Members of the Middle Nolichucky Watershed Alliance are discussing plans for an ambitious clean-up project during the coming fiscal year that would include collecting trash from five local creeks.

Alliance members and other volunteers participated in a clean-up of Holly Creek on May 3.

But the environmental group’s members indicated at their meeting on Wednesday that they will seek more community involvement in the future with the aim of also cleaning Little Chucky Creek, Richland Creek, Sinking Creek and Pigeon Creek.

Other activities associated with the creek clean-ups include: educating agricultural areas on environmental problems, establishing plant life for stream bank stabilization, and fencing the banks to help prevent trash and animal waste polution.

“It is physically impossible for (The Watershed Alliance Members) to do it alone,” said Candy Adams, Alliance recorder and director of Keep Greene Beautiful. She proposed a plan to solicit help from other volunteers.

A large part of the purpose of the Alliance is to educate.

Therefore, in the next school year, Adams said, a Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation water-quality specialist will be visiting local high schools to speak on the condition of the water in Greene County.

Keep Greene Beautiful will be working with the Alliance on this effort to get high school students’ help in cleaning the creeks.

‘Relaxed’ Meeting Planned

Members of the Watershed Alliance said Wednesday that a “relaxed kick-off meeting” would be held to “stir up some energy” for the conservation group’s coming events in 2003-04.

The Watershed Alliance is an organization formed to protect and improve the creeks, streams and rivers in this area, while seeking to maintain water quality, according to Adams.

On Monday, July 16, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., industry and government officials, along with any other citizen concerned about the county water supply, are invited to the alliance’s meeting and open house at the Hardin Park Optimist Pavilion.

Adams said at Wednesday’s meeting that “At least twice a year we need to spread awareness about water quality issues.”

Along with information about Greene County’s streams and rivers, guests will be served barbecue pork, baked beans and cole slaw

The Alliance is also planning, on the tentative date of Aug. 13, to hold a “float” down the Nolichucky River above the dam. It would start at 9 a.m. and end with a picnic at 1 p.m.

There will be enough canoes to carry 30 to 40 people, and much educational discussion about the river is planned.

Anyone who wishes is invited to participate in the river excursion. Materials such as the canoes and life vests for the excursion will be supplied by the Cedar Creek Learning Center.

Vulcan Materials Project

Mark Benko, the Alliance’s treasurer, spoke Wednesday of a project to help Vulcan Materials, which operates rock quarries in the Greene County area, in the company’s efforts to divert a mostly underground stream called Dry Creek away from company property.

The goal of the Alliance in this matter is to improve public awareness about the project.

The group wishes to get the word out about what the company is doing because, Adams said in an interview Thursday morning, “When Vulcan Materials removes this stream from the quarry, it will only improve the water quality of the stream.”

Sustainable Development

Another Alliance effort, led by Ginny Kidwell and Roy Settle, is to spearhead a sustainable development project in cooperation with a local developer.

Adams explained that sustainable development is a term for environmental contracting.

It occurs when contractors and developers include “green space” in their construction projects, and pay attention to runoff problems, such as erosion, that are caused by impermeable surfaces.

“Instead of just concrete and pavement, you incorporate the storm runoff with natural plant life,” Adams said Thursday morning. The group is presently searching for a developer with whom they can promote the “green space” concept.

Green-way System

The Alliance is also attempting to promote the development of a green-way system in Greeneville.

"Green-ways are grassy areas set in front of river banks which can create a good buffer for water quality,” explained Settle at Wednesday’s meeting.

The grassy areas must be placed a proper distance from the waterway in order to be beneficial.

The green-ways project is still in the observation and development stages now, says Adams. She added that the projected location for this process will be announced at a later date.

If there are any questions concerning upcoming Middle Nolichucky Watershed Alliance events or projects, please contact Candy Adams at the Greene County Partnership, 638-4111.