At least three area civic groups are expected to individually "adopt," that is, to help keep clean, sections of three streams in Greene County.
Chris Livesay made the announcement at a Thursday meeting of the Middle Nolichucky Watershed Alliance. Livesay is the group's executive director.
The "Adopt-A-Stream" program, which has been in effect locally for a number of years, works much like the better-known "Adopt-A-Highway" program.
Livesay said he has received confirmation of adoption from at least three groups, including a local Cub Scout group and the Cherokee Chapter of Trout Unlimited. Livesay said he had not received final confirmation from a third organization.
The executive director said he was hopeful more organizations would step forward and adopt sections of streams before the fall, when clean-up and follow-up maintenance is slated to begin.
Livesay said he would train an overseer for each group that would, in turn, train their volunteers in how best to clean up and maintain a stream.
Also at the meeting, Watershed Alliance member Dana Ball announced that the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency had granted $1,000 to MNWA to implement its local "Adopt-A-Stream" program.
Problem Of Discarded Tires
On another matter, Homer Marcum, whose home is near the Nolichucky River, discussed at the MNWA meeting his efforts to find a solution to a "huge problem" of tens of thousands of discarded tires in the river.
Marcum said he had recently been told by a Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation official in Johnson City that removal of the tires "is always on a list of projects to be done" by various government entities and officials, but never undertaken due to a lack of funds.
The abandoned tires were apparently initially dumped in the Nolichucky River upstream from Greene County over a period of two decades, possibly by a since-closed tire recapping company in Unicoi County.
The tires have apparently steadily scooted downstream along the Nolichucky River since they were illegally dumped in the river in the 1950s and 1960s.
In other business, new bylaws for the MNWA were adopted after minor amendments were approved by present MNWA members.
Chris Livesay made the announcement at a Thursday meeting of the Middle Nolichucky Watershed Alliance. Livesay is the group's executive director.
The "Adopt-A-Stream" program, which has been in effect locally for a number of years, works much like the better-known "Adopt-A-Highway" program.
Livesay said he has received confirmation of adoption from at least three groups, including a local Cub Scout group and the Cherokee Chapter of Trout Unlimited. Livesay said he had not received final confirmation from a third organization.
The executive director said he was hopeful more organizations would step forward and adopt sections of streams before the fall, when clean-up and follow-up maintenance is slated to begin.
Livesay said he would train an overseer for each group that would, in turn, train their volunteers in how best to clean up and maintain a stream.
Also at the meeting, Watershed Alliance member Dana Ball announced that the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency had granted $1,000 to MNWA to implement its local "Adopt-A-Stream" program.
Problem Of Discarded Tires
On another matter, Homer Marcum, whose home is near the Nolichucky River, discussed at the MNWA meeting his efforts to find a solution to a "huge problem" of tens of thousands of discarded tires in the river.
Marcum said he had recently been told by a Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation official in Johnson City that removal of the tires "is always on a list of projects to be done" by various government entities and officials, but never undertaken due to a lack of funds.
The abandoned tires were apparently initially dumped in the Nolichucky River upstream from Greene County over a period of two decades, possibly by a since-closed tire recapping company in Unicoi County.
The tires have apparently steadily scooted downstream along the Nolichucky River since they were illegally dumped in the river in the 1950s and 1960s.
In other business, new bylaws for the MNWA were adopted after minor amendments were approved by present MNWA members.
For more information and stories, see The Greeneville Sun.
