The Middle Nolichucky Watershed Alliance (MNWA) is planning workshops to educate the public on how development and land-use affects water quality, according to discussion Thursday morning at a MNWA meeting.

The group scheduled a tentative date for the beginning of its "Growth Readiness Workshop Series" from 9 a.m. to noon on Wednesday, Aug. 23, at the General Morgan Inn.

Also, the Watershed Alliance scheduled a planning meeting for the workshop series from 1 to 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 12, at the Greene County Soil Conservation District office.

That office was the site for the meeting on Thursday, which lasted an hour and a half and was attended by five Alliance members.

Dana Ball, president, said the MNWA held a mayors meeting on June 1 at Homestead Restaurant to introduce local mayors to the workshop series. She said the meeting was attended by three local mayors, Roger Jones of Greene County, Darrell Bryan of Greeneville and Billy Myers of Mosheim.

Paul Hayden, member, said "I felt like the three mayors were supportive."

Kids Fishing Day Report

Ball also reported on the 17th annual "Ogle Neas Kids Fishing Day" held June 10 at Dillard Place in the Cherokee National Forest along Viking Mountain Road.

She said about 280 children registered for the event, which increased annual attendance by more than 60 people over last year.

"It was a great turnout," she said of the event, which featured free fishing and prizes for children under age 13.

'River Float' Planned

The group also worked on planning its annual "river float" canoeing event on the Nolichucky River.

The event was scheduled for Friday, Aug. 18, with the time to be announced later.

Plans are to move the location so canoeing will begin on the lower end of the river and end where the Nolichucky flows into the French Broad river, according to Wilhelmina Williams, MNWA secretary.

Ball said she is looking for canoes to use for the event, noting that the group no longer has access to canoes it previously used.

She said the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) would provide five canoes, which would accommodate 10 people, but about 15 to 20 people normally attend.

Membership Drive

On a recommendation by Ball, the group discussed the need to conduct a membership drive.

"I really just want more people involved," Ball said.

Williams recommended the MNWA have a booth at the Greene County Fair.

Brad Peters, another member, suggested creating an informational brochure about the group to distribute to new local residents.

The group also discussed conducting teacher in-service meetings and erecting signs notifying motorists that they are entering the Middle Nolichucky Watershed.

For more information, visit www.middlenolichuckywatershedalliance.org on the Internet.