Members of the Middle Nolichucky Watershed Alliance agreed Wednesday to plan a float trip down the Nolichucky River this spring, to learn more about the beautiful river that traverses Greene County.

The group also agreed to hold regular meetings on the second Wednesday of each month, and to try to coordinate its efforts and information with a similar organization that meets in Erwin, which is concerned with the Upper Nolichucky River Watershed, or drainage area.

Thirteen members of the alliance attended Wednesday's meeting in the Greene County Courthouse Annex's conference room.

Several reported briefly on a meeting held last week by the Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation to try to identify problems in the Nolichucky River Watershed. That meeting was reported upon earlier in The Greeneville Sun.

County Commissioner Tim Armstrong, chairman of the alliance, reported that he had "volunteered to be a guinea pig" after the TDEC meeting.

Armstrong explained that he is a dairy farmer, on a farm that has been in his family since 1794. The farm is on Horse Creek, and the milk house is very close to the creek, and has been there since his grandparents milked, he said.

Armstrong said he plans to move the milk house farther up the hill, away from the creek, and will probably plant about eight acres next to the creek in alfalfa, and not allow cattle into the area.

Armstrong said, "I am not a big advocate of government taking over agriculture," or an advocate of government in general. But he said that, since he plans to take these steps to help keep the creek clean, and is doing so with the help of the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, he thought it would be a good idea to ask TDEC to monitor changes in the creek.

The group also heard brief committee reports and worked to assign short-term goals, established at earlier meetings, to committees.

Richland Creek Cleanup

Rick Mowery, who is director of environmental safety and health for Alltrista Zinc Products Co. Inc., said the group needs to begin making definite plans if it is to have a successful cleanup of part of Richland Creek on March 17, as planned.

Armstrong said he has floated down the Nolichucky River several times, and said the experience has always taught him something.

The river changes from month to month, he said. "It's amazing to see the different creeks that come in, and the colors."

Members of the alliance who were present indicated that they felt scheduling of a float trip down the river was a good idea.

Ken Chase, chairman of the Boone Watershed Partnership, said that some of the TVA funds that the alliance has received could be used to hire river guides for the trip.

In response to a comment from Armstrong, Mowery noted that the river level is very low, after two or three years of relatively little rainfall. He noted that the river is "very close to a 76-year low."

Chase agreed, and noted that rainfall figures are normally only reported on a year-to-date basis. On that basis, he said, East Tennessee is about four inches low.

The effects of rainfall are cumulative, however, and he said that because the area has been in a drought period for about three years, in cumulative terms the area is about 17 inches below normal rainfall for the last three years.

Roy Settle, of the Appalachian Resource and Development Council, said that Asheville, N.C., has instituted water conservation measures, and it might be a good idea for the group to hear a presentation on what has been done there.
He said some East Tennessee counties have also taken steps related to low water tables, and said the alliance might want to learn about what Carter County is already doing.

Alice Loftin asked whether the alliance should consider getting involved in keeping records on species diversity in the Nolichucky River, and rare species there, both water animals such as mussels, and birds.