Upper Catawba
Information about issues in the Upper Catawba River Basin, including Johns River, Wilson Creek, and Linville River.
- Globe Valley
- The Globe Valley is a particularly scenic and almost pristine valley located between Blowing Rock and Grandfather Mountain. The valley contains the headwaters of the Johns River.
- Wastewater Treatment Plants
- Wastewater treatment plants in the upper basin are facing development pressures to keep up with the rising demand for wastewater treatment. Currently, wastewater treatment plants provide an approved method for treating raw sewage coming from industrial and residential projects. However, rising demands for more development in these areas put a strain on the amount of wastewater a particular plant can handle on a daily basis.
- Nutrients from Nursery Operations
- Local nursery operations also create very important issues concerning the upper Catawba basin. Nurseries throughout the basin contribute to eutrophication by using fertilizers containing phosphates. Runoff water from local nurseries has created many environmental issues, especially with sediment and other nutrients filling into nearby streams.
- Steep Slope Development in the Upper Catawba
- There are many areas in the upper Catawba Basin that are being faced with increased development pressure. Many of these potential development areas are along steep slopes located in the headwaters of the drainage basin. Continued development in these areas will greatly increase the amount of runoff water and sediment entering the drainage basin. If steep slope development is left unregulated it can negatively impact the riverbed over time.
- Steep Slopes Asheville NC
- Photo of steep slopes in Asheville NC.
- Corpening Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant
- Photo of the Corpening Creek wastewater treatment plant.
- Greenhouse
- Nursery greenhouse in North Carolina.
- Hunting Creek - Morganton Area
- In many ways, Hunting Creek is an example of the issues threatening the upper Catawba Basin. The creek begins in rural areas with steep slopes and passes through suburban and urban development in Morganton. The creek is impaired as a result of a variety of contributing factors including stormwater runoff, and excess nutrients. The Hunting Creek Partnership was created to address the problems.
- The Story of the Hunting Creek Watershed
- Powerpoint presentation on issues facing Hunting Creek and proposed solutions.
- Lower Creek
- Lower Creek runs from near Lenoir to Lake Rhodhiss. The stream is impaired due to sewage, runoff, and a variety of other problems. The Lower Creek Advisory Committee, of which Catawba Riverkeeper is a member, is working to address the problems and restore the stream.
- Presentation to Lower Creek Advisory Team
- Powerpoint presenation containing information about Lower Creek
- Map of Lower Creek
- Map of Lower Creek with impaired segments in red.
- Forest Service Announces Meeting Dates on New Forest Management Plan
- The USFS has set the meeting times and places (also listed below) for the start of their plan to revise the management plans for the Pisgah and Nantahala Forests in North Carolina. It is important that conservationists provide input into the revision of these management plans because the next 15 years of US Forest Service activities will be guided by the contents of the Plan. We need to be sure that water and other ecological considerations are given full consideration with other values as the Plan is developed.
