Lake Hickory Covekeepers

Please check our calendar of events to confirm the time and location of the monthly Covekeeper meeting.

Our first group of Lake Hickory Covekeepers

The Lake Hickory Covekeepers are a diverse group of volunteers who care about the water quality of their watershed.  The covekeepers are responsible for patrolling the Catawba River, educating the public, and creating a network to increase protection efforts.

For more information about Lake Hickory click here.

Issues concerning the upper basin

-Wastewater Treatment Plants-

Rising demands from increased development make treating wasterwater extremely difficult.  If sewage treatment plants are not monitored and updated with new technology, rising demands can cause plants to have system overloads, mechanical breakdowns, or improper operation.  This can result in raw sewage overflow into the receiving water body.  In order to meet rising demands, upgrades to out-of-date wastewater treatment plants throughout the upper basin are necessary to maintain and improve water quality.  For more information about wastewater treatment plants click here.

-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.  For more information about local nursery operations click here.

-Steep Slope Development-

Many potential development areas are along steep slopes located in the headwaters of the upper Catawba 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.  For more information about steep slope development click here.

 Upcoming events

Nebo, NC – The 7th Annual Catawba River Festival will take place from 10am to 3pm on Saturday, September 18 at Lake James State Park in Nebo. This seventh annual community event will promote a greater appreciation of this vital resource. The Catawba River has shaped the economic vitality of the region and remains a public commons of immeasurable value. However, today the river faces competing inter...ests. The Catawba River supports multiple uses including power generation, public water supply, waste assimilation, recreation, as well as habitat for many populations of aquatic life. With increasing attention on the Catawba River’s challenges, efforts are underway to protect this valuable natural resource. This day-long event will highlight various ongoing projects and groups working to improve the quality of life along the river.

The event will take place at the new Paddy’s Creek section of Lake James State Park, which is located approximately 3 miles east of the current park, on State Highway 126. New facilities include a 700 foot swim beach, concession stand, 6,000 square foot bathhouse, 2 picnic shelters, individual picnic sites, 3 miles of hiking trails, and a 450 space parking lot.
A water derby is also planned for midday at the RiverFest which will involve an obstacle course and a lake race. Prizes for the derby will be offered in part by CBS Sports of Morganton, NC. Visitors are encouraged to bring their canoes and kayaks and participate in this competition which is open to all ages and levels of experience. A raffle is being conducted in conjunction with the festival for which there will be various prizes including 9.5 ft. Otter XT kayak. Tickets will be available for purchase at the event and at CBS Sports.

Big Sweep is an annual event where local volunteers and Lake Hickory Covekeepers work together to collect debris and trash from the water and shoreline of Lake Hickory.  Last year's Big Sweep was a huge success.  Thirty used tires and three dumpsters full of trash were removed from the lake and volunteers from many local schools participated.