The French Broad Watershed in North Carolina covers more than 2,800 square miles. In 2008, more than 15 percent of the streams in the watershed were impaired for bacterial pollution.
While bacterial pollution in the French Broad watershed is prevalent, it is largely undetected and therefore unresolved. Bacteria impairment is a significant health concern, as the presence of certain types of bacteria increases the likelihood of waterborne pathogens, increasing the risks to human and aquatic health. Despite the importance of understanding the effects of bacteria pollution, knowledge about its distribution is the key to reducing and preventing future pollution.
The Riverkeeper has developed a program that uses local volunteers to monitor fecal coliform levels in in the French Broad River and its surrounding tributaries. Samples are taken weekly and the results are postedhere in the Swim Guide,which was created to inform the public about the environmental safety of their local waterways. It helps users identify which waterways are safe for swimming and recreation. The French Broad Riverkeeper also uses the data from this program to identify areas of point-source pollution, and in turn, develops tactics to remediate these problems.
Bacteria in our streams come from a variety of sources, including leaking sewer lines, faulty septic systems, straight piped sewage, animal waste, agricultural runoff, and other point and non-point sources. Mountain True’s French Broad Riverkeeper is currently looking into the sources of pollution in Henderson and Buncombe counties. The Riverkeeper has developed a bacteria monitoring program that, with the help of volunteers, involves sampling for fecal coliform levels in the French Broad River and surrounding tributaries.
The presence of fecal coliform bacteria in water is a strong indicator of the presence of waterborne pathogens, such as giardia, cholera, and several other gastrointestinal diseases. However, while testing for specific diseases is expensive and not as accurate, the Riverkeeper tests for fecal coliforms and can identify the presence of E. coli, which can then be used to quantitatively express the quality of the water. Depending on the use of the stream, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) uses the # of E. coli/100 mL sample to identify whether a stream is impaired and unsuitable for fishing, swimming, and drinking, or if it is healthy.
Along with Waterkeeper Alliance’s Pure Farms Pure Watercampaign, the French Broad Riverkeeper is focusing bacterial sampling around Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) in Henderson and Buncombe counties. While other sources of pollution may be identified through sampling, CAFOs can contribute to bacteria pollution through leaks in waste storage lagoons, improperly discharging waste around streams, and waste runoff from rain and misapplication. The Riverkeeper identified four CAFOs last year that are contributing to high fecal coliform contamination. The Riverkeeper hopes to identify additional sources and work with known polluters to mitigate contamination in the future.
Check out the current EPA status of impaired streams in the French Broad Watershed to see which waterways are impaired near you.
Coal ash, which contains many of the world’s worst carcinogens, is what’s left over when coal is burnt for electricity. An estimated 113 million tons of coal ash are produced annually in the US, and stored in almost every state — some of it literally in people’s backyards. With very little government oversight and few safeguards in place, toxic chemicals have been known to leak from these storage sites and into nearby communities, contaminating drinking water and making residents sick. In the upcoming series, VICE News travels across the US to meet the people and visit the areas most affected by this toxic waste stream. Since coal production is predicted to remain steady for the next few decades, coal ash will be a problem that will affect the US for years to come.
MountainTrue needs volunteers paddle with our French Broad Riverkeeper and plant live trees along the riverbank as we go.
Each tree we plant will help to restore the bank’s stability and prevent sediment erosion into the French Broad River.
These “live-staking” outings will be from 9:30 a.m.—5 p.m. March 24. You can sign up for one day or all of them, and no experience is necessary.
MountainTrue will provide the boats (but if you have your own, you’re welcome to bring it) trees and tools. Just bring yourself and your lunch – and please wear what you need to be comfortable for a day on the river.
All of the outings will start at Headwaters Outfitters, located at 25 Parkway Road in Rosman. We’ll shuttle from there to the river put-in at Champion Park.
If you want to join us or want more information, please contact Assistant French Broad Riverkeeper Anna Alsobrook at Anna@mountaintrue.org. You may also call her at (828) 258-8737, ext. 212.
The Accent Triple Crown of Kayak Fishing is an online, photo-based tournament based in Asheville. The competition is May 15-16, with kayak anglers fishing for Smallmouth Bass, Panfish and Musky.
It’s as simple as submitting photos of fish caught on the tournament dates by following the rules here.
Anglers are invited to come fish the waters of the French Broad River in and near Asheville, but are not discouraged from fishing in other regions or states.
The weigh-in and award ceremony will be May 16 in Asheville, where anglers must be present to win. Prizes include a $1,000 cash purse from Accent Paddles and other great prizes from Astral, Jackson Kayak and more.
Event organizers will raffle the Coosa HD, a brand-new design for 2015. Read all about it at Jackson’s website.
Jackson Kayak is the exclusive boat sponsor for this event. Eric Jackson is a multiple-time World Champion Freestyle Kayaker, Olympic Slalom Kayaker, and all around paddling legend. He and his family created Jackson Kayak out of the sheer passion for paddling.
Diamond Brand is the competition’s exclusive retail sponsor. The local, independent retailer is Asheville’s only fully equipped kayak fishing dealer with Accent & Cannon Paddles, Jackson Kayak, Astral PFDs and Footwear and much more. Diamond Brand contributes to the Accent Triple Crown by hosting the award ceremony at 4 p.m. Saturday, May 16 at its Parkway store, 1378 Hendersonville Road in Asheville.
Accent Paddles will award $1,000 to the best Kayak Anglers and will give away door prizes and draw a name to give away a new Jackson Coosa HD Fishing Kayak to benefit MountainTrue.
This film festival showcases the world’s best paddling films to audiences in Canada, United States and around the world. The festival inspires more people to explore rivers, lakes and oceans, push physical and emotional extremes, embrace the lifestyle and appreciate the heritage of the wild places we paddle.
Details: Feb 19 at 6 p.m. & Feb 20. at 10 p.m. at Highland Brewing Company, 12 Old Charlotte Highway in Asheville
Tickets: $20 at door / $15 in advance / $12 in advance for college students
The Reel Paddling Film Festival is produced by Rapid Media. Rapid Media also publishes four leading paddlesports magazines: Rapid, Adventure Kayak, Canoeroots and Kayak Angler magazines. Your ticket to a Reel Paddling Film Festival World Tour stop includes a free one-year digital edition subscription to one of the above magazines. Special offer details are available in your evening program.
Starting Nov. 15, you can enjoy a delicious imperial brett saison beer-aptly named “Tributary”– a portion of whose sales proceeds will benefit our French Broad Riverkeeper program.
Tributary is a collaboration between New Belgium and Wicked Weed Brewing. Brewed with wild yeast, hops, barley and water from both Colorado and North Carolina, this heavily hopped saison perfectly blends both breweries’ love of creativity and native ingredients.
This special beer will be available only at Wicked Weed’s Funkatorium, located at 147 Coxe Ave.
Starting at 11 a.m. on Nov. 15, volunteers can join Wicked Weed, New Belgium and Riverkeeper staff at the Funkatorium in a service project to help stencil “No Dumping” on drains in the South Slope area.
All volunteers will be invited to meet back at the Funkatorium to join the public for tapping of Tributary at 2 p.m.
Live music will play from 2 – 5 p.m. and New Belgium and Wicked Weed staff will be on hand with additional festivities. All ages are welcome.
To volunteer for the service project, email Assistant French Broad Riverkeeper Anna Alsobrook at Anna@WNCA.org.
WNCA is very honored and excited to be the beneficiary of this collaboration.
“Tributary beer represents the importance of clean water for our community,” says French Broad Riverkeeper Hartwell Carson. “Clean water is not just an environmental issue, but an economic issue that we should all be concerned about.”
