High Country Office
The High Country Office is located in Boone, serving communities in the Elk and Watauga River basin.
164 Depot Street
Boone, NC 28607
Phone (828) 278-9821
(828) 278-9821
andy@mountaintrue.org
- Watauga Riverkeeper
- Water monitoring programs
- Muddy Water Watch and reducing sediment pollution in the Watauga River Basin
- Sustainable land use
- Sustainable transportation alternatives – improved bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure and better public transportation
High Country News
Ward Mill Dam Removal Connects Aquatic Habitat, Makes River Healthier
In a huge win for local aquatic wildlife, the Ward Mill Dam just a few miles from Boone, North Carolina has finally been removed. The first dam was constructed at the location in 1890 and improved upon over the years. The mill complex served the community for generations providing electricity, jobs, firewood and building materials. The dam had been an obstacle for local aquatic wildlife for the past 130 years. Now, native fish such as the tangerine darter and threatened salamanders like the hellbender will be reunited and benefit from a reconnected and improved cold-water aquatic habitat.
MountainTrue Launches BioBlitz to Crown Champion of Biodiversity in WNC
Join MountainTrue for our annual 2021 BioBlitz. This year’s bioblitz is a regional competition to crown the 2021 champion of biodiversity. The competition will take place virtually across three counties from June 5 through June 19.
Protect The Watauga River From Another Sewage Treatment Plant
The Town of Seven Devils has been approached to consider annexing a proposed development and sewage treatment plant along the Watauga River. This is bad news for water quality, trout, and all of us who depend on the Watauga for work and play. Will you make your public comment below to oppose this proposal?
You’re Invited to MountainTrue’s Annual Gathering on October 21!
Join us for our biggest party of the year on October 21 to celebrate outstanding volunteers and advocates, and connect with others who are passionate about protecting the places we share. This year our gathering is virtual. We still want to see you, even if it’s only your head, neck and shoulders!
Update on Swim Guide Testing in the High Country
Willa "Wild Bill" Hill helps out with water samples for our Swim Guide monitoring program. Our bacteria monitoring program in the High Country is in full swing, and this year we’ve expanded to include two additional testing sites on the New River and four more sites...
News About MountainTrue’s Work In the Coming Weeks — And Our COVID-19 Activity Guide
As our mountain communities brace for the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, MountainTrue is doing our part to help reduce the spread of the virus, and mitigate the health risks to our communities and our staff. As of Monday, March 16, our four offices in Asheville, Boone, Hendersonville and Murphy are closed to the public. Our staff will still be working hard to protect the places we share, but many of us will be doing so from home or out in the field where we’ll be following recommended protocols. Following the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and public health officials, we are also canceling all of our public events, hikes and training sessions for this spring, and our volunteer-based water monitoring programs, river cleanups and public lands workdays will be on hiatus until further notice.