Save the FRENCH BROAD RIVER BASIN

8/9/2019 Save the FRENCH BROAD RIVER BASIN

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VaThe settlers were more literal in their naming of the

river. They had already encountered wide streams,

or broads, that flowed away from the ocean that

they or their parents had crossed. But this river ran

northwest, into what was then French territory, and

eventually joined the mighty Mississippi. To the newcomers, it was plainly the French Broad.

The headwaters of the French Broad River spill from a 50-foot waterfall in Transylvania County.

Known as Court House Falls, the waterfall rushes into a creek that feeds the North Fork, whichjoins the West Fork near Rosman and eventually the Middle and East forks to form the French

Broad. About half of the land surrounding these headwater streams is forested, with much

of the basin within the Pisgah National Forest or Pisgah Game Lands. Steep slopes limit the

land area suitable for building and farming. In fact, the tallest mountain east of the Mississippi

River rises from this basinMount Mitchell stretches 6,684 feet skyward. Cold Mountain,

immortalized by the novel and film of the same name, rises 6,030 feet above the Shining

Rock Wilderness area.

The French Broad River Basin drains land in both North Carolina and Tennessee. Besides the

French Broad River, the basin includes two other major watersheds in North Carolina: the Pigeon

and Nolichucky riverstributaries that join the French Broad in Tennessee. The Mills, Davidson

and Swannanoa rivers are major tributaries of the French Broad River in North Carolina.

The Cherokee Indians already had countless names for the French Broad River by

the time white huntsmen first approached this mountain region. Their river was

Long Man and its tributaries Chattering Children.

Total miles ofstreams:

3,985

Total acres of lakes:1,736

Municipalitieswithin basin: 24

Counties

within basin: 8

Size: 2,830square miles

Population:393,795

(2000 U.S. Census)

profile:

RIVERBASINFRENCH BROAD

The French Broad originate

from a tiny waterfall (left);

the basins Mount Mitchell

is the tallest peak in the

East (below).

BEN T. WALTERS BILL LEA


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Trout are abundant in the upper reaches of the basin, and many waters

have such good quality that the state classifies them as Outstanding

Resource Waters. About 263 miles of Outstanding Resource Waters

in the basin include most of the South Fork Mills River, the South Toe

River (which joins the Nolichucky River) and Cataloochee Creek and its feeder streams (which

empty into the Pigeon River). These waters receive extra protection due to excellent water

quality and exceptional ecological or recreational significance.

Unique plants and animals also distinguish the French Broad River Basin. Its one of only two

river basins in North Carolina where youll find the 9-inch aquatic salamander called the

common mudpuppy and the only basin with the distinctive turtle known as the Eastern spiny

softshell. The Nolichucky, Cane and North Toe rivers contain several rare fish, notably almost

the entire state population of sharphead darters.

Pink Beds

A large, flat valley with-

in the Pisgah National

Forests Cradle of For-

estry area contains themost extensive system

of upland valley bogs

and marshes in the

Southern Appalachians,

according to the N.C.

Natural Heritage Pro-

gram. These wetlands

are home to North

Carolinas largest pop-

ulation of the swamp

pink (pictured above),a plant in the lily family

that is federally listed as

a threatened species.

The entire area is nick-

named the Pink Beds

and got its name from

the resident pink-

blooming flowers that

also include wild phlox

and mountain laurels.

A bobcat makes a rare

daytime appearance,

framed in fall foliage.

The Eastern spiny softshell

(far right) and the hell-

bender (right) can both

be found in the French

Broad River Basin.

BILL LEA

WAYNE VAN DEVENDER WAYNE VAN DEVENDER

USFWS


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The most ecologically significant aquatic area in the basin is the lower section of the French BroadRiver from the town of Marshall to the Tennessee state line. Numerous fish species found in

no other rivers of the state appear here, including the freshwater drum and mooneye.

Two rare aquatic species live in the French Broad: the hellbender, a large, uncommon aquatic

salamander, and the Appalachian elktoe, a freshwater mussel that is federally listed as endan-

gered. Recreation, including fishing and rafting, also makes the French Broad River an out-

standing resource. Besides the basins ample trout fishing opportunities, the entire French

Broad River supports a celebrated muskie fishery. Below Asheville, the river falls and tumbles,

creating enough excitement to make whitewatering the main economy of Madison County.

There are nine rapids on the 8-mile section of river between Barnard and Hot Springs.

The Pigeon River below Canton has been

affected for years by polluted discharge from

a paper mill. Now an employee-owned com-

pany, the mill releases much lower levels of

contaminants and continues to improve its

operation. Water quality in the Pigeon River

has improved dramatically. Biologists in North

Carolina and Tennessee are beginning toreintroduce native snail, fish and mussel

species to the river. Today, the Pigeon River

is a progressively cleaner resource that sup-

ports rafting, paddling and fishing.

As in many areas across the state, the popu-

lation in the French Broad River Basin is

increasing, particularly in Buncombe and

Henderson counties. Population growth is

ASHEVILLE ISTHE BASINS

LARGEST CITY.

Several riverfront

parks are part of a

downtown revitaliza-

tion in Asheville. Pad-

dlers can access the

French Broad at sev-

eral sites within the city

limits, and plans are

under way for a 6-mile

riverfront greenway.

CHARLES BRASWELL JR .

Rock Window

The faulted and folded

rocks of the Hot Springs

area form an extraordi-

nary geologic window

where you can see sed-

imentary rock buried

under older metamor-

phic rock. Other nearby

earthly attractions

include Paint Rock

and Lovers Leap.

CHARLES BRASWELL J R.

GEORGE HUMPHRIES

Pigeon River


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FRENCH BROAD

RIVER BASIN

Looking Glass Falls, Transylvania

County (left); a whitewater kayaker

finds thrills, not spills (above).

Nature lovers pause along

the Appalachian Trail in the

Pisgah National Forest.

N.C. DIVISION OF TOURISM, FILM AND SPORTS DEVELOPMEN

BILL LEA

KEN TAYLOR, NCWRC

often accompanied by the removal or alteration of natural areas, which

may damage or destroy wildlife habitat and harm surrounding waters

when pollutants wash into them. Many types of land use in the basin

are affecting the condition of receiving waters, including land develop-

ment and construction activities, forestry operations, mining operations,

orchards and cropland, animal feeding lots, failing septic systems, roads

and parking lots. When improperly managed, these activities generate

contaminantsincluding sediment, pesticides, fertilizers and animal

wastethat are carried to nearby waterways by rain and melted snow.

The landscape of the French Broad River Basin has changed dramat-

ically over a short period of time. Cultivated and uncultivated crop-

land, along with pastureland, decreased by 91 percent between 1982

You may have noticed

French Broad River Basin

signs posted along

highways. These were

created through a part-

nership between the

Office of Environmental

Education and the N.C.

Department of Trans-

portation with funding

from the Federal Trans-

portation Enhance-

ment Program. Signs in

each of the states 17

river basins call atten-

tion to basin boundaries

and promote steward-

ship of public waters.


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and 1997, while urban and developed areas

grew by more than 85 percent. This change is

most apparent around Fletcher, Flat Rock and

Hendersonville in the upper French Broad

region. These areas account for some of the

highest growth rates in the basin. The popula-

tion of Hendersonville has increased by 50

percent since 1990. In rapidly growing areas,

development has historically redirected storm-

water in a way that accelerates flooding and

erosion. Proper land-

use design and management can help control

stormwater runoff in both urban and rural areas.

Local organizations are cooperating to protect and promote the ecol-

ogical and recreational importance of the entire French Broad River

Basin. By working together, community organizations and natural

resource agencies can combine professional expertise and localknowledge to determine the best way to protect the basins water

resources. To learn how you can help, contact any of the organiza-

tions listed on the back page.JODY DUGGINS, NCWRC

JODY DUGGINS, NCWRC

KEN TAYLOR, NCWR

The Little River flows

through the 10,400-acre

DuPont State Forest.

Triple Falls, Dupont

State Forest

View from Looking

Glass Rock

State of North Carolina: Governor Michael F. Easley North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources:SecretaryWilliam G. Ross Jr. Office of Environmental Education: Director Lisa Tolley, Project Manager Rachel Golden Editor Carla Burgess Designer Kimberly KC Schott, Red Gate Design Special ThanksNorth Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission Date: 2007 10,000copies of this public document were printed at a cost of $1,462 or $0.15 per copy. This publication was funded through the Clean WaterActs Section 319 Grant Program. In the coming years, some river basin boundaries will change if the state moves forward with plans tomodify them to coincide with federal maps. The Cape Fear, White Oak, Chowan, Pasquotank, Tar-Pamlico and Neuse basins would be themost significantly altered. Printed on recycled paper


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HIKING & BIKING

in the French Broad River Basin

8 Long Branch EnvironmentalEducation Centerhttp://www.longbrancheec.org/index.html 1,635 acres 2.5 miles of trails, plus oldlogging roads.

9 Mount Mitchell State Parkhttp://ils.unc.edu/parkproject//visit/momi/

home.html

1,855 acres

32 miles of trails.A short trail beginning at the summit parkinglot leads to a stone observation tower fromwhich visitors may see as far as 85 miles ona clear day.

10 Pigeon River Greenway/CantonRecreation Parkhttp://www.cantonnc.com/ 1.7-milewalking trail.

11 Cradle of Forestry Forest DiscoveryCenter/ Pisgah National Foresthttp://www.cradleofforestry.com/ 6,500acres 2.3 miles of trails.

12 Roan Mountain Gardens

http://ncnatural.com/NCUSFS/Pisgah/roan-mtnj.html 600 acres 1-mile trailthrough rhododendron gardens.

13 Shining Rock Wilderness/Art Loeb Trailhttp://sherpaguides.com/north_carolina/mountains/balsam_mountains/shining_rock_wilderness.html 18,500 acres 10.6 miles ofhiking trails, including a view of Cold Mountain.

14 Waterfall ParkHighway 194, Newland 2 miles of trails withcascades.

HIKING

1 Bakersville Creek Walkhttp://www.bakersville.com/walk.html ~1-mile trail along Cane Creek.

Blue Ridge Parkway2a Craggy Gardens http://www.nps.gov/blri/craggy.htm 700 acres .8-mile trail.Spectacular display of rhododendrons in

June/July.

2b Pink Beds Loop Trail http://sherpaguides.

com/north_carolina/mountains/balsam_mountains/cradle_of_forestry.html 3.2miles of trails along the South Fork Mills River.

3 Botanical Gardens at Ashevillehttp://www.ashevillebotanicalgardens.org 10 acres .5-mile trailincluding bridgesspanning streamsthrough meadows andover a woodland ridge to a wildflower cove.

4 Carl Sandburg Home NationalHistoric Sitewww.nps.gov/carl 264 acres 5 miles oftrails on the farmstead of the late Pulitzerprizewinning poet.

5 Holmes Educational State Foresthttp://www.dfr.state.nc.us/esf/hesf/hesf_home.htm 235 acres 5 miles of trailsamong mountain hardwoods.

6 Hominy Creek River Parkhttp://www.buncombecounty.org/governing/depts/ParksAlive/facilities/river/ 19 acres .25-mile trail on the Swannanoa River.

7 Jackson Parkwww.eco-wnc.org/eco_programs.htm

212 acres ~2.3-mile wheelchair-accessiblenature trail and boardwalk along a streamand wet meadow.

15 Western North CarolinaNature Centerhttp://wildwnc.org/ 42 acres .6-mile trailalong the banks of the French Broad.

16 Westfeldt River Parkhttp://www.eco-wnc.org/westfeldt.htm 22acres .6-mile trail skirting the French Broad.

HIKING and BIKING

17 Brevard Bike Path/NC Rails-Trailshttp://www.ncrail-trails.org/mapkeys.htm 2 miles of trails.

18 Dupont State Foresthttp://www.dupontforest.com/ 10,400acresWith nearly 80 miles of trails, thisis a new hot spot for mountain biking. Sixnamed waterfalls.

19 North Carolina Arboretumhttp://www.ncarboretum.org 434 acres 8 miles of hiking trails; 5.6 miles of biking trails.

Pisgah National Forest20 Bent Creek Forest Trails http://www.cs.unca.edu/nfsnc/recreation/bent_creek_trails.htm 5,242 acres 44.2 miles of hikingtrails; 27.5 miles of biking trails.

21 Carolina Hemlocks Recreation Area http://www.cs.unca.edu/nfsnc/recreation/carolina_hemlocks.pdf 4.8 miles of hikingtrails; bikes allowed only on through-trailfor horses.

22 Warren Wilson Collegehttp://www.warren-wilson.edu 25 miles oftrails, a few open to cyclists.

hiking

hiking and biking

The French Broad River Basin offers manyopportunities to enjoy and explore naturethrough walking, hiking and biking. This listincludes places with at least a few trails foreasy to moderate activity. Keep in mind thatat some mountain sites, the steepness of terrainmay limit easy activity, other than at an overlook

or short path. Many sites include views of streams,rivers, creeks, lakes and/or waterfalls. Rememberthat some trails are multi-use, serving pedestrians,bicyclists, equestrians and other recreational users.For information about urban and regional bikeways,

visit http://www.ncdot.org/transit/bicycle.

Mt.

Roan

Mt.

Cold

Richland

Balsam

Waterrock

Mt.

Brevard

Waynesville

Marshall

Asheville

Hendersonville

Burnsville

Bakersville

Newland

HotSprings

Rosman

Fre

nch

Bro

a

R

i

v

e

r

No

rthTo

e

River

Pi

geo

n

HAYWOOD

TRANSYLVANIA

MADISON

YANCEY

BUNCOMBE

HENDERSON

MITCHELLAVERY

PISGA

HNA

TIO

NAL

FORE

ST

PISGA

HNA

TIO

NAL

FORE

ST

1

2a

10

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

16

11

12

13

14

15

17

18

19

21

22

2b

20

= some trails designated as wheelchair accessible


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1 French Broad River Trail(highlighted in yellow) The French Broad RiverTrail is a state-designated canoe trail with 23

access points along the rivers 116-mile journeythrough North Carolina. The river begins nearRosman in southern Transylvania County, thenflows north through Henderson, Buncombe andMadison counties before crossing into Tennes-see. The upper portion of the river is perfect forfloat trips, and many of these stretches are suit-able for novice paddlers. There are several accesssites with only a few miles between, providingconvenient options for short paddle trips. Localoutfitters provide shuttle services for a fee.

A complete map of the trail points below, withdetailed directions to the sites, may be down-loaded from http://www.riverlink.org or from

the State Trails Web site, http://ils.unc.edu/parkproject/trails/home.html.

Miles to NextAccess Area Take-out

Headwaters Outfitters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1.5Champion Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2.5Lyons Mountain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5Headwaters Outfitters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2Island Ford . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10Hap Simpson Riverfront Park . . . . . . . . . . .5Pisgah Forest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8Blantyre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17.75

Westfeldt Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3.75

Glenn Bridge River Park . . . . . . . . . . . . .5.5Sandy Bottom River Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..5Bent Creek River Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6Hominy Creek River Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2Southern Waterways . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1French Broad River Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

Jean Webb Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9.5French Broad River Campground . . . . . . . ..5The Ledges Whitewater Park . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Walnut Island River Park . . . . . . . . . . . .14.5Barnard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4.5Stackhouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Nantahala Outdoor Center . . . . . . . . . . . . .4Murray Branch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .end

PADDLING

in the French Broad River Basin

The French Broad River Basin offers many oppor-tunities for paddling creeks, ponds, streams, riversand lakes. The places included here offer publicaccess areas maintained by state, federal or localgovernments. Privately operated marinas and boatdocks may also be available. These trails and lakes

are suitable for easy to moderate paddling.

Mt.

Roan

Mt.

Cold

Richland

Balsam

Waterrock

Mt.

Brevard

Waynesville

Marshall

Asheville

Hendersonville

Burnsville

Bakersville

Newland

HotSprings

Rosman

Fre

nch

Bro

a

R

i

v

e

r

No

rthTo

e

River

Pi

geo

n

HAYWOOD

MADISON

YANCEY

BUNCOMBE

HENDERSON

MITCHELLAVERY

PISGA

HNA

TIO

NAL

FORE

ST

PISGA

HNA

TIO

NAL

FORE

ST

TRANSYLVANIA

1

2

3

2 Pigeon River Greenway/CantonRecreation Parkhttp://www.cantonnc.com/http://www.pigeonriverfund.org

3 Lake Julianhttp://www.buncombecounty.org/governing/depts/parksalive/facilities/parks/LakeJulian.htm. 330 acres Rental boats available

PHOTO COURTESY OF NC DIVISION OF TOURISM, FILM, AND SPORTS DEVELOPMEN


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WHERESHOULD

I GO?What makes the French Broad River Basin special? See for yourself. Visit these

Environmental Education Centers to discover more about your ecological address:

BackCountry Outdoor Education Center

Blue Ridge Parkway

Bullington Horticultural Environmental

Education Center

Colburn Gem and Mineral Museum

Eagles Nest Foundation

Dupont State Forest

EnergyXchange Renewable Energy Center

Forest Discovery Center, Cradle of

Forestry in America

Holmes Educational State Forest

Long Branch Environmental Education Center

For more information about Environmental Education Centers in North Carolina, call

the Office of Environmental Education at (919) 733-0711, or check out the Web site

at http://www.eenorthcarolina.org.

Mount Mitchell State Park

Mountain Trail Outdoor School

Purchase Knob: Appalachian Highlands

Science Learning Center

The North Carolina Arboretum

North Carolina Outward Bound School

Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education

Swannanoa 4-H Educational Center

Western North Carolina Nature Center

YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly

Environmental Education Center

YMCA Camp GreenvilleNCWRC

?You can gain a sense of community pride by learning more and helping to protect streams, riversand lakes in the French Broad River Basin. The contacts listed below can help you do just that.

Appalachian Voiceshttp://www.appvoices.org(828) 262-1500

Blue Ridge Rural Land Trusthttp://www.brrlt.org/(828) 263-8776

Carolina Mountain Land Conservancyhttp://www.carolinamountain.org/

(828) 697-5777

ECO (Environmental and ConservationOrganization)http://www.eco-wnc.org/(828) 692-0385

Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkwayhttp://www.blueridgefriends.org(800) 228-7275

French Broad Basinwide Plan*http://h2o.enr.state.nc.us/basinwide/(919) 733-5083

French Broad River Watershed EducationTraining Centerhttp://www.bae.ncsu.edu/programs/extension/wqg/frenchbroad/about.html

Haywood Waterways Associationhttp://www.pagemanager.com/haywood waterways/(828) 452-9077

Land of Sky Regional Councilhttp://www.landofsky.org/(828) 251-6622

Mills River Partnershiphttp://www.henderson.lib.nc.us/county/soil/millsriverweb1.html(828) 697-4949

Mud Creek Watershed Restoration Projecthttp://www.ces.ncsu.edu/henderson/mudcreek(828) 697-4891

N.C. Soil and Water Conservation Districts

http://www.enr.state.nc.us/DSWC/(919) 733-2302

North Carolina Stream Watchhttp://www.ncwater.org/Education_and_Technical_Assistance/Stream_Watch/(919) 715-5433

Pigeon River Fundwww.pigeonriverfund.org(828) 254-4960

Quality Forwardhttp://www.qualityforward.org(828) 254-1776

Southern Appalachians Highlands Conservancyhttp://www.appalachian.org/(828) 253-0095

Western North Carolina Alliancehttp://www.wnca.org(828) 258-8737

VWIN (Volunteer Water Information Network)http://orgs.unca.edu/eqi/vwin.htm

HOWCAN

I HELP

*Basinwide water quality planning is a nonregulatory, watershed-based approach to restoring and protecting thequality of North Carolinas surface waters. The N.C. Division of Water Quality welcomes community input.

To order additional brochures on any of North Carolinas 17 river basins, a general river basin booklet or a poster, call theN.C. Office of Environmental Education at (919) 733-0711, or order online at http://www.eenorthcarolina.org.

Documents

Save the FRENCH BROAD RIVER BASIN