The Pigeon River Fund has been providing
grants for water quality improvement projects in Haywood, Buncombe
and Madison counties since Spring 1996. A recent review of project
impacts revealed the following key accomplishments. If you have
ideas for ways to improve water quality in your community, please
see our Grant Guidelines and consider applying for support. (For
detail on each grant awarded, see the Grant History page on this
site).
Leveraging
Projects that received a total of $1.2 million in “seed”
support from the Pigeon River Fund reported that they attracted
an additional $6.5 million in funding to continue or expand their
water quality work. This indicates that there are many more impacts
on water quality from larger dollars invested in Haywood, Buncombe
and Madison counties as a result of early Pigeon River Fund support.
Greenways
A total of nine miles of greenways are under development at eight
sites within the three-county area with Pigeon River Fund grants.
In addition, planning for start-up and expansion of greenways was
done at five sites (Asheville; Maggie Valley; Fletcher; Richland
Creek; and Canton). Again, these start-up and planning efforts are
spurring larger greenway efforts that protect water quality.
Public Use/Access
Public use and access has been increased at all the greenway sites
mentioned above as well as in the Graveyard Fields area of Haywood
County and at Woodfin (with a boating input).
Improved Water Quality/Decreased Pollution
In addition to targeted sediment and trash reduction, improved agricultural
practices, and vegetated buffers (listed elsewhere in this report),
the following are sites of significant water quality improvements:
- Newfound – Best Management Practices (BMPs)
installed/removal from 303D list
- Beaver Lake – eco-filter pond installed
- Madison Straightpipe Elimination – ongoing,
conversion to septic
- Buncombe – pesticide collection
- Wetland protection in Haywood and Buncombe
- Swannanoa Watershed – Urban homeowner BMPs
being negotiated
- Haywood Building Site Stabilization/seeding
- VWIN monitoring continues in Haywood and Buncombe
- Future improvements are being prioritized according
to results of Integrated Pollution Source Inventory analyses covering
Haywood and Madison counties, and the Ivy Watershed in Buncombe
County (all paid for with Pigeon River Fund grants)
Fish/Wildlife Habitat
- Greenway protection improves habitat over long-term
(including Speedway conversion)
- Expanded wetlands
- Wood duck habitats created
- Plunge pool fish habitats
- Trout population research helps guide state and
federal policies for stream restoration
Agricultural Practices
- Best management practices
- Dairy waste management
- Trout waste management
- 45 farm families recognized for stewardship practices
Reduced Sediment
Streambank stabilization in Buncombe (Newfound, Glenn Creek, Reed
Creek), Haywood (Cruso, Lake Junaluska, Richland Creek)
Education of building industry and public officials, engineers,
landscape architects, homeowners, and consideration of subdivision
ordinances to restrict road grades
Work with local erosion control officers and Division of Land Resources
to stop flow of sedimentation at 75+ construction sites
Trash Collection Along Waterways
Over 100 tons collected from Buncombe, Madison and Haywood counties
Vegetated Buffers
Buncombe – Newfound (8,070 ft.); Ross Creek (1,000 ft.); Amboy
Road (2.3 miles with other funding support);
Swannanoa (13,230 ft.)
Haywood – Hazlewood (200 ft.); Richland (209 ft.); Pigeon
River (1,000 ft.) plus 30- ¼ acre house sites and access
roads ($100 per owner cost share constributed) Thousands of trees
planted
Citizen Awareness
- Signage
- Citizen workshops
- Landowner/developer/government education
- Individual conservation plans for property owners
- Trout Festival attendees
- Newsletters
- Web information
- Farmer participation
- 3,000 + Kids in the Creek
- Other student involvement (clean-ups, “It’s
Up to Me and You” video presentations); VWIN activity
- And just being by the waterways in the three-county
area…
|
