Some folks think we don’t have a water quality problem in western North Carolina. Others say, “Sedimentation is a natural process, always has been, always will be.” So, what’s the big deal about erosion control and a little dirt getting into the water?

Many Western North Carolina residents and visitors are concerned about water pollution and sedimentation from construction sites ruining their long-term water supply from natural springs. Just ask Mrs. Maybelle Neely, an 86-year-old resident who recently lost two springs to sedimentation.
Mrs. Neely has used these springs for over 60 years but now she has been forced to buy water in town because of the red dirt filling her water pipes. Did the state help Mrs. Neely? No, the site causing the damage is not big enough to get their attention.

Sedimentation is the single largest water pollution problem in North Carolina. That conclusion comes from the Water Resources Research Institute at N.C. State University, not a bunch of overly-motivated environmentalists. The Little Tennessee Watershed Association has estimated that about 2 million tons of sediment enter the “Little T” every year. Some sediment does come from natural sources, but
far too much comes from land-disturbing activities initiated by man.

Most ever-yone understands water pollution when you talk about toxic chemicals, raw sewage or industrial wastes. What about dirt? Those who were raised in the mountains probably remember when every stream ran clear and you could see the gravel and rocks on the bottom. Fish and wildlife were more abundant then. Dirt pollutes our streams by filling in all of the spaces under and around the rocks and gravel stream bottoms to kill or force out the insects and tiny critters that live there. These microinvertebrates, as the scientists call them, are near the beginning of the food chain for all life in our mountain streams.

Have you noticed that the stream or river you fished as a child no longer teems with fish? Are the natural brook trout gone? Can you see the gravel bottom? If not, you are beginning to understand what the big deal about erosion and sedimentation is all about.

Sedimentation is one of the main factors limiting trout production in Western North Carolina. Inorganic sediments can affect trout productivity in three ways: direct effects include impairment of respiration, feeding habits, and migration patterns; reduced egg hatching and emergence due to decreased water velocity and dissolved oxygen; and, trophic effects including the reduction in prey

North Carolina’s Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) goes on to say, “The construction process and poor access road design are thought to be significant causes of erosion,” and “The steep slopes and thin soils found in this area make this region particularly vulnerable to land disturbances.”

Although the state’s sedimentation control focus is limited to projects larger than one acre, the 1973 N.C. Sedimentation Pollution Control Act applies to all land-disturbing activities of any size. In Macon County and other mountain communities, home construction sites play a significant role in local stream and lake water pollution from sedimentation. Storm water runoff is also a bigger problem in the mountains than in the east because of the high water velocities that can build up in short distances on steep slopes. High water velocities translate into high energy — energy sufficient to carve deep gullies in your property, cut through gravel driveways and washout roads.

So what, you say. Well then, let’s talk about money. Mountain topography, forests, beautiful streams and waterfalls bring tourists into our economy. Brown, muddy streams and lakes are not the attraction. Whether you are building a site for a mobile home or a million dollar vacation home, silt fence costs $30 per 100 feet. The average home construction lot can be protected from erosion and siltation for $100-$200 ( and that assumes you bury the bottom of the fence, reinforce it with wire mesh and steel T-posts, and spend the labor to clean out the accumulated silt after every big rain — like the State’s Best Management Practices specify).

On the other hand, the cost of sediment removal is extremely high. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is conducting a 2-year $660,000 study of sediment in Lake Emory and the Little Tennessee River in Franklin. The study will not remove any silt. It will only make recommendations for the feasible alternatives. The cost of actually removing any silt from Lake Emory may run as high as $2 million. A U.S. Geological Survey proposal for studying silt accumulation in Lake Sequoyah cost of $183,000. Recent estimates for removing silt and transporting it to a location where it can be used run from $ 20-$ 30 per cubic yard. Several lakes in our area can easily require the removal of 50,000-100,000 cubic yards of silt (i.e., $1 - $3 million) and still not be back to their original bottom configuration. Many times you cannot get the permits to clean out your streams and lakes no matter what the cost.

As with many things in life, the cost of preventing the problem is many times cheaper than the cost of fixing the problem created by careless construction and cutting corners. Many of our Macon County contractors do a marvelous job; unfortunately, others do not. Dirt in the water? Yes, it is a big deal. It’s your responsibility to make sure it stays on your property where it belongs.

The Macon Board of Commissioners’ vote to approve this important ordinance will be on Monday, Nov. 5. The Macon County Watershed Council urges citizens to make their feelings known. If you can’t attend, contact your county commissioners and ask them to vote for the Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control Ordinance.

Bob Wright,
The Macon County Watershed Council

 

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