Damage from Helene: Hellbenders may get endangered species listing
By now, the story of Hurricane Helene is a tragically familiar one: the endless rain, the swollen rivers, the angry water indiscriminately destroying lives and homes. The storm killed more than 230 people across five states, including 104 confirmed dead in North Carolina and 18 in Tennessee.
Troxler encourages watershed protection applications
N.C. Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler encourages communities impacted by Hurricane Helene to apply for the Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) program, which responds to emergencies created by natural disasters. It is not necessary for a national emergency to be declared for an area to be eligible for assistance.
House passes bill providing millions to dams, flood mitigation in WNC
A bill approved by Congress last week will provide money for improvements to the nation’s ports and harbors; inland waterway navigation; flood and storm protection; and other aspects of the nation’s waterways.
NCDEQ provides funding to reduce flood risks
North Carolina’s Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Flood Resiliency Blueprint is providing funding to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS), Division of Soil and Water Conservation Streamflow Rehabilitation Assistance Program (StRAP) to implement stream debris and sediment removal projects.
State of the waterways: New report details potential impacts of ordinance revisions
The Macon County Commission decided this month to delay consideration of changes to its watershed and floodplain ordinances until at least the new year, in part due to the organization of a Water Quality Advisory Committee and its new report on the state of Macon County waterways.
Delayed harvest fishing regulations begin
The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) will implement Delayed Harvest Trout Waters regulations on 34 trout waters beginning Oct. 1.
Volunteers needed for the ‘Big Sweep’ stream cleanup
Haywood Waterways is calling for volunteers to take part in a county-wide cleanup event that removes tons of trash from local waterways and roadways.
Volunteers needed for Little Tennessee
Mainspring Conservation Trust seeks volunteers to participate in the annual Little Tennessee River Cleanup starting at 9 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 14.
Want to monitor water quality?
In 1996, the Volunteer Water Information Network (VWIN) program was established as a water quality monitoring program for many Western North Carolina counties. In Haywood County, Haywood Waterways Association manages 25 sites on 19 streams. The program’s purpose is to provide long term water quality monitoring information to help leverage grant funding for water quality improvement projects.
Macon passes soil erosion and sedimentation control ordinance revisions
Macon County approved revisions to its soil erosion and sedimentation control ordinance despite an outpouring of opposition from the public — so much so that not everyone who had signed up to speak on the issue at the Aug. 13 meeting was able to do so.
