 From the exec's desk
Welcome
Summer! Great news! A very generous and faithful RiverLink
donor will match your donation - dollar for dollar - until June
30. Our goal for this annual find campaign is $200,000 by June 30. The
annul fund supports our ongoing operations. And you will be glad to know
that our audit documents that 87 cents of every dollar you donate is
used directly on projects that improve the French Broad River watershed.
Click here to make your donation NOW. Everyone
is talking about the Wilma Dykeman RiverWay as a model of sustainable
development. On May 28 I will lead the first of a series of greenway walks and talks
along the French Broad River greenway. Please plan to join us
Saturday May 28 from 10 a.m. until noon for a tour and update on
the river greenway system. There are lots of exciting new development
that you will want to hear about. Meet me at the Rotary Pavilion in the
Carrier Park Wetlands area at 10 a.m. and be sure to wear good
comfortable shoes! We may do the entire 4.5 miles of the Wilma Dykeman
RiverWay as we talk about the Dykeman Plan's three-prong approach for
economic development along the river. It includes arts and crafts,
recreation and rejuvenation and wellness all of which are authentic to
our region and based on our traditions and history as a community. We
have had extensive discussion with the Blue Ridge Bike Club and
agreed that RiverLink is best situated to raise funds to
develop the Waller Track greenway, a 12-acre site off of the
Hominy Creek extensions that RiverLink helped buy along with the
Blue Ridge Bike Club, Buncombe County and the City. We are establishing a
special restricted fund to be used exclusively for trail building. Call
us at 252-8474, ext. 16 if you would like to help develop the program
or become involved. The
RiverLink overnight camping Paddle Trail along the French Broad River
from Rosman through Madison County is gaining more and more
attention. We are now partnering with existing for-profit campgrounds,
private land owners, conservation developers and area governments
to create a comprehensive paddle trail system. We will be hosting with
Woodfin a public meeting about the overnight camping and Paddle Trail in
June so watch this space for upcoming details. We will also be working
with one of our newest board members in Transylvania County, Debi
Whitemire owner of Headwater Outfitters and the Transylvania
Economic Development Department to host information and input sessions
this summer. Asheville
is once again on the ballot for BeerCity USA, a title we have won by a
narrow margin for the past two years. It is now round three and while
Asheville has taken the early lead, you can bet that Portland, Oregon,
will once again be putting up a fight! The polling started Monday and
will end on Sunday, May 8, at 11:59 p.m. You can only vote once per IP
address (think work, home, cell), and every vote is crucial. Please
follow the link below to cast your vote for Asheville and then ask your
friends to do the same. We would love for Asheville to have a three-peat
victory! Vote: http://www.examiner.com/beer-in-national/beercity-usa-2011-video Remember
- we want you to BE THERE! That is our acronym for the Wilma
Dykeman RiverWay - the sustainable model for the future of our
watershed that Balances Education, Transportation, Health and Housing, Economic Development, Recreation and the Environment
- to make a river that we all can enjoy and use that is fishable,
accessible, walkable, swimmable and drinkable! See you on the river, Karen Cragnolin Executive Director
P.S.
Write a real letter - yes a SNAIL MAIL ---letter to legislators about
the importance of rivers and conservation and recreation to our
ECONOMY! Lets' not de-fund or underfund the reasons people come to
our WNC region - our environment is our economy!
Emails don't work - real letters that are signed and take time and
more effort gain more attention from our elected officials. P.P.S.
The NC Department of Transportation is seeking input from citizens
regarding considerations for the 2040 Long Range Transportation Plan.
Several questions are relevant to environmental concerns and land use
planning. Click on this link to access the survey online. If you have questions or would like more information, contact NCDOT Statewide Plan Engineer Tyler Bray, PE at tbray@ncdot.gov or (919) 707-0963. |
EPA declares RiverLink work in Swannanoa River a success story
The
Environmental Protection Agency has labeled the Swannanoa River a
"Nonpoint Source Program Success Story," citing efforts RiverLink
and partners to improve the river's water quality.
Development
in the Swannanoa's watershed lead to a high level of sediment draining
into the river. As a result, the North Carolina Division of Water
Quality placed 14.1 miles of the river -- sections 6-78c (2.6 miles long) and 6-78d (11.5 miles long) through Black Mountain in eastern Buncombe County -- on the 303(d) list of impaired waters in 2002 and 2008. The DWQ cited impaired
biological integrity due to development. Section 6-78d was also
declared to be impaired by turbidity. Reasons for the sediment problems
in the Swannanoa were identified as "...habitat degradation,
poor-quality riparian buffer zones, nutrient enrichment, sedimentation,
channelization and toxicity ..." according to the EPA report.
RiverLink,
the regional non-profit working to revitalizing the French Broad River
and its watershed as a place for everyone to live, work and play,
applied for and received Clean Water Act 319 project funds from the DWQ
in 2000. RiverLink set to work on a series of Best Management Practices
(BMPs) to restore the river's biological integrity and provide
educational and recreational opportunities to area citizens. We chose
very public locations like supermarkets, public parks and schools so
that the BMP's could be viewed and copied.We also offer a self-guided
tour of these BMP's -- see our website for details.
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RiverLink's TAASC Adopt-A-Stream team cleans the Swannanoa |
RiverLink established partnerships within the community to develop local ordinances
aimed at reducing nonpoint source pollution. With the cooperation of
stakeholders along the river, RiverLink implement a series of BMPs - Riparian
Plantings, Invasive Exotic species removal, streambank restoration,
conservation easements, bioretention cells and rain gardens. Along a
1.3-mile segment of the river, RiverLink holds two conservation
easements that provide a total 150-linear-foot buffer on both sides of
the river. RiverLink also restored and stabilized the banks and
replanted the riparian area.
A
total of $547,563 in CWA section 319 grant funds supported this
project. The City of Asheville, Town of Black Mountain, Warren Wilson
College, Biltmore Estate, Buncombe County Government, Land of Sky,
Evergreen Community Charter School, Buncombe County Soil and Water
Conservation District, Montreat College, the Mountain Valley Resource
Conservation and Development program, NC DENR DWQ (Asheville),
Rindt-McDuff Associates, Trout Unlimited-Land of Sky Chapter, University
of North Carolina-Asheville Environmental Quality Institute, Buncombe
County Metropolitan Sewerage District, Pigeon River Fund, North Carolina
Clean Water Management Trust Fund, and Resource Data, Inc., provided an
additional $365,043 in matching funds.
The full EPA report is available at: http://water.epa.gov/polwaste/nps/success319/upload/nc_swannanoa.pdf .
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April is the busiest month
Spring and Earth Day
(it's more like Earth Month these days) bring folks out of their Winter
slumber and back to the great outdoors with the environment on their
minds. That means it's a busy time for RiverLink, as folks want to
volunteer, clean streams, see the results of the Art and Poerty contest,
go to festivals and see RiverLink at festivals.
This year, RiverLink was invited to have a presence at Asheville's Earth Day celebration on April 16.
Held at the new Pack
Square Park, the event featured live music, good food, a kids' area, and
environmental groups from across the region.
Not only did we have a
booth and some fun activities going on, our own Dave Russell preached a
bit of the RiverLink gospel from the stage.
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Planet Art, our new
neighbor in the River Arts District, hosted a 4-day benefit for Arts for
Life, and RiverLink April 20-23. RiverLink had a strong --
and attractive -- presence there, including a gang of people for the
opening evening.
We love the fact it is
getting more difficult to find parking along the river. The river has
been discovered. It is our community melting pot It is where all the
issues -- economic development and environmental protection flow
together.
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The week of Earth Day
also saw RiverLink tabling events at the VA Hospital in East Asheville,
at the 2011 French Broad River Classique Canoe and Kayak Race, REI's
Paddling Day, AB-Tech's Earth Day, and UNC-A's Earth Fest. Finally, on
Saturday, April 23, it was RiverLink's turn to host an Earth Day event.
We put together a "reduce, re-use, recycle" themed event at the
RiverLink Sculpture and Performance Plaza.
The weather turned out to be gorgeous and a good time was had by all. Here are a few pics of the event:
Several of our
volunteers for busy pulling up the Japanese Knotweed that is trying to
take over the property. Jack Saye, Katie Russell, Calvin Underwood, Rob
Quayle and Casey Asbill-Beck went to town on the stuff. This pic is
Calvin Underwood tussling with this horrendous invasive.
Meanwhile, over at the
make-your-own-rain barrel clinic, volunteer Gary Schenk (right) helped
customers put the finishing touches on the rain barrels and also
dispensed some knowledge about how to use them.
We sold quite a few rain barrels, thanks in large part to Gary and his wife, B.A.
RiverLink's Laura Barry
(left) took charge of the Neighborhood Big Draw part of the event.
This is part of a national program to help communities define their
neighborhoods. She also helped about 2 dozen kids draw and make
rainsticks.
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The weekend of April 30 and May 1, we also turned up at the French Broad River Festival in Hot Springs. 
Saturday, April 30 we
held our Voice of the River Art & Poetry Contest award ceremony at
A-B Tech's Holly Library. Contestants and their families turned out and
stayed a while, looking at the entries and enjoying some tasty snacks.
Education Coordinator Hayley Smith deserves a big shout of "atta girl!"
for her leadership of this successful event.
May will be busy, too. Take a look at the upcoming events list and come volunteer or hang out with us.
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Master Gardeners' Garden Tour
The third biennial
Garden Tour will be Saturday, June 25, 2011 from 9 AM until 4:00 PM.
RiverLink's west Asheville projects at Malvern Hills and Buttermilk
Creek along with five private gardens will be opening their garden gates
to the public for this one day, with the theme of "LOOK AND LEARN IN
OUR GARDENS". This is a self guided tour with three west Asheville
homeowners' gardens, a downtown Asheville homeowner's garden, and a
homeowner's garden on Reynolds Mountain in north Asheville.
Expect to find a lush
cottage style perennial garden, and a beautiful garden designed around
the needs of the maturing gardener. Vegetable gardeners won't want to
miss an urban cornucopia of planting ideas that maximize the potential
of compact spaces and water thrifty design. See a private oasis of
conifers and groundcovers that create low maintenance and year round
interest. Our north Asheville garden site highlights the challenges of
gardening on a hillside. This site will also focus on butterfly
gardening and creative use of native plants.
The tour will begin at
the Vance Elementary Peace Garden in west Asheville. Get out and walk
around this garden created by parents, teachers and students of Vance
School. School gardens allow children to learn life skills and integrate
garden lessons with the NC Standard Course of Study while exploring
aspects of the natural world. Vance has a wonderful playful character as
well as fruit, vegetable and herb gardens to enjoy.
RiverLink will also be
participating this year to highlight the stream restoration work they
have done at Malvern Hills Park/Buttermilk Creek in west Asheville. The
project won the NC Engineering Society Award for improved water
quality, use and placement of native plants all of which has reduced the
sediment flow from eroded stream banks. This is also a great
example of community involvement, since teh whole neighborhood just
about helped with live staking and invasive species removal.
This year we will also
have a selection of tour sponsors present at Vance School with garden
related items for sale to the public.
Proceeds will benefit
the Master Gardeners School Garden Grant program, which provides grants
to our local schools to support school garden programs. The garden tour
is co-sponsored by the North Carolina Agricultural Foundation, Inc.
Tickets may be purchased in advance for $15 at the Buncombe County Master Gardeners' web site at
http://buncombemastergardener.org.
Tickets will be $20 the day of the tour if still available.
For additional information, call 828-255-5522.
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Take the 350 home garden challenge
During
May, thousands of people across the U.S. will rise to the challenge to
create more sustainable, resilient communities by participating in the
350 Home & Garden Challenge.
Lead nationally by Transition U.S., the
350 Garden Challenge was inspired in part by the 350.org's
international campaign to find and implement solutions to climate
change. 
Coming
off the incredible success of 628 garden actions in Sonoma County,
California, in a single weekend in Spring 2010, this year the 350 Home
& Garden Challenge is going national, engaging citizens,
organizations, local businesses, media and civic leaders to grow food,
save water & conserve energy to strengthen the resiliency of local
communities across the country.
350 Home & Garden Challenge More Info
To mark the 350 Home Garden Challenge,
RiverLink
is pleased to be working with yet another dedicated group of
volunteers and professionals to create an innovative new demonstration
project for homeowners. In Asheville, North Carolina in the South
French Broad neighborhood, a private property owner has offered her
home as a demonstration site for an innovative whole systems
permaculture project to reclaim urban water for jobs, the environment
and food production.
The
LinkingWaters Urban Watershed Project is celebrating its progress at
the Demonstration Site on May 22, 2011. LinkingWaters was developed
through the efforts of WaterLinks, RiverLink, Living Systems Design,
and Peace and Fun Garden, with initial funding through the Block
Foundation. It intends to increase community action and permaculture,
and to make clear the benefits and risks of effective, economical, safe,
and appropriate means for balancing universal recharge or discharge.
LinkingWaters identified both technical and social aspects and is being
conducted in three phases: 1) the Demonstration Project, 2) Engaging
the Neighborhood Sub-Basin, and 3) Engaging the Wider Community. To
focus the impacts of implementing the infiltration features, the
water-related data generated through LinkingWaters are limited to the
Nasty Branch (also named Town Branch) watershed sub-basin in which the
Demonstration Site is located.
Volunteers needed for final installations!!
Wednesday, May 4th Training
4:00 pm training at RiverLink's offices, 170 Lyman Street
Saturday, May 7th Work Day
9:00am-12:00 work day at Michelle Smith's, 124 Choctaw
Sign-up by sending an email to Nancy at nancy@riverlink.org
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Spring means it's time to think
about harvesting rainwater
Spring
brings many of us out in our yards planning for spring and summer
gardens and landscape improvements. Might one of those improvements be a
reduction in potable water use in your landscape? Then rainwater
harvesting might just be a great conservation project to pursue this
spring at your own home.
Rainwater
harvesting is the collection and storing of rainwater which falls onto
a roof. The water is channeled and transported to storage via a system
of gutters and pipes. There are a number of systems, from very
simple to complex industrial systems. The amount of rainfall
helps determine the type and size of system, as well as its use. Using
harvested rainwater for landscape irrigation or garden watering
requires a simpler system than a system that captures water for toilet
flushing or drinking supply.
The
simplest system captures rainwater into cistern(s) via exiting gutters
with a first flush (first inch of rain) diverter and debris screen, so
material does not fall into the cistern. More complex systems include
back-up water supplies, internal pump systems, below ground cisterns,
filtration devices, and pressure tanks. Most do-it-yourselfers
can install simple versions of cisterns, yet contractors are available
and recommended for large installation and complexity.
Minimum requirements for a Rain Harvesting System:
1. First Flush Diverter (various versions available or design your own -- many websites have instructions available)
2. Overflow Valve (sized equal to or larger than gutter downspout)
3.
Enclosed container made of plastic, fiberglass, metal, etc. which does
not allow for light to penetrate, thereby preventing algae growth.
Sizing your Cistern(s) and Rain barrel systems, from the LID Stormwater net: 
Other Resources:
N.C State Toolbox:
Low Impact Development Tools Website:
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Upcoming Events Wednesdays, May 4, 11, 18, 25, 5 - 8 p.m. -- Winesdays at The Wine Studio of Asheville. RiverLink will receive a portion of proceeds from their Winesday program. Come taste some wine and support RiverLink!
Saturday, May 7, 9 a.m. until noon at the LinkingWaters Demonstration site at 124 Choctaw Street, Asheville (map). Volunteer work day to assist
in the final installation of this first project site. Some digging,
shoveling and wheel-barrowing are required for installations.
RiverLink is delighted to partner with Clear Channel to produce this
popular annual event. Contact RiverLink's Dave Russell (252-8474,
ext. 11) for more info.
Wednesday, May 11 at 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. at the RiverLink offices
-- Volunteer orientation sessions. Contact Dave Russell at 252-8474,
ext. 11 and come become involved in the evolution of the river and learn
more about RiverLink.
Saturday, May 14, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the Asheville Outdoor Center
-- The Fins & Gills Fishing Tournament at the Asheville Outdoor
Center with a variety of activities for the whole family. We are
delighted to sponsor this annul event with Clear Channel Radio. Contact
Dave at 252-8474, ext. 11 for more information.
Saturday, May 21, 7 p.m.at the RiverLink Performance and Sculpture Plaza (117 Riverside Drive)
-- RiverLink is a proud sponsor of the Asheville Rites
Project dance performance with music by Michael Libramento and art
by Molly Freeman. (Rain date is May 28.) For more details and to see more of Molly's work, go to www.mollyrosefreeman.com.
Sunday, May 22, 3 p.m. -- 6 p.m., at the LinkingWaters Demonstration site at 124 Choctaw Street, Asheville (map).
Hot dogs, BYOB, water education, demonstrations. A fun day with fun
people. Contact RiverLink's Nancy Hodges (252-8474, ext. 14) for more
info.
Friday, Saturday, Sundayay, May 27, 28, 29 at Carrier Park
-- Mountain Sports Festival. All day festival featuring live music,
great food and beer, and outdoor activities and gear. Take our survey at
our both and win a prize! Volunteers are still needed for the RiverLink
booth, so give Laura a call at 252-8474, ext. 17 if interested.
Saturday, May 28, 10 a.m. until noon -- Greenway
Walk-an-Talk with RiverLink Executive Director Karen Cragnolin. Meet at
the Rotary Pavilion at Carrier Wetlands and learn about the past,
present and future of the Wilma Dykeman RiverWay Plan.
Saturday, June 25, 2011 from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.
-- Master Gardeners' Garden Tour. RiverLinks stream restoration
projects will be featured along with five private gardens will be open
to the public for this one day. This self-guided tour features three
west Asheville homeowners' gardens, a downtown Asheville homeowner's
garden, and a homeowner's garden on Reynolds Mountain in north
Asheville.
Click here for a map. |
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Paddle Trail will be a great amenity for the French Broad and Western North Carolina
Imagine
putting your canoe in the French Broad at Rosman and floating to a
campsite by the River jut a few miles downstream, spending the night,
then getting up in the morning to paddle another few miles and camp
again ...
RiverLink,
through grant funds from the Pigeon River Fund has been working on
collecting input from the local community for use in the development of
the French Broad River overnight camping Paddle Trail concept grew
from RiverLink's popular River Access Guide, and several river
watershed based trips we have funded through the years along the
river through North Carolina. RiverLink is in the trail
development phase, with a handful of campsites already identified
through meeting with the local communities. We are partnering with
for profit campsites as well as conservation developers.
RiverLink
has been soliciting public comment for the development of the French
Broad River Paddle Trail, posting maps at local businesses. Please
contact Nancy Hodges at
nancy@riverlink.org
or 828-252-8474 ext 14 for more information.
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A note and invitation from our LinkingWaters
The LinkingWaters Urban Watershed Project is celebrating its progress at the Demonstration Site on May 22, 2011.
LinkingWaters
was developed through the efforts of WaterLinks, RiverLink, Living
Systems Design, and Peace and Fun Garden, with initial funding
through the Block Foundation. It intends to increase
community action and promote permaculture, and to make clear the
benefits and risks of effective, economical, safe, and appropriate means
for balancing universal recharge or discharge.
We have identified both technical and social aspects and the project is being conducted in three phases:
1) the Demonstration Project,
2) Engaging the Neighborhood Sub-Basin,
3) Engaging the Wider Community.
To
focus the impacts of implementing the infiltration features, the
water-related data generated through this exciting project are limited
to the Nasty Branch (also named Town Branch) watershed sub-basin in
which the Demonstration Site is located.
We
are inviting the owners of properties within the Phase 2
Study Area to learn more about the project. If you
would like to help contact us at information@riverlink.org or at
SIngram@waterlinkspllc.com
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Volunteer Spotlight
Carlos
Espinosa is helping us translate our education tools and will be
assisting RiverLink in stream assessments, including benthic and
chemical analysis. Carlos is a native of Nicaragua and a long time
advocate for the environment. He has extensive experience researching ecosystems and water quality. RiverLink
is eager to reach out to the Latino Community, and Carlos has completed
a Spanish translation of one of our most popluar lesson plans, the
EnviroScape. The lesson plan focuses on sources of water pollution,
watershed dynamics, and how individuals can help.
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Water Conservation Quiz
1) what generally accounts for the greatest use of household water? A. dishwasher B. showering C. Landscaping D. Laundry 2) How many gallons does the average washing machine use per load? A. 20 gallons B. 30 gallons c. 41 gallons D. 64 gallons 3) True or False: Taking a bath saves more water than taking a shower 4) How many gallons of water are wasted in an average home each year due to leaky pipes? A.3,000 B. 5,000 C. 9,000 D. 11,000 5)
According to the National Climatic Data Center, which of the following
states has not experienced a drought between March 2009 and February
2010? A.Virginia B. South Dakota C. Michigan D. Virginia 6) Which of the following won't help you save water when watering or tending to your lawn? A. Drip irrigation B. An in-ground sprinkler system C. Watering at night D. Weeding 7) Green roofs can help you do which of the following? A.Decrease building cooling costs B. Moderate a city's climate C. Filter rainwater D. All of the above 8) The federal government requires toilets to use no more than... A) 3.5 gallons per flush B) 1.6 gallons per flush C) 1.9 gallons per flush D) 2.8 gallons per flush 9) How much water can you save each year by replacing your standard showerhead with a water-saving one? A) 5,000 B) 10,000 C) 20,000 D) 15,000 10) Which continent is the driest? A) Europe B) Antarctica C) Africa D) Australia 11) How much water does the average American use each day? A) 20 gallons B) 40 gallons C) 60 gallons D) 100 gallons Answers: 1)C 2)C 3)F 4)D 5)D 6) B 7) D 8) B 9) C 10) B* 11) D *Although Antarctica is covered in ice, it is a desert and receives little precipitation. Quiz courtesy of National Geographic |
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