Personal Message from the Erosion Control Officer

(by Clint Calhoun)

I have lived in Rutherford County all of my life, growing up just a few miles down the road in the Green Hill Community.   I remember the many Sunday drives that my family would take along the winding roads surrounding Lake Lure. We would drive through Chimney Rock Village and up to Bat Cave, and one of the things that were always impressive to me was the Broad River.   I can remember so many times when the water was so clear that you could see the trout swimming around in the pools. I can also remember times when the river was so engorged with storm water and sediment that it looked more like a river of chocolate milk. The very character of the river is amazing to me. The river head waters begin on the eastern side of the Blue Ridge Escarpment, where small springs and creeks give birth to a joyful and exuberant stream that grows to maturity as it races down through Hickory Nut Gorge. As the river drops in elevation, crashing over large boulders that have been shed by the ancient cliff walls of the gorge, the water becomes increasingly oxygenated, supporting a wonderful biological diversity. As the river leaves Hickory Nut Gorge, it stretches out and flows along at a nonchalant pace, slowing down and living up to its namesake as it rolls on towards the Atlantic Ocean.

As I travel through the Upper Broad River watershed, I look at this impressive body of water and think about the impact we as humans have on our ecosystem.   So caught up in our own lives, we fail to consider the amount of pressure that we put on this river.   As more and more people come into this area, the pressure continues to build.   Development and land-clearing activities increase.   More and more trees are cut down to make room for houses, increasing the amount of runoff and sediment entering the river.   Tourists come here seeking refuge from the city and their everyday routine, taking away wonderful memories of the area, but leaving behind the very thing they came here to forget.   We have to have places to live, and we have to use our resources in order to support a growing population, but we have to be smart about it too.   We have to consider the consequences of our actions.   The actions we take today, affect the very future and sustainability of this river that so many of us treasure.

The Upper Broad River Watershed Protection Program was created for the sole purpose of protecting soil and water resources in our watershed. It is designed to provide landowners with technical assistance and advice that is free and non-regulatory. We also offer financial incentives for landowners interested in fixing existing erosion problems. We are also interested in preserving riparian areas in order to protect water quality. If you would like to know what you could do to help improve water quality in the Upper Broad River watershed, please call 828-625-9983, ext123 or send an email to ECO@TownofLakeLure.com.