Recreation Depends on Clean Water

Recreation Depends on Clean WaterMOUNTAIN WATER STEWARDSHIP

By Dave Russell

Millions of Americans enjoy recreation around water, whether it is a picnic by a lake, fishing at a stream, kayaking on a river, or swimming in the ocean. Pollution in the water can be a threat to our health and the health of our family and friends. Clean water in streams and wetlands means cleaner water downstream where we live, work, and play. Consider that each year about 33 million Americans go fishing and about 19 million people go paddling in kayaks, canoes, rafts, or standup paddleboards.

RiverLink works hard for clean water. It’s one of the cornerstones of our mission. The Ross Creek Stormwater Improvement Project provides one example of how we accomplish that mission. Ross Creek begins its journey to the Gulf of Mexico in the mountains of Chunn’s Cove just to the east of Asheville. It flows into Kenilworth Lake, then into the Swannanoa, the French Broad, Douglas Lake, the Tennessee, the Ohio, the Mighty Mississippi and into the Gulf. How many fishing lines are in the water along that course?

Ross Creek is an urban stream, absorbing runoff from Tunnel Road, one of Asheville’s main thoroughfares. Every drop of oil, every cigarette butt, every piece of trash tossed out a car window flows downhill into Ross Creek. Since 1995, Ross Creek has been designated as impaired by the EPA and NCDENR Division of Water Quality.  Stormwater best management practices (BMPs), stream enhancement and conservation of the stream riparian corridor will improve the water quality in Ross Creek, through reducing stormwater runoff and filtering runoff through soil prior to entering the stream.

The goals of the Ross Creek Stormwater Improvement Project are:

  • Provide treatment of stormwater originating from roofs, parking lots and roadways
  • Installation of a vegetated wet swale and stream bank enhancement at St. Luke’s Church, to provide treatment of runoff, reduce erosion, and reduce flooding
  • Installation of Wetland and stream improvements at Lakewood Dr. and Waverly Dr. in Kenilworth, to provide treatment of runoff, reduce erosion, and reduce flooding
  • Provide expanded educational opportunities for the community
  • Place “Flows to Waterways/Don’t Pollute” placards on storm drains

Cleaning up Ross Creek might seem like a small drop in a very big bucket, but just imagine if RiverLink and similar organizations were able to do this for every tributary of the French Broad. For every little stream in the watershed… the country!

When looking at making charitable donations, consider an organization that works for improved water quality. It’s a gift that pays dividends now and long into the future.

river-link
Dave Russell is the Volunteer Services Manager at RiverLink, 828-252-8474, Ext. 11, or dave@riverlink.org. To find out more about RiverLink and its many programs championing Western North Carolina waterways, visit http://riverlink.org.