From the Exec's Desk

Dear RiverLovers-

June arrived wrapped in the hot sun. It has been too hot for words lately -- all the more reason to get on the River! 

Thanks to a generous donor, your donations to RiverLink will be matched dollar for dollar until July 1 -- pledges count, too. Our audit documents our efficiency with your gifts -- 87 cents of every dollar you donate is used directly on projects that make the watershed a better pace to live, work and play. Click here to donate now!  Check out our progress on our web or at any of the Asheville Radio Group stations.

I am just overwhelmed with all the new small businesses opening  along the River! Be sure to check them out. Here is a list:

• Roots Cafe (located inside the Grey Eagle; 185 Clingman Ave) Eclectic menu of traditional favorites with a fresh twist, featuring locally sourced meats & cheeses
• The Junction (located in the Pink Dog Creative Buildings at 348 Depot Street) Featuring house-made soups, salads & sandwiches from regional farms & a full bar with freshly squeezed cocktails
• White Duck Taco Shop (the Hatchery, 1 Roberts Street) Affordable, creative & quick tacos, soups & snacks
• The Magnetic Field (372 Depot Street) It's a cafe, it's a bar, it's a theatre! Enjoy a delectable meal & a wonderful performance
• Nourish & Flourish Organic Juice Bar (347 Depot) Fresh-squeezed juices with ingredients from local farms & award winning rashi teas
• Check out one of the reasons Asheville was recently voted Beer City at the ByWater where we just installed two new information kiosks sure to make you smile and give you some information about the river that I bet you didn't know! At the ByWater you can just sit and enjoy the river as it flows by and cook your own meal. There are even more new businesses to be announced over the coming months so watch this space! 
• We of course still love our existing meeting spots at the Wedge, The Grey Eagle, 12Bones and Clingman Cafe! So much to do so little time! 

You know what else is happening on the river? Artist are owning the buildings. Wendy Whitson, who has been one of our tenants for almost a decade, made her name here and  has become so successful she just bought a building of her own on Depot Street. This is our wish for all the artists here -- become so successful you determine your own future.    With all these artist-owned buildings -- I count 14 -- we do not have to have  the typical gentrification that plagues other artist areas.The River Arts District is so unique in that so many of the buildings  are owned by artists and  they are not tenants -- they  are landlords! It is called sweat equity and it is exactly as we envisioned, hoped, and worked hard  to see. The River District is developing!   

Don't miss the Studio Stroll next weekend, June 10 thru 12. If you want to see the poster from the first studio stroll in 1994, click here. Kevin Hogan did these wonderful posters by hand with silk screens. We used the same image and technique of our old Cotton Mill water tower (also destroyed by an arsonist on April 2, 1995) on the invitations that we addressed by hand. Thank goodness for computers and databases today!  

You will notice that the only artist listed on the poster who is still here in the River District is Heinz Kossler. In 1994,we only had three studios in the River District -- RiverLink's Warehouse Studios,The Asheville Working Press in the old Chesterfield Mill (also destroyed by the arsonist on April 2, 1995)  and the Odyssey Center for Ceramic Arts on Clingman. Wow! Have we grown!

This year, the Asheville Convention and Visitors' Bureau is celebrating the end of its fiscal year with a focus on community service and giving back to the tourism community. They will join RiverLink for a clean-up project. They're very excited to contribute to our efforts to make the French Broad River a place for everyone to live, work, and play! Anyone interested in coming out to help? Give us a call at 252-8474, ext. 11 and we'll welcome you. 

Our new fiscal year brings new board members to RiverLink including Brian Moore, Director of strategic planning at Mission hospitals, Dr. Jim Volk, pediatric physician in Hendersonville and former chair of the French Broad River Foundation which became part of RiverLink in 1992, Debi Whitmire, owner of Headwater Outfitters in Transylvania County,  Hope Bellow, Vice President TD Bank and Andy Grabowski, owner of HeartChain Bike Salon on Riverside Drive.  Please welcome our new leaders!

You have just two months to get your yacht out of dry-dock, or your inner tube out of the garage and spruce it up for RiverFest, scheduled for  August 13 at French Broad River Park with our nonstop partner the Asheville Radio Group. Click here to register your boat; excuse me YACHT. This year we are featuring local small business Craggie Brewing and all of the regular wonders you have come to expect along with some new surprises. Watch out for this year's cornhole tournament. Seth Koons is in charge and it will be a blast!  

See you on the River,

Karen Cragnolin

RiverLink installs informational kiosks around the community

ByWater Kiosks

As many of you who frequent the ByWater may have noticed, there have been some new additions recently. The owners, Chad and James, have been improving the site through landscaping, while RiverLink recently designed and built two kiosks with information based around the French Broad River: its present, past and future. 

The kiosks include a number of interesting facts on the French Broad River and historical photos provided by the UNCA Ramsey Library Special Collections, the Pack Memorial Library and RiverLink's collection. RiverLink Watershed Resources Manager Nancy Hodges and Education Coordinator Hayley Smith worked with the owners of the Bywater to develop and install the kiosks for Memorial Day weekend.Check out the kiosks at the Bywater anytime after 2 p.m. weekdays and after noon on weekends, or click below:

FBR Kiosk 

FBR History Kiosk 

West Asheville Parks

RiverLink completed the stream restoration through Malvern Hills and West Asheville Park, with the installation of two informational kiosks.  These will provide additional information about the projects and the water quality measures implemented along with the stream restorations.   

Check 'em out when you are in the neighborhood! 

Linking Waters Project Phase I is completed!

LinkingWaters, a RiverLink project located in Asheville's East Riverside neighborhood, has completed the first demonstration site for an innovative whole-systems approach to reclaiming water in urban neighborhoods for creating green jobs, restoring the environment and growing fresh, healthy food.

On Sunday, May 22, Michelle Smith and RiverLink hosted the LinkingWaters Celebration Cookout. It was a beautiful day to spend with the neighbors discussing the project as Phase I, the demonstration project, comes to a close. 

LinkingWaters is an urban permaculture project focused on water infiltration. Michelle Smith, property owner; Sherry Ingram, geologist for WaterLinks PLLC; and permacultralist Zev Friedman of Living Systems Design teamed up with RiverLink to develop the demonstration site. 

The demonstration site, the Peace and Fun garden, is located at 124 Choctaw St. in the Eastside Neighborhood, and is open for visitation. The site is a great success. Thank you to our many volunteers from RiverLink and Transition Asheville who have given their time to see the project move forward. For more information check out our website,

We are currently looking for neighbors who would like to implement similar strategies of water infiltration on their property as part of Phase II. Please contact Michelle Smith at themichellesmith@gmail.com or Nancy Hodges at Nancy@riverlink.org to register.

This two-dimensional hydrological cycle representation gives some idea what we're looking for

RiverLink seeks a 3-D model builder

The water cycle is often taught in schools through the use of cartoon-like drawings showing precipitation, evaporation and condensation in a circular pattern.  Students yawn at this continuous cycle as textbooks forget to mention the magic of the most powerful molecule.   

Teachers breeze over the mystery of how water was created, where water came from, and why it is the source of life.  Most importantly, there is a lack of exploration of how humans are intimately connected to H2O.   

RiverLink does a lot of education programs in schools (63 programs this year) and we do our best to explain the science of rivers, inspire them to be stewards and instill a sense of intrigue when it comes to how their life is dependent, shaped, and nurtured by water.  Now we want to take it a step further.   

RiverLink is developing a hands-on, 3D model that accurately represents the urban water cycle.  This 3D model will be used in K-12 classrooms, as part of our community outreach and as an educational tool for adults.  The North Carolina Standard Course of Study requires students to understand the natural hydrologic cycle as well as an urban hydrological cycle.   

The model will be able to target at least one competency goal for each grade level such as pollution, impact of population, chemical processes, natural resources, and systems.  For non-school related outreach, RiverLink will use this model to educate homeowners and community members on the function and process of our urban water system.  It will be a teaching tool that illustrates the connection between the natural sources of water and human use.   

We are looking for a qualified model builder to assist with this project.  If you are interested please contact Hayley Smith at education@riverlink.org or call 828-252-8474 ext. 18.

River Happenings 

Spring has sprung and brought with it lots of exciting programs and performances. RiverLink had two big events in May: our Fins & Gills Classic Fishing Tournament and the Asheville Rites Project.

 

Fins & Gills 

 

RiverLink partnered with ClearChannel Asheville and the Asheville Outdoor Center to present Fins & Gills, a fishing competition designed to promote Western North Carolina's most under-used asset, the French Broad River.   

 

This was the third year for the tournament, which featured a stocked trout pond for first-time anglers, as well as a number of educational exhibits designed to educate children of all ages. Storyteller Vixi Jil Glenn was also on site to entertain folks in the storytelling tipi.

 

Our fishing tournament winner, Cody Hill of Candler, took home a 2010 Moomba Mobius Ski and Wakeboard Boat for his grand prize catch, a five pound catfish. The prize was generously donated by Barry Capps Marine in Flat Rock. 

 

Over 30 local business contributed to the prizes awarded and every child left with a donated fishing rod if they needed one.  

Thank you to everyone who came out. We can't wait to see all of you out at the Asheville Outdoor Center next year! 

 

Asheville Rites Project

 

The collaboration between muralist Molly Rose Freeman, dancer Garth Grimball and musician Michael Libramento attracted a crowd of over 300 people to the RiverLink Sculpture and Performance Plaza Saturday, May 21.   

Photo by Colby Rabon

 

After months of watching the mural evolve alongside Riverside Drive, the large crowd was buzzing with anticipation and excitement to finally see what it was all about.     

  

Performance-goers were not disappointed.  The dance, which took place between 7:30-8:00, included 10 dancers dressed in shades of blue, dancing to an original score by Michael Libramento.   

Molly (left) talks with the audience photo by Colby Rabon

 

This was the first performance at RiverLink's newly formed Sculpture and Performance Plaza. Keep up with us to find out what's next at the Plaza. In the meantime, check out More photos  courtesy of the Citizen-Times.

 

Congratulations to our Winesday raffle winner, Kathleen King!

Kathleen bought one ticket for $1 from RiverLink at the Wine Studio of Asheville's Winesday event last month and won a prize package valued at $250.  

Prizes included:

• Eagles Nest Outfitters (ENO) DoubleNest Hammock
• A float trip for two to the Asheville Outdoor Center (AOC)
• A "She Ain't No Trashy Broad" Organic Cotton T-Shirt printed locally at Image 420 
• Two RiverLink Yacht Club beer glasses
• A RiverLink hat
• "The French Broad" by Wilma Dykeman
• River Access Guide  
• A RiverLink clock

Upcoming Events

Saturday and Sunday, June 11 and 12, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. --Studio Stroll  Asheville's River Arts District Artists open their studios to the public for two days of festivities. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days

Thursday, June 16 at 11:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. at the RiverLink offices

---Water quality volunteer sessions.  RiverLink's Watershed Resources Manager will be hosting a volunteer orientation for anyone interested in the water quality projects and stream restorations. 

Please RSVP to Nancy by calling (828) 252-8474, ext. 14 or via e-mail at

nancy@riverlink.org 

Click here for a map. 

Saturday, August 13, 2011 from 1p.m. to 7p.m. --- SAVE THE DATE!! RiverFest '11 featuring the ever popular raft race, local music competition, kids parade & activities, local food & beverages, kayak demos, corn cole competition, frisbee golf and more!  Start making your "Yacht" for the anything that floats parade and don't forget to check our website for registration information.  

River News   

Mystery donor to help Asheville river advocates 

RiverLink installs two kiosks at the Bywater

State legislator mandates study of Asheville water-sewer merger

Zipline Attractions to Span French Broad River in East TN  

America's Great Outdoors funds three Colorado conservation projects   

Lazoom tour exposes Asheville's Art Scene 

White Duck Taco Shop hatches in Asheville's River Arts District 

Vote for Asheville in online "Best of the Road" Competition  

Rainbarrels now $50

Let RiverLink help you harvest your rainwater this spring.  The price of our rainbarrels has been slashed from $60 to $50 -- making them the most affordable rainbarrels in all of Asheville.  Purchases can be made during our office hours, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-- 5 p.m. at RiverLink (170 Lyman Street in the River Arts District).

Top Ten Reasons You LOVE the French Broad River

10. She supplies over 1 million people with drinking water.

9. She is an extremist.  Starts off in wettest and flows through the driest counties of North Carolina    

8. What better place to wash away your worries that in the third-oldest river in the world?

7. The River is one of the few places you can play all day and never pay an entrance fee.

6.  Her banks are the flattest place around, and one of the best to ride a bike or run.

5.  Hellbenders are free to see but in Japan they could cost you $3000.

4.  She is a true  

philanthropist; receives waste, rejuvenates and continues to serve by nurturing all.

3. You can no longer smell her before you can see her.

2. She is no longer a Trashy Broad.

1. She has the best network in town, with over 4000 miles of streams and tributaries. 

You'll find this list and more information at the ByWater -- just look for the RiverLink information kiosks. 

Volunteer Spotlight 

Corinne Duncan, a plant ecologist, is our super volunteer for the month of June.  Originally from Arizona, Corinne spent the last 10 years in Oregon, where she received her Bachelors in Environmental Science and her Masters in Rangeland Ecology and Management from Oregon State University. After graduating from college she worked to reintroduce threatened and endangered plant species to the wild.

 

Since moving to Asheville in December with her husband, Josh, Corinne has helped RiverLink write several guides including a management plan for Japanese knotweed at the RiverLink Sculpture and Performance Plaza.

 

Corinne is currently working on a weed control guide for the RiverLink website. She will also be teaching a class on weed control July 14^th at 11:30 a.m. and again at 5 p.m. at the RiverLink office.  Please RSVP to Bunny at 828-252-8474 ext 10 if you're interested in attending. 

 

The next Volunteer Spotlight could be on you!  To learn more about volunteering with RiverLink, please come to our Volunteer Information Sessions the 2nd Wed of each month at 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. at our offices.  Please contact
Dave Russell, the Director of Volunteer Services, at volunteer@riverlink.org or 828-2852-8474 ext. 11 to RSVP for the information session.     

Global Warming Facts  

from National Geographic News

· Average temperatures have climbed 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit (0.8 degree Celsius) around the world since 1880, much of this in recent decades.

· The rate of warming is increasing. The 20th century's last two decades were the hottest in 400 years and possibly the warmest for several millennia. 11 of the past 12 years are among the dozen warmest since 1850.

· The Arctic is feeling the effects the most. Average temperatures in Alaska, western Canada, and eastern Russia have risen at twice the global average.

· Arctic ice is rapidly disappearing, and the region may have its first completely ice-free summer by 2040 or earlier. Polar bears and indigenous cultures are already suffering from the sea-ice loss.

· Glaciers and mountain snows are rapidly melting. Montana's Glacier National Park has only 27 glaciers, versus 150 in 1910. In the Northern Hemisphere, thaws come a week earlier and freezes a week later.

· Coral reefs, which are highly sensitive to small changes in water temperature, suffered the worst bleaching -- or die-off -- in 1998, with some seeing bleach rates of 70 percent.  

· An upsurge in the amount of extreme weather events, such as wildfires, heat waves, and strong tropical storms, is attributed in part to climate change.