Take Action for Lake Chatuge’s Communities

Tell TVA that our communities are worth the money

It’s been a rocky two weeks here in the Lake Chatuge watershed since the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) published its official public notice about the Chatuge Dam Safety Modifications on April 21, with high levels of fear and anxiety on the part of local residents and business owners. Since MountainTrue’s last Lake Chatuge action alert on April 18, TVA has answered the question about why this project is slated to take so long: the risk to people’s lives downstream is very low. It is up to us now to tell TVA that the risk to people’s livelihoods, both upstream and downstream, is very high! This project must be expedited, and no expense spared to ensure that the level of summertime drawdown is minimized.

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Lake Chatuge is unique among the 47 reservoirs TVA owns and manages. In fact, Lake Chatuge is very different from the other five reservoirs in the Southern Blue Ridge in that it’s the lifeblood of Towns County, Georgia. Towns County’s county seat — the City of Hiawassee — is literally “on the lake,” bounded by miles of shoreline on its western side. Also, unlike other mountain reservoirs like Hiwassee, Apalachia, and Fontana, the vast majority of Lake Chatuge’s 132-mile shoreline is privately owned, with many campgrounds, marinas, and tourist lodging. For better or worse, our communities’ economies on both sides of the state line are critically tied to having a relatively full lake during the summer months.

The alternatives that TVA initially proposed all involve deep year-round drawdowns that could last four to six years. The proposed very deep drawdown — up to 10 feet lower in winter and up to 20 feet in summer — could jeopardize the City of Hiawassee’s public drinking water supply system by reducing the volume of water available for use. These levels would also leave marinas and docks on dry ground. And the length of the drawdowns would decimate our tourist economy.

Subsequent discussions with TVA by Sole Commissioner Cliff Bradshaw and Towns County’s U.S. Representative, Andrew Clyde, have revealed another alternative that should be added to the Environmental Impact Study (EIS). It involves modifying Alternative E to include building a cofferdam around the spillway repair area. A cofferdam is an enclosure built within a body of water to create a dry working environment so that the work can be carried out safely. TVA would still build a new gate-controlled concrete chute spillway and rehabilitate the existing spillway. While this proposal will no doubt be the most expensive alternative, MountainTrue believes that the cost to our communities far exceeds the project cost. TVA must consider this action to sustain reasonable summer lake levels!

Even if you have already submitted comments on this project, you can submit more if you have new and different substantive concerns or suggestions to express. You are also encouraged to participate in one of the public meetings being held in early May. Click here for the most updated information about when and where these will be held.

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires that TVA also consider social and economic impacts, not just impacts to the lake itself. Tell TVA that the currently proposed alternatives will cost our communities too much and ask that a modified Alternative E be analyzed in the EIS.

Take Action

Resources: links & diagrams

a) Map/links to all TVA reservoirs: https://lakeinfo.tva.com/web/sites/sites_ie2_map_only.htm

b) Guidelines for writing substantive comments: Citizens’ Guide to NEPA

c) TVA’s Project page: https://www.tva.com/newsroom/regional-mountain-dams-safety-initiative/chatuge-dam-safety-modifications

d) TVA project NEPA timeline:

e) Modified Alternative E:

Public Open House Opportunities

Virtual Meeting on May 6, 2025, from 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. ET

Format: Dam Safety and NEPA presenters with a Q&A session. Register here.

May 8, 2025, in Clay County, North Carolina, from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. ET

Location: Clay County Schools Cafeteria (Behind Hayesville Middle School Gym/adjacent to Hayesville High School) – 205 Yellow Jacket Drive, Hayesville, NC 28904

Format: Informational booths and materials. Access to subject matter experts. No formal presentation.

May 13, 2025, in Towns County, Georgia, from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. ET

Location: Towns County Recreation Center, 150 Foster Park Rd. Young Harris, GA 30582.

Format: Informational booths and materials. Access to subject matter experts. No formal presentation.

Virtual Meeting on May 15, 2025, from 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. ET

Format: Dam Safety and NEPA presenters with a Q&A session. Register here.

Sample comments:

We welcome you to copy and paste the text below as a basis for your comments, but we also encourage you to personalize your comments to make them unique to you. You can do this by adding a paragraph about why Lake Chatuge is important to you.

Dear TVA,

Lake Chatuge is unique among the many reservoirs your organization operates, even when compared to other mountain reservoirs. It is the lifeblood of Towns County, Georgia. Hiawassee, Georgia, is literally “on the lake,” bounded by miles of shoreline on its western side. Also, the vast majority of Lake Chatuge’s 132-mile shoreline is privately owned, with many campgrounds, marinas, and tourist lodging. Our communities’ economies on both sides of the state line are critically tied to having a relatively full lake during the summer months. While I understand that these repairs are needed, I am concerned that we cannot survive a years-long deep drawdown.

Please consider a modified Alternative E that includes building a cofferdam around the spillway repair area to keep workers safe while allowing for more reasonable summer water levels. While this proposal will no doubt be the most expensive alternative, I believe that the cost to our communities without it justifies the expense.

Other concerns that I have about an extended deep drawdown include:

Impacts to the City of Hiawassee’s drinking water supply, which not only serves Hiawassee residents and businesses, but a majority of businesses in the Hwy 76 corridor and some around other parts of the lake, as well.
Impacts to water quality and aquatic life in the lake.
Impacts to wildlife, including wading birds and waterfowl, as well as threatened and endangered species like bald eagles, bog turtles & green pitcher plants, the latter two of which are found in marshy shallows that could be negatively impacted by an extensive drawdown.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment.

Take Action: Submit Your Comment

Resources & more info

Links, diagrams & public open house dates + locations

Click here

Take Action

Your Support Made This Possible: MountainTrue’s 2024 Impact Report

2024 was a year of challenges, opportunities, and growth.

Our litigation against the Southside Project successfully protected the Whitewater Special Interest Area. The Healthy Communities team helped secure new regulations protecting Madison County communities from large biomass facilities and crypto-mining operations. We removed the Shulls Mill Dam on the Watauga River, cleared an invasive plant that posed a serious threat to Lake Chatuge, and coordinated over $400,000 in septic repairs for homeowners who were financially unable to repair or maintain their systems, resulting in immediate water quality improvements.

Then Helene arrived and changed everything.

But MountainTrue didn’t flinch. When Helene devastated our region, our staff and volunteers were on the front lines providing much-needed food and water, participating in search and rescue operations, and using our Saluda office as the community supply hub, among other relief efforts. We tested more than 300 drinking wells, cleaned up over 100,000 pounds of debris, and coordinated the most thorough watershed-wide analysis of contaminants and sediments post-Helene. This work will evolve as our communities recover and rebuild.

Below is our impact report of what we were able to accomplish in 2024 and valuable information about our financial health. You can download a PDF here.

As we move into 2025, we remain committed to protecting our rivers and forests, advocating for better housing and planning, and building more resilient communities. But we can’t do it without you. Your support makes this vital work possible!

Thank you,

Bob Wagner, Executive Director

Take Action to Protect the Little Tennessee River

The Little Tennessee River is home to an incredible diversity of life: over 100 fish species alone, including some found nowhere else in the world. The river and its adjacent greenway are also a beloved recreational resource for Macon County residents and tourists alike. But over the past few weeks, the banks of the river have been under assault by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers contractors, removing hundreds of trees, many of which were still alive. Take action now to prevent further damage to the river!

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While large-scale debris removal continues to be a high priority in many parts of Western North Carolina in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, the Little Tennessee River did not experience those same impacts; only normal flooding. Apart from a few localized areas, like the Cullasaja River across from Walmart, there is no need for disaster recovery-type debris removal in Macon County waterways. And yet, contractors started near Tryphosa Road in Otto and have been working their way down the river, removing trees and debris from the river channel and banks in areas where no flooding impacts occurred.

Native trees and shrubs along waterways are vital for preventing erosion, providing shade for our coldwater fisheries and wildlife habitat. Wood is also important for streams — it provides habitat for fish, salamanders, and aquatic insects, backwater areas for wood ducks and other waterfowl, and can reduce the velocity of the water during a storm event.

Erosion that will undoubtedly happen as a result of this work will contribute to more flooding and land loss in future storms and will negatively impact fish, freshwater mussels, and other aquatic animals.

The Little Tennessee River continues to be negatively impacted by overzealous removal of trees and wood by contractors who are under the oversight of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at the request of the Macon County government. Ask US Army Corps of Engineers Emergency Management Branch Chief George Minges and Macon County Fire Marshal Jimmy Teem to ensure that future work is limited to only Helene-related debris!

Thank you for supporting a healthy Little Tennessee River!

Take Action

More info & important insight

Read wildlife biologist Jason Love’s Letter To The Editor, published in The Franklin Press on April 23, 2025.

Click here

View Photos

Asheville Design Center Project Manager

Asheville, NC

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Position Summary

MountainTrue seeks a skilled designer to serve as Project Manager for the Appalachian Design Center (ADC)—a new, community-driven initiative responding to the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina. This program mobilizes volunteer architects, engineers, landscape architects, and planners to support recovery and climate-resilient development in affected communities.

This is a part-time contractual position. The Project Manager will oversee volunteer design teams working in up to four communities across Buncombe, Madison, and Henderson counties. They will lead community engagement efforts, manage the design process, and ensure that each project results in a comprehensive community report outlining design recommendations, historical context, and an implementation strategy.

This role is central to fostering inclusive, place-based recovery efforts. ADC teams conduct in-depth assessments, collaborate with residents to align designs with local needs, and create solutions that enhance safety, accessibility, and economic resilience—all while preserving regional character. Additionally, the Project Manager will help position communities to secure funding from FEMA, state agencies, regional grants, and private sources.

This is a unique opportunity to lead a transformative design initiative that strengthens communities and advances sustainable development in Western North Carolina.

We are looking for candidates who:

Are a strong fit with our collaborative, multi-disciplinary team.
Have a willingness to grow and learn in a rapidly evolving, post-disaster environment.
Show enthusiasm and a strong desire to contribute to our contextually appropriate ecological restoration and climate-resilient projects.

Key Responsibilities

Project Management: Lead and manage community-driven design projects from initiation to closeout, including project planning, conceptual design process, scheduling, resource allocation, and risk management.
Team Collaboration: Collaborate with architects, engineers, landscape architects, planners, graphic designers, and other stakeholders to ensure interdisciplinary coordination, resolve design conflicts, and achieve project goals.
Client Communication: Serve as the primary point of contact for community leaders and government representatives, understanding their needs, and communicating project progress, milestones, and deliverables effectively.
Design Coordination: Coordinate with internal design teams, consultants, and contractors to integrate design concepts seamlessly into community Recovery & Resilience Plans, ensuring design intent and quality are maintained.
Workshop Facilitation: Guide a community-led process to inform an implementation matrix to be included in the community plan.
Community Plan Production: Oversee the assemblage of the community plan, incorporating images, text, and drawings into a final report.
Documentation and Reporting: Prepare and maintain project documentation, reports, and presentations, including project status updates, financial reports, and presentations.
Implementation Assistance: Assist in the implementation of conceptual designs by generating RFPs and managing the interview and hiring of design professionals.
Quality Assurance: Review project deliverables for accuracy, completeness, and compliance with regulatory requirements, industry standards, and client expectations.

Qualifications

Desired Qualifications

Excellent writing, communication, and presentation skills.
Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in design or planning discipline.
Proficiency in AutoCAD and Adobe Suite software; SketchUp, BIM (Revit, ArchiCAD) a plus.
Creative, versatile, and dependable.
Goal-oriented with strong critical thinking and observation abilities.
Ability to adapt to a dynamic, collaborative studio environment.
Attention to detail, strong work ethic, cognitive agility, and time management skills.
Knowledge of sustainable design principles, green infrastructure strategies, and construction techniques.

Location & Travel

This position is based in Western North Carolina, with a preference for Asheville, North Carolina. This position utilizes frequent Zoom meetings and phone calls. Travel costs are covered by the organization.

Compensation

Salary: $40/h – up to 20h/wk
Expenses: Travel and materials expenses will be reimbursed.

How to apply

Please submit a cover letter, resume, and relevant portfolio to Healthy Communities Director Chris Joyell at chris@mountaintrue.org.

Application Deadline: ASAP, rolling application review until position filled.

Creation Care Alliance Organizer

Western North Carolina

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About the Organization

MountainTrue

MountainTrue is a non-profit organization that works with communities across 26 mountain counties in Western North Carolina and North Georgia and champions resilient forests, clean waters, and healthy communities. We are committed to keeping our mountain region a beautiful place to live, work and play. Our members protect our forests, clean up our rivers, plan vibrant and livable communities, and advocate for a sound and sustainable future for all. mountaintrue.org

Creation Care Alliance of WNC

The Creation Care Alliance of Western North Carolina (CCA) is a MountainTrue program that unites people of faith and congregations around a moral and spiritual call to preserve the integrity, beauty, and health of God’s creation. CCA’s work has included climate advocacy, renewable energy education, energy efficiency, solar energy, food justice, and eco-grief work. It is an expression of our love of God and God’s love for the earth and all life. For more information, visit creationcarealliance.org.

Position Summary

The Creation Care Organizer leads our Creation Care Alliance grassroots organizing efforts, focusing on building authentic relationships with people of diverse faiths, empowering local communities, expanding and strengthening our network of Covenant Partner congregations, and developing local leaders to drive community-led solutions.

The Creation Care Organizer reports to MountainTrue’s Organizing Director and works closely with MountainTrue staff and the CCA Advisory Team to meet annual program goals and pursue grant and funding opportunities. By connecting environmental and justice work, this position serves as an essential bridge between faith, science, nonprofit, and secular organizations.

Roles & Responsibilities

Community Engagement & Organizing

Cultivate authentic relationships with community members, partner organizations, and stakeholders to identify community priorities and help strategize and win community-led solutions.
Recruit, train, and retain a diverse and engaged base of volunteers and activists.
Identify activists with leadership potential and mentor them through one-on-one meetings.
Organize and facilitate community meetings, events, and actions to increase public engagement and advocacy efforts.
Extensive travel throughout Western North Carolina, Towns and Union counties in North Georgia, and other nearby communities.
Works on evenings and weekends as necessary, with the option to take time off during the regular work week as compensation.

Program Management

Works with the Organizing Director to ensure that their work plan supports the goals of MountainTrue’s broader organizing strategy.
Works with MountainTrue Organizing Director to establish strategic goals, develop programs/events, and manage ongoing operations.

Maintain online tools for outreach and advocacy.

Communications & Advocacy

In coordination with MountainTrue Engagement and Communications staff, maintains the Creation Care Alliance website, writes newsletters, and coordinates social media.
Collaborate with the communications team to develop messaging and organizing materials.
Engage directly with policymakers, stakeholders, and the media to advocate for the communities’ priorities and goals.
Mentor and amplify community voices to ensure that advocacy efforts are inclusive, representative, and reflect the community’s priorities.

Qualifications

Required Skills and Experience

Knowledge of, sensitivity, and openness to different faith communities and perspectives.
A passion for Creation and caring for it, and a commitment to social and ecological justice
Lived experience in grassroots community organizing.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Preferred Skills and Experience

Deep experience and commitment to faith, spirituality, and creation. Preference for those who have attended or received a degree from Divinity School.
Proficiency with organizing tools, such as CRMs (e.g., EveryAction, VAN), email platforms, and social media.
Current and continuously updated knowledge of environmental issues and Earth stewardship.

Experience in volunteer recruitment and management
Proven ability to work independently, set measurable objectives, maintain attention to detail, meet deadlines, and report results in a timely fashion.

Location & Travel

This position is remote and utilizes frequent Zoom meetings and phone calls. This position requires extensive travel and face time with the communities throughout Western North Carolina, Towns and Union Counties in North Georgia, and other nearby communities. Travel costs are covered by the organization.

Compensation

The salary range is $58K to $62K, depending upon experience. The benefits package includes 20 vacation days per year, 12 holidays, sick leave, a paid 2-month sabbatical after five years, health insurance, and a simple IRA with an employer contribution of up to 3%.

How to apply

Accepting applications until the position is filled.

Email a cover letter, resume, and three references to jobs@mountaintrue.org. Applications are accepted until the position is filled. The subject line of your email should read: “Creation Care Organizer.” The cover letter should answer the following questions and address your work history, organizing skills, and management experience:

What does the term “creation care” mean to you?
What is grassroots organizing, and how does it differ from other forms of top-down advocacy?
Describe a grassroots organizing success and the role you played.

MountainTrue values and respects all types of diversity and strongly encourages applicants from traditionally marginalized groups to apply. We prohibit discrimination and harassment and provide equal employment opportunity without regard to, and not limited to, race, ethnicity, creed, color, religion, age, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, handicap, marital status, pregnancy status, military/veteran status, or any other class protected by applicable state or federal law. We are committed to recruiting, hiring, and promoting those from underrepresented and disadvantaged groups.

2025 Holman Water Quality Award Winner: Johnny Strawn

Johnny Strawn of the Hanging Dog Community of Cherokee County, NC, is the 2025 recipient of the Holman Water Quality Stewardship Award.

Originally from Morgantown, WV, Johnny Strawn attended NC State University in Raleigh, NC, where he met his wife, Pam. After graduating with degrees in conservation and wildlife biology, Johnny began working for what was then the USDA Soil Conservation Service during which time Johnny and Pam moved to Cherokee County, NC. He served as District Conservationist in Cherokee and Clay counties for nine years and they fell in love with the area. So in 1982, instead of moving on with USDA, he and Pam opened Hanging Dog Valley Nursery, a wholesale nursery specializing in native plants.

Johnny is a founder of Murphy River Walk & Canoe Trails, serving as the project manager for eight years. He received the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce’s Citizen of the Year award in 2013 for his volunteer work on the River Walk.

Johnny has served on the board of directors for the John C. Campbell Folk School, the Cullowhee Native Plant Conference, and the Hiwassee River Watershed Coalition (now MountainTrue). He also served on the board of the Land Trust for the Little Tennessee and Mainspring Conservation Trust for 13 years. As the first Hiwassee watershed board member of the land trust, Johnny was very instrumental in the expansion of land conservation efforts beyond the Little Tennessee River corridor in Macon County.

During his time on the land trust board, Johnny and Pam began to better understand the value of conservation easements; in 2024, they put the finishing touches on a 150-acre conservation easement on their own property, a combination of seven separate tracts which over decades they melded into one cohesive piece of land.

Upon being notified that he’d been selected to receive this award and expressing gratitude for the honor, Johnny was quick to acknowledge Pam’s role in all of the accomplishments we are attributing to him. “None of this happens without Pam,” he said.

Each year, we present the Holman Water Quality Stewardship Award to the person or group who has done the most to sustain good water quality in rivers, lakes, and streams in the upper Hiwassee River watershed of Towns and Union counties in North Georgia and Cherokee and Clay counties in North Carolina. The award is named for Bill Holman, a lifelong conservation advocate currently serving as Senior Advisor to the Conservation Fund in NC. The Holman Award is sculpted by David Goldhagen of Goldhagen Blown Art Glass, whose studio is located on the shores of Lake Chatuge near Hayesville, NC.