E. coli testing yields mixed results in Little Tennessee, Hiawassee watersheds
Halfway through the season for its weekly E. coli sampling program in Western North Carolina swimming holes, MountainTrue reported 11 sites in the Hiawassee and Little Tennessee river basins that passed all seven tests and six locations that failed all tests.
‘Hard to believe’: Downstream fish populations explode following mill closure
When the impending closure of Canton’s paper mill was announced in March, conservation professionals predicted a swift improvement in downstream water quality once papermaking stopped.
What’s left behind: Canton mill closure leaves complex environmental footprint
The paper mill has been closed for years now, but the cleanup is ongoing.
Water monitoring available for local swim holes
Make sure the water’s clean before taking a swim using the Swim Guide app, a resource offering a weekly update on E. coli levels in water recreation areas across the region.
Forest loss could harm water quality, study finds
A new study from researchers focusing on the forest-water connection in the Southern U.S. found that, over the coming decades, many forested watersheds could be lost to development, lowering water quality and raising water treatment costs.
Coalition nears fundraising goal for Ela Dam removal
A coalition working to remove the aged Ela Dam in Swain County has raised $8 million of an estimated $10 million needed to complete the project.
Evergreen logs nine environmental violations in 18 months
Sept. 27, 2021, was a day of constant phone calls and email notifications for Brendan Davey, regional supervisor at the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality office in Asheville.
Violations issued by DEQ for Waynesville Golf project
Complaints by a neighbor about sediment in a creek have resulted in two notices of violation being issued to the new owners of the Waynesville Inn and Golf Club by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality.
Haywood Waterways director moves on
Nearly two decades ago, Eric Romaniszyn joined the nonprofit world as the new project manager for Haywood Waterways Association .
End in sight for long-running Haywood landfill debacle
Work to remediate a leaky, gassy mound just northeast of Waynesville that has been nothing but an expensive headache for generations of Haywood County elected officials has finally reached substantial completion.
