers along with development of a DVD video of the classification section of the training. This monitoring along with the existing VWIN program will be especially important over the next few years to replace reduced monitoring by NC DENR staff.

Pigeon River Fund – Fall 2010 Grants

Seven projects totaling $ 142,870 were approved by the PRF Board on November 3, 2010

Haywood Waterways Association - $49,500 to support coordinated community efforts to address water quality issues especially non-point source pollution, implement the Haywood Watershed Action Plan, and increase public appreciation of water resources through educational programs and publications. Over the past eleven years, HWA has been the lead organization to focus attention on the Pigeon River Basin and leveraged at least $ 6.0 million in other grant funds for water quality improvement projects. Programs like Kids in the Creek, local publications and presentations have informed the public of the local issues and actions needed to reduce the impact from storm water runoff or other polluting situations. Funds will partially support staff and program costs to enable HWA to continue to provide these administrative and educational services to benefit Haywood County and the region.

Haywood Waterways Association - $15,676 toward costs of repairing five failing septic systems in the Richland Creek area of Haywood County . NC DENR's Wastewater Discharge Elimination (WaDE) program works with local partners to identify and repair failing septic systems. Door to door surveys are conducted and referrals from the local departments identify failing septic system. Funds from PRF will be used to assist homeowners that do not qualify for the state funded program, and can not afford the repairs themselves. Since 2006 HWA has secured and distributed $41,755 for similar projects primarily in Hyatt Creek area.

Haywood Waterways Association - $3,000 to purchase water rain barrels as part of Haywood County 's Green Initiative with partner organizations (Greater Haywood County Chamber of Commerce, Haywood Community College and NC Cooperative Extension). Sedimentation from stormwater runoff (including roofs of buildings) and excessive use of water in households and businesses impact water quality and quantity (especially during droughts). Rain barrels will be purchased through NC Cooperative Extension from Corrective Enterprises (cost of $40 each) and HWA will work with the Coop Extension and the Chamber to distribute these at $75 each. To perpetuate the project $40 from the each sale will be used to purchase additional barrels. HWA and Cooperative Extension will conduct at least one workshop on rain barrels in the next eight months to increase public awareness of this option.

RiverLink, Inc. - $25,000 to develop and produce an online manual on recommended stormwater improvements for residential situations. The online manual will provide user-friendly information to target the understanding, designing, regulations, permits and construction of residential stormwater features. RiverLink will also work with local realtors, local municipalities and other organizations (WNC Green Building Council) to disseminate this information. In the first year, RiverLink plans to create the on-line manual, engage 100 homeowners in outreach/training programs and certify 75 homes by December 2011. RiverLink considers the PRF grant as launching the program – providing opportunity to develop the manual and evaluate the program. RiverLink plans to seek additional funding with the documented results to continue and expand the program throughout the watershed.

Southwestern NC Resource Conservation and Development Council - $16,700 toward a public access project on Jonathan Creek featuring a handicapped accessible fishing pier to be designed and constructed by N.C. Wildlife Resource Commission. PRF Grant funds would partially cover costs for a gravel parking lot and asphalt walking track that would provide public access for recreational activities. This opportunity developed as part of the plan for Haywood EMC's new office (opened July 2009) in Jonathan Creek area of Haywood County . Haywood EMC owns 5 acres of undeveloped land along the creek and plans to create a walking trail for employee health/wellness on this property. HEMC will partner with the Haywood County Recreation Department to make the “park” accessible to the public and include the handicapped accessible fishing pier in the project.

Southwestern NC Resource Conservation and Development Council – $8,000 for second year support of area and statewide participation by middle and high school students in “Envirothon”. Envirothon is a national year round program involving local Soil and Water Conservation District educators in classroom instruction and competitive team preparation. Local teams compete at the annual area competition in early spring held in Waynesville and selected winners advance to the state and sometimes national level. Funds will cover travel and competition costs for youth from Haywood, Madison and Buncombe counties.

Western Carolina University - $24,994 to develop an integrated curriculum to train high school students in the collection, manipulation and interpretation of water quality data in conjunction with faculty from Tuscola High School . This project will engage 500 high school students during the 2011-2012 school year as part of their science classes and increase their awareness of local watershed water quality issues with hands-on experiences integrated into the curriculum. WCU's Institute of Watershed Research and Management proposes a pilot effort that will provide access to advanced data collection equipment for the students to use in field monitoring. Besides the equipment, a key component to make this a real learning experience will be the development of classroom activities using the data collected to assess water quality and understand impact of events and possible interventions to improve. A special summer workshop is planned involving WCU faculty and four Tuscola HS faculty to develop a comprehensive set of exercises integrated to the 9 th -12 grade science curriculum.

Pigeon River Fund – Spring 2010 Grants
Five projects totaling $ 112,495 were approved by the PRF Board on May 5, 2010.

Haywood County Schools Foundation - $25,000 to support the Water Quality Curriculum Coordinator for Haywood County Schools. Since 1997, PRF has funded efforts to integrate water quality education into the curriculum of 5 th and 8 th grade students. The coordinator works with classroom teachers and community resources to provide hands-on learning activities featuring local water quality issues. These lessons are coordinated with the standard course of study for science and annually impacts more than 600 students in Haywood County . A special teacher workshop in August introduces classroom activities and curriculum materials to elementary and middle school teachers, and then the coordinator can assist teachers with implementation in the classroom. A committee with teachers and community resources will be developing on-line curriculum materials to facilitate access for all teachers to lesson plans and activities.

Southwestern NC Resource Conservation and Development Council - $25,000 to continue a project in the Bethel Community encouraging conservation of rural lands to improve water quality of the Upper Pigeon River in Haywood County. By maintaining priority lands along the watershed in natural, working farm or other rural conditions, the project will help maintain higher water quality and capacity to moderate both heavy flood and drought conditions. In response to the floods of September 2004, the Bethel Rural Community Organization has developed a Conservation Plan for the Riparian and Floodplain Corridor from Lake Logan to Canton . Part of the strategies are to facilitate landowners of rural or working lands to maintain these lands as natural buffers to stormwater runoff and maximize replenishment of ground water during droughts. Funds will support targeted outreach and conservation option planning for individual landowners and public education efforts to implement best management practices. Over the past 4 years this project has already enrolled 750 acres in the 10 year Enhanced Voluntary Agricultural District program and over 200 acres of conservation easements, including securing grant funding for those easements (worth over $500,000).

Southwestern NC Resource Conservation and Development Council - $22,495 to continue support for contract staff to provide GIS Mapping of projects in the Pigeon River Watershed of Haywood County. The part-time GIS/Field Technician provides mapping assistance for grant applications and project management that expedites development and installation of water quality best management practices in the watershed. These maps have significantly contributed to the Watershed Action Plan developed by Haywood Waterways Association and interpretation of TVA's Integrated Pollutant Source Identification (IPSI) data to identify priority projects for grant applications or provide visual presentation for local planning and analysis. Mapping of multiple data layers has also contributed to work in farmland preservation, stream bank improvements and pre-development assessment to minimize environmental impact of residential construction.

NC DENR – Waste Water Discharge Elimination Program - $15,000 toward contract staff to provide digital mapping and reporting related to the survey and septic repair program operated by the Wastewater Discharge Elimination (WaDE) program. The WaDE program identified violations of failed septic systems or straight-piping and offers to low income property owners funding to correct the waste water discharge problems. While state and federal funding provide some staffing and repairs costs, these funds are needed to continue critical data analysis and reporting between grant projects. The GIS mapping expertise would also be available to local water quality partners in the Pigeon River Fund area.

Western NC Alliance - $25,000 toward start-up costs to re-establish the Environmental Quality Institute (EQI) Lab to provide local, affordable testing and reporting for the Volunteer Water Information Network (VWIN). Until August 2009, when UNC-Asheville decided to discontinue the EQI project on campus, this lab has provided detailed analysis and trends on water quality in many of the counties of WNC. This information is used by local organizations like Haywood Waterways Association, Madison County Soil and Water Conservation District and MSD, with data to make the case for grants and to report on accomplishments. A former staff person of EQI at UNCA has developed a business plan for reestablishing EQI as a separate nonprofit to continue the service and work with partner organizations to improve the trend analysis for community understanding of water quality issues. UNCA has promised to work with the new EQI in providing lab equipment and revenue. Other start-up funds have been requested from Z Smith Reynolds Foundation to enable the lab to re-open in summer 2010.

Pigeon River Fund – Fall 2009 Grants
Eight projects totaling $151,764 were approved by the PRF Board on November 4, 2009.

Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy - $20,000 to complete stormwater wetland construction, educational signage and conservation easement expenses as part of a greenway extension along Cane Creek in the Town of Fletcher. The Town of Fletcher has secured $465,000 of federal stimulus and state funds toward the construction of the greenway extension to install special stormwater management features and educational signage as part of the project, which is an additional 1/3 of mile along Cane Creek

Francine Delany New School for Children - $12,000 towards start-up cost for a special water quality outreach project for 8th graders at this charter school in West Asheville. School staff working with RiverLink and Buncombe County Soil and Water District educators will supplement the science curriculum regarding local water quality issues and options for citizens to address problems in their communities. As part of their service learning, students will monitor water quality and map streams. They will share their knowledge through website postings with residents of West Asheville. After the first year, the school plans to continue this service learning project as part of the 8th grade science curriculum.

Haywood Waterways Association- $49,500 to support coordinated community efforts to address water quality issues especially non-point source pollution, implement the Haywood Watershed Action Plan, and increase public appreciation of water resources through educational programs and publications. Over the past ten years, HWA has been the lead organization to focus attention on the Pigeon River Basin and leveraged $5.7 million in other grant funds for water quality improvement projects. Programs like Kids in the Creek, local publications and presentations inform the public of the local issues and actions needed to reduce the impact from storm water runoff or other polluting situations. Funds will partially support staff and program costs to enable HWA to continue to provide these administrative and educational services to benefit Haywood County and the region.

Haywood Waterways Association- $15,000 for advanced lab analysis from selected wells to test the impact of failed septic systems on ground water in the Hyatt Creek area. This is part of a collaborative project involving Haywood Waterways, NC Division of Water Quality, NC Division of Environmental Health Wastewater Discharge Elimination Program (WaDE), and the U.S. Geological Survey.

Madison County Soil and Water Conservation District- $14,900 to install a pilot demonstration “mycofiltration” project to manage stormwater runoff at an agricultural site on Gabriel’s Creek in Mars Hill. The project adapts an innovative low cost practice of using mycofiltration installations to intercept and filter overland flows from stormwater runoff.

Madison County Soil and Water Conservation District - $7,344 to cover lab analysis cost as part of effort to maintain a database of water quality monitoring at selected in-stream sites across the county. This data is often used to support grant requests or document improvement of water quality that leverage federal and state funding for major projects

Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy - $25,000 to support landowner outreach and education efforts to encourage land conservation as part of a farmland preservation initiative in rural Spring Creek community of Madison County. This project builds on a similar successful effort in the Sandymush/Newfound Gap area of Buncombe County that has resulted in Buncombe County and state funding to protect significant acres of working farmland. This effort is one tool in an effort to preserve working farms that practice best practices of agriculture (and/or forest) management for both economic and environmental sustainability. The targeted 1,261 acres in Spring Creek would protect almost 10 miles of streams, reducing sedimentation and pollution resulting from development.

Southwestern NC Resource Conservation and Development Council – $8,020 for support of area and statewide participation by middle and high school students in “Envirothon”. Envirothon is a national year round program involving local Soil and Water Conservation District educators in classroom instruction and competitive team preparation. Local teams compete at the annual area competition in early spring held in Waynesville and selected winners advance to the state and sometimes national level. Funds will cover travel and competition costs for youth from Haywood, Madison and Buncombe counties.

Recent_Grants