The Nolichucky Watershed Partnership, which has members in Tennessee and North Carolina, met Tuesday in Greeneville to hear from officials of both states involved in river issues.

Speakers included Jane Polansky, the new river administrator for Tennessee's state parks, who talked about statewide efforts to establish "blueways," or water trails, statewide.

Also present was her boss, Donald Nicholson, former manager of Hiwassee-Ocoee Scenic River State Park and now Rivers and Trails Coordinator for Tennessee state parks.

Both praised efforts by the Nolichucky Watershed Partnership to protect the river, and to establish local blueway trails for recreation.

Polansky said that, in her new position, she hopes to promote the creation of more blueways across the state.

She also said she is in the process of creating a report on blueways and also on implementing the Tennessee Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.

In general, the state designation is somewhat easier to achieve than the federal one, she said, but is still a lengthy process.

Paul Hayden, director of the Middle Nolichucky Watershed Alliance, said that group, as well as the umbrella group of which it is a part, has been studying whether it wants to pursue federal scenic river designation for the Nolichucky River gorge.

The gorge is within the Cherokee National Forest in Tennessee and the Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina. It is only reachable by canoe or raft, or by hiking trails.

Having the "scenic" designation for the seven-mile-long gorge would provide national recognition and increase tourism in Northeast Tennessee and western North Carolina, Hayden said.

He noted that state Rep. Eddie Yokley, D-11th, of Greene County, has said several times recently that tourism is the only revenue area that has increased in Tennessee in the last four years.

The Nolichucky Watershed Partnership includes the Upper Toe Watershed Alliance and the Cane Watershed Alliance in North Carolina, and the Upper Nolichucky Watershed Alliance (based in Erwin) and the Middle Nolichucky Watershed Alliance (MNWA), based in Greeneville.

Hayden said the two North Carolina affiliates are opposed to seeking the federal "scenic" designation for the entire river.

Tim Ormond, of Asheville, N.C., served as moderator. Ormond said the NWP has been meeting quarterly since March 2008 to bring together "stakeholders" interested in protecting and restoring the Nolichucky watershed.

The Nolichucky is a major tributary of the French Broad River, and includes one-third of the French Broad watershed, he said. The Nolichucky watershed covers 1,800 square miles, about two-thirds of which is in Tennessee, with the rest in North Carolina.

The Nolichucky and its tributaries, the Toe and Cane rivers in North Carolina, is 150 miles long, and touches seven counties in Tennessee and three in North Carolina.

Of the Tennessee portion, one-third is agricultural land, and most of the remainder is undeveloped, much of it in the Cherokee National Forest or other forest land.

Cliff Vinson, director of Blue Ridge RC&D Initiatives and the former district conservationist for Yancey, Mitchell and Avery counties in North Carolina, reported at the meeting on removal of a dam on the North Toe River this past summer.

The dam was built in 1918 to produce electric power for what is now a mining company, but was abandoned after a major flood in 1946 and was breached in the mid-50s.

However, the dam remained a barrier to brook trout coming up the river to spawn, and to canoes and rafts and fishermen making recreational use of the river.

Removal of the dam "opened 44 miles of the river to canoes and fish," Vinson said. Getting all the required permits for the work started in 2007, he said, even though the North Carolina Division of Water Resources contributed money to the project, and "no negatives" surfaced at a preliminary public hearing, he said.

The same group is now working to remove an earthen dam that obstructs eastern brook trout migrations, and has gotten a commitment of $150,000 for the project from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Vinson said he has approached N.C. Gov. Beverly Perdue and asked for $7 million in state funding for the three counties he serves.

The money would be used toward removal of an abandoned dam near Burnsville that has a large sediment bar behind it. He said that project is estimated at $14 million.

Vinson also said he would like to use state money to improve headwaters of the Cane River that were gravel-mined in the 1940s. The mining left the river 600 feet wide in one stretch that is only ankle deep.

Hayden, director of the Middle Nolichucky Watershed Alliance, reported on the Clean Streams Team project that organization is implementing with help from the Tennessee Valley Authority. This project is essentially "adopt-a-stream," Hayden said.

The first group to become a Clean Streams Team is the local chapter of Trout Unlimited, he said, and Holston Home For Children is in the process of adopting Crazy Johnson Creek in Greeneville.

Related to this, Hayden said the Watershed Alliance plans to ask "all businesses in Greene County" to display a decal about keeping its property litter-free, because once litter gets in a gutter, it finds its way to a stream.

Brad Peters, city engineer for Greeneville, said the town has benefited greatly from Middle Nolichucky Watershed Alliance projects. Peters said the MNWA has helped Greeneville meet requirements for federal Stormwater II rules.

The MNWA has helped with two required stream cleanups each year, Peters said, and recently printed a card on how to keep stormwater clean that Greeneville Light & Power System mailed out with electric bills, meeting another requirement.

One of the most visible things that the MNWA has done in Greeneville, Peters said, was to make improvements to the storm water detention pond next to the Ingles supermarket along U.S. Highway 11E.

"Now it actually does hold water," and function as it should, Peters said of the pond.

In addition, he said the MNWA recently helped with the installation of a rain garden in front of Town Hall, correcting a drainage problem in the process.

The MNWA also assists with stream monitoring, he said. "On behalf of the town of Greeneville, I'd like to thank the Middle Nolichucky Watershed Alliance" for its help, the city engineer said.

He noted that Alderman Sarah Webster is an active MNWA member, adding, "It helps to have that connection."
Often, he said, municipalities are reluctant to go to non-profit agencies for help, even though the non-profit can provide something that can benefit the town.

Peters said the local Keep American Beautiful affiliate, Keep Greene Beautiful, is "a big help too."

State Rep. David Hawk, R-5th, of Greeneville, came to the meeting late because of another commitment. Hawk said he would "certainly work with this organization to go forward with whatever recommendations we come up with. I'm at your service."