Controlling Nuisance Aquatic Weeds in the Headwaters of Lake Chatuge

Pictured above: Parrot feather infestation in the south end of Lake Chatuge near the US Hwy. 76 bridge in Towns County, Georgia.

For the last two summers, noxious weeds have been an unwelcome presence on the south side of Lake Chatuge in and around the Macedonia area of Towns County, Georgia. The primary culprit, parrot feather (Myriophyllum aquaticum), is native to tropical parts of South America, Australia & New Zealand. Despite its highly invasive tendencies in natural waters, it is still actively promoted and sold for use in ponds and aquariums and has been accidentally introduced to waterways all over the US from these sources. Like many invasive aquatic species, parrot-feather can be transferred to new lakes on boats and other watercraft. Flourishing in warm water conditions, it grows rapidly in late spring and summer, creating huge mats of rooted vegetation that can cause recreational and navigational issues.

Photo: Parrot feather (Myriophyllum aquaticum), an invasive aquatic weed.

Chatuge Dam and Reservoir are owned and managed by the Tennessee Valley Authority. Earlier this year, TVA completed a thorough survey of aquatic plants in Lake Chatuge. As we know, they again found an infestation of invasive parrot feather in the headwaters of Lake Chatuge.

The agency is currently conducting an in-house environmental review to evaluate the use of grass carp and/or chemical control for managing the weeds. The study likely won’t be completed until summer 2024. If grass carp are found to be a useful control measure, the strategy will then need to be approved by Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR). If DNR approves the stocking, TVA will implement the stocking program and monitor the outcome.

However, due to a Tennessee Valley-wide scope of operations, TVA only provides chemical control of aquatic plants in “developed public-access areas like boat ramps, swim beaches, and courtesy piers on its reservoirs on an as-needed basis when recreational use and/or access become seriously hindered.” (Read more about TVA’s treatment of aquatic weeds here.) Since the infestation in Lake Chatuge doesn’t currently meet these parameters, if chemical control is the only recommended option, it will be up to homeowners, residential communities, and/or the county to control the infestation. The growing season is almost over this year, but MountainTrue is working in consultation with TVA to develop specific recommendations for homeowners and residential communities to control the parrot feather next year. We will host public information sessions early in the season and will have referrals for licensed applicators working in our area.

Attempting to control parrot feather by manual or mechanical methods is likely to spread the plants further and should only be conducted in small, contained water bodies, not in a large reservoir like Lake Chatuge. Even driving through parrot feather in a boat can break off small pieces, which can drift and take root in another location!

For homeowners and residential communities who don’t want to wait for the completed environmental review and possible grass carp stocking program – which may not even be implemented until late summer 2024 or later – TVA advises that commercial pesticide applicators with an Aquatics rating on their license can be hired to apply aquatic herbicides to control infestations around private docks and in small coves. When aquatic herbicides are applied according to their label by a licensed professional, they pose no threat to people, pets, fish, birds, or any other wildlife, short or long-term. In the case that there is a one-day swimming restriction or any other restriction, a licensed herbicide applicator will always communicate this to anyone with access to the water, as well as posting any relevant signs. The applicator will also know about the restrictions associated with distance to a public drinking water intake. While a complete listing of Georgia-licensed commercial applicators can be found here, keep in mind that there are several categories of applicators; not all of them have the Aquatics certification.

Neighboring Lake Burton in Rabun County has also had an infestation of parrot feather for several years. In a statement issued by Georgia Power in August 2020, these three companies were listed as “known firms successfully used by other members;” however, homeowners hiring one of these or another licensed commercial applicator are advised to always check references:

Southeast Consulting – https://www.scsforestry.com/
Solitude Lake Management – https://www.solitudelakemanagement.com/
AquaDoc – https://www.aquadocinc.com/

Homeowners should refrain from undertaking chemical control on their own using AQUACIDE pellets or similar products that were primarily developed for recreational ponds. Product information warns of this environmental hazard: “Treatment of dense weed areas can result in oxygen depletion due to decomposition of dead weeds. This oxygen loss can cause fish suffocation,” leading to fish kills.

Finally, it’s important to remember that there are native and beneficial aquatic plants in Lake Chatuge, which fish and other aquatic life rely on for food and cover from predators. Homeowners should work with professionals to be certain that they have a nonnative invasive plant before undertaking any management activities.

If you have questions, contact MountainTrue Western Region Program Coordinator Tony Ward at tony@mountaintrue.org or 828-837-5414 ext. 3.

Tips for controlling the spread of invasive plants:

Keep it Clean—Remove all plant material from boats, trailers, bilges, live wells, and any other equipment. This will prevent troublesome aquatic species from being introduced into other lakes.

Native Water Gardening Only—Please plant only native species around shorelines. While nonnative species like ornamental lilies and water hyacinth are beautiful, they will quickly spread if introduced into the river.

Drain and Dry—When visiting reservoirs with known invasive plants, make sure all equipment is dry and free from fragments. Even completely dry fragments have the potential to grow once submersed again.

No Dumping! —Please refrain from dumping unwanted aquarium or water garden plants into nearby streams and rivers. Dispose of any unwanted plants in the garbage.

*Click on the images of parrot feather below to expand them*

References & Resources:

General Information about Parrot Feather

Are Aquatic Herbicides Safe For Fish?

Search for Licensed Pesticide Applicators in Georgia

How TVA Manages Aquatic Plants

TVA Aquatic Weeds Treatment Schedule

Angler’s Aquatic Plant ID

Facts About Chatuge Dam

Oct. 13. Join us for The River Runs On Screening in Hendersonville, NC

After three years in the making, we’re excited to finally bring to Hendersonville the feature documentary, The River Runs On! This film explores the release of a forest plan that decides the fate of two of the most important national forests in the country – the Pisgah and Nantahala. Featuring some of the top conservationists and most popular spots within the region, the documentary reflects on our relationship with these public lands and what the future may hold for this unique part of the world.

Film Screening of The River Run On
Trinity Presbyterian Church
900 Blythe Street, Hendersonville, NC 28791
October 13. Doors at 6:30 p.m. | Film at 7:00 p.m.
Get tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-river-runs-on-film-screening-tickets-707948552177?aff=oddtdtcreator

Shortly following the film, we will have a Q&A with the director of the film, Garrett Martin, and Mountain True’s Public Lands Field Biologist, Josh Kelly. Members of the audience will be able to ask questions about the Pisgah-Nanatahala Forest Plan and its release.

To learn more about the film, please visit www.theriverrunson.com

Watch the trailer at https://vimeo.com/764170588

ACTION: Support Road Safety in Downtown Asheville

Let the City of Asheville know that you support making College Street and Patton Avenue safer for pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit riders.

Take Action to Support Complete Streets for Asheville

The City of Asheville is wavering in its commitment to complete streets and needs your support for the College/Patton project today. MountainTrue has long been a supporter of complete street projects that make moving through our communities safer, easier, and more environmentally sustainable. Our new program Neighbors for More Neighbors WNC also supports such projects as a way to mitigate congestion in our city centers as we make room for more residents there. City staff and traffic engineers have studied this project and responded to community concerns along the way. They have improved the design, consulted with emergency responders, and compared vehicular traffic patterns to other streets in town to demonstrate that this new design would not create the congestion that some opponents of this project fear. Their expert analysis and process have built upon multiple studies and plans that have recommended projects like this one since the 2009 Downtown Master Plan. However, our city’s leadership needs to hear from more voices that support turning College Street and Patton Avenues into complete streets with buffered bike lanes and high-visibility crosswalks. Take action today to encourage Asheville City Council to vote in support of the College/Patton project and make our downtown safer for all users.

Take Action

Neighbors for More Neighbors WNC advocates for more attainable housing that is built in places and at a scale that most benefits the health of our natural environment. We support attainable housing in and near our city centers because that is an efficient use of infrastructure, it decreases our overall carbon footprint, and also because we want our downtowns to be vibrant, thriving, inclusive places that all people in our community both can and want to access and enjoy. We believe that investments in infrastructure that make downtowns more pedestrian friendly, rather than vehicle oriented, pay off by activating our city center in a personal way and on a human scale. Bike lanes are a part of that landscape not just because they benefit bicyclists, but also because the less car-centric we make our downtown, the more people-centered it becomes. Complete street projects enable vehicle access and safer options for other road users, and, ultimately, we believe that complete streets in our city center will benefit businesses by making downtown a place that residents will want to spend more time and money in.

Join us in supporting complete street investments in downtown Asheville by supporting the College/Patton Project today. Click here to read our letter of support for the College Street and Patton Avenue Redesign Project.

MountainTrue’s Letter of Support for the City of Asheville’s College Street & Patton Avenue Redesign Project

photo credit: City of Asheville project page

October 2, 2023

This week, we sent the letter below to the members of Asheville City Council expressing our support for the College / Patton Project in downtown Asheville because we believe multi-modal transportation investments make denser residential development work best for our communities. You can read more about the project on the city’s website here.

Dear Asheville City Council,

City Manager Debra Campbell,

Director of Transportation, Ken Putnam

Assistant Director of Transportation, Jessica Morriss

Members of the City of Asheville’s Multimodal Transportation Commission

I write today on behalf of MountainTrue and Neighbors for More Neighbors WNC asking you to support the College Street and Patton Avenue redesign project.

We took to heart Council member Mosley’s reflection of concern and even anger on behalf of the Black community regarding bike lanes during the August 22 council discussion on this project. The prospect of supporting what feels to some members of our community like “white encroachment in Black neighborhoods” is not a position we take lightly. While we believe that this redesign project would increase safety for all travelers through our downtown—pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers alike—we also take seriously the prospect that such a change may make some members of our community feel even less welcome or included, especially those Council member Mosley spoke on behalf of who are “most vulnerable among us.”

Additionally, we take seriously the concerns of downtown business owners who are currently beset by a host of challenges and stressors and who feel like the timing of this project is not right. For those owners in particular who have invested in and committed to downtown Asheville even since the years when downtown was nearly deserted and sorely neglected, we regret that the timing of this project feels like a threat rather than a support.

While we do not take these concerns lightly, Neighbors for More Neighbors WNC advocates for more attainable housing that is built in places and at a scale that most benefits the health of our natural environment. We support attainable housing in and near our city centers because that is an efficient use of infrastructure, it decreases our overall carbon footprint, and also because we want our downtowns to be vibrant, thriving, inclusive places that all people in our community both can and want to access and enjoy. We believe that investments in infrastructure that make downtowns more pedestrian friendly, rather than vehicle oriented, do pay off by activating our city center in a personal way and on a human scale. Bike lanes are a part of that landscape not just because they benefit bicyclists, but also because the less car-centric we make our downtown, the more people-centered it becomes. Complete street projects both enable vehicle access in addition to providing safer options for other road users, and, ultimately, we believe that complete streets in our city center will benefit downtown businesses by making downtown a place that residents will want to spend more time and money in.

When vulnerable members of our community and business owners feel that complete street projects like College/Patton go against their interests, we take time to step back and question our assumptions. It is true that the most vocal and visible champions for bicycle infrastructure in our community are white. It is also true that the challenges of both implementing this project and then adjusting to the new road design would be most immediately felt by the business owners whose businesses are located within the project footprint. Yet it is also frequently true that unwanted or even feared changes, once experienced, prove to be appealing and beneficial in unexpected ways.

We respect our city staff and traffic engineers who have studied this project and responded to concerns along the way. They have improved the design by increasing loading zone space and decreasing impacts to drivers by moving the bike lanes to the left side of traffic, instead of the right. They have consulted with and received support from emergency responders in our community. And they have compared vehicular traffic patterns to other streets in town to demonstrate that this new design would not create the delays or congestion that some opponents of this project fear. We trust their expert analysis and their process, which has built upon multiple studies and plans that have recommended projects like this one since the 2009 Downtown Master Plan.

Neighbors for More Neighbors WNC advocates for housing that is financially attainable and responsibly located. We also advocate for transportation investments that make our community more affordable and make denser patterns of development work best for all members of our community. And we do that advocacy as thoughtfully and respectfully as possible, trying to honor all the different lived experiences that will be impacted by the changes we promote. We seek to listen, understand, learn, and partner with individuals and groups who want Asheville and WNC to be the best they can be. It is from this place that we ask for your support of the College/Patton project in the hopes that it ultimately proves to be more beneficial to our community than harmful and in the hopes that all members of our community, from the most vulnerable to the most privileged, find themselves able to access and enjoy our city center as neighbors welcoming more neighbors.

Sincerely,

Susan Bean, Housing & Transportation Director for MountainTrue

Click here to take action in support of complete streets for Asheville

MT Raleigh Report — A State Budget. Finally.

After weeks away from Raleigh and countless promises about when a new state budget will be approved, lawmakers finally passed a new two-year budget last week.

Here’s our take on good and bad in the spending plan that has taken the legislature all summer and then some to send to Governor Cooper. For his part, the Governor opposed the budget but allowed it to become law without his signature in order to move forward on Medicaid expansion.

The Good.

The final budget includes new investments in state parks, farmland preservation, and land and water protection supported by the state’s land trusts and other conservation groups. Recurring funding for state trust funds for land and water conservation, as well as state parks, is now budgeted at a generous $28 million for each fund annually. Funding for farm preservation and trails also received substantial increases. The budget also provides $12 million over the next two years for the Saluda Grade Trail, a rails-to-trails project that includes 16 miles in WNC.

In especially good news for WNC water quality, the budget includes $2 million in funding to help farmers in the French Broad Watershed with fencing and other measures to keep livestock and their waste out of streams to reduce bacteria pollution across the watershed. This funding is a victory for MountainTrue, which has advocated for additional funding to reduce agricultural waste runoff in the French Broad for several years.

MountainTrue will also be the steward of another round of funding to develop and improve the French Broad River Paddle Trail thanks to renewed investments in the NC Trails Program, a unit of the NC State Parks system that designates and supports State Trails.

The Bad.

Tucked away in the final budget is policy language that essentially strips local governments of any authority to reduce or control food packaging waste – including plastic bags – at the local level. This end-run on local authority comes at a time when an increasing number of local governments in North Carolina – including Buncombe County – are considering ways to reduce single-use plastic and styrofoam from entering the waste stream. We can all thank (or blame) the well-funded NC Retail Merchants Association for this outdated approach to plastics reduction at a time when the public and many retailers are looking for more ways to cut down on plastic waste.

The environment is best protected when government and politicians are subject to robust public scrutiny, so we are also concerned with new rules in the budget that shield lawmakers from public records requests. But while shielding lawmakers from scrutiny, another concerning provision in the budget gives a General Assembly oversight committee new powers to investigate state and local governments, private companies, and charities, including the power to charge people who the committee feels aren’t cooperative with a crime. One of lawmakers’ key roles is to hold government agencies accountable, but we worry that these new powers may be used to intimidate individuals and agencies, not to improve their performance.

Less critical but also disappointing was the lack of funding for a variety of small but important conservation projects MountainTrue has supported along with local partners. These projects include funding to expand the new WNC Snorkel Trail to all WNC counties; complete the River Walk in Murphy; improve public access to the Watauga River Paddle Trail; develop a new public access point and riverwalk in Polk County; and improve Canton’s Chestnut Mountain Nature Park by expanding trails and improving a playground. We’re disappointed that these went unfunded, but we will be back in Raleigh next year to support them.

Your support of MountainTrue makes our advocacy in Raleigh possible. Thank you, and look for more information about the final days of the 2023 General Assembly in future updates.

ACTION: Tell NCDEQ to Deny the Draft Clear Creek Wastewater Permit & Stop Additional Pollution of Local Waterways

The NC Department of Environmental Quality is accepting comments on the Draft Permit for the Clear Creek Wastewater Treatment Project (NPDES Permit NCO090247). We invite you to join our opposition to this draft permit.

Strong wastewater infrastructure can effectively improve water quality, but unfortunately, the approach taken by Henderson County misses the mark. If DEQ issues this permit, it will result in construction of a new unnecessary wastewater treatment plant in a rural area of the county and a discharge into Clear Creek, which is already listed as impaired on the state’s 303(d) list of impaired streams. A new source of pollution is cause for concern, and issuing this permit would violate the Clean Water Act.

Additionally, there is a more environmentally sound and reasonably cost-effective treatment option available — connecting to the existing sewer system operated by the City of Hendersonville — and the County has not accounted for the costs of operating and maintaining a new wastewater treatment plant for years to come.

But any action on sewer expansion would be irresponsible without a strong plan to address future development. The county is still contemplating its 2045 Comprehensive Plan, which will guide the future for growth and development in the county, and appropriate land use protections need to be implemented before facilitating unchecked development.

We need you to tell NCDEQ to deny this permit. Take action below.