252:
4,500-acre protected
Needmore Tract owned by the LTLT, was met with widespread opposition from the public. The LTWA submitted a letter to the NC DOT and the US Army Corps of Engineers outlining its concerns about the proposal, claiming that proposed method of widening the road—blasting through the acidic rock that borders it—would have a negative impact on the Little Tennessee and those who live near it. When the NC DOT granted Macon County commissioners' request for a public hearing on the road improvements, the LTWA urged both its members and the public to come out in opposition. The NCDOT is reconsidering its plans for the road's expansion, and has scheduled a post-hearing meeting for November 30, 2010, to "review every comment received and (to) make a decision about what the next steps are."
17:
208:). It then collaborated with local contractors on dam and culvert removal, temporary flow diversion around the dam during construction and some streambank stabilization, and built new free-spanning bridges that wouldn't block fish passage. The project is still ongoing, with the LTWA organizing volunteer groups to plant trees, sow grass seed, and lay down straw mulch.
89:
biomonitoring database in the world for any comparably sized watershed. Throughout the program's history, over 2,000 volunteers have participated in field work and data collection at over 150 sites around the watershed, and data from the program appears in the
Southern Appalachian Information Node database, making it accessible all over the world.
183:. Staff aquatic biologist and biomonitoring program leader William McLarney identified several potential barriers to fish passage between the Lake Emory Dam in Franklin to the Fontana reservoir in Swain County that appeared to be contributing to the decline of the spotfin chub in the watershed. This research led to a multi agency effort by the
203:
to assess barriers to aquatic organism passage through the Little
Tennessee and its tributaries. By 2007, several potential locations for restoration efforts (mostly located on private property) had been identified. The LTWA requested funds to pursue a restoration project along Watauga Creek in Macon
238:
This prompted Macon County commissioners to vote unanimously to submit a letter to the
Georgia Environmental Protection Division echoing the LTWA's call for a public hearing and highlighting concerns about the permit, including "interbasin transfer implications, the impact on a section of the Little
224:
The organization has been a vocal opponent of a recent request by the commissioners of Rabun County, Georgia, for a
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit from the Georgia Environmental Protection Division that would allow the county to discharge up to 2 million gallons per
161:
In the past decade, the LTWA has partnered with the Macon Soil and Water
Conservation District and local landowners to perform voluntary restoration projects on more than 3.4 miles of eroded stream bank, plant more than 10.3 miles of vegetative buffer, and install 4.6 miles of livestock fence along
242:
When the
Georgia EPD agreed and scheduled a public hearing in the Rabun County courthouse, executive director Jenny Sanders urged Macon County citizens and officials to attend. The entire five-member Macon board of commissioners attended the meeting, as well as Franklin alderman Bob Scott, county
170:
In 2008, the LTWA coordinated a volunteer effort to restore part of a 64-acre tract of bottomland and river bluff land at the junction of
Tessentee Creek and the Little Tennessee River owned by the LTLT known as the Tessentee Farm back to its condition prior to the addition of a man-made pond and
60:
In 1993, citizens, local government officials, and scientists attending a local watershed conference in
Franklin recognized that accelerating growth and development were impacting the health of the Little Tennessee River watershed, and decided that they needed a strategy to protect water quality,
229:
plant in the headwaters of the watershed, would upgrade the Fruit of the Loom building's existing treatment plant, which was formerly an industrial wastewater facility, allowing it to treat domestic and industrial wastewater and act as the county's municipal wastewater treatment plant. The LTWA
88:
The LTWA's biomonitoring program is headed by Dr. William McLarney, who began monitoring the Little
Tennessee watershed in 1990, before the LTWA was founded. The data from this program provides a picture of the biodiversity of the watershed over the past 20 years, and is the largest fish-based
251:
The LTWA has also publicly opposed North Carolina Department of Transportation's proposal to pave and widen 3.3 miles of Needmore Road between Byrd road in Macon County and existing pavement in Swain County. The proposal to expand the road, which runs along the Little Tennessee River near the
234:
on their behalf to the Georgia EPD during the 30-day permit draft comment period, calling for a public hearing to address whether the permit should be granted and to ensure that it contains appropriate provisions to protect downstream users of the river.
51:
and its surrounding counties, helps protect and restore at-risk properties in the watershed, and maintains a biomonitoring program that charts the quality of aquatic life and biodiversity of the river.
184:
162:
local waterways. The organization also collaborates with the Land Trust for the Little Tennessee (also based in Franklin) to purchase, protect and restore at-risk tracts of land in the watershed.
990:
216:
The LTWA provides a pro-conservation voice in local politics, playing an active role on Macon County's Watershed Council, and advocates for the protection of the Little Tennessee watershed.
239:
Tennessee already listed as impaired, the town's plans to use the Little Tennessee as a public water supply, concerns raised about the use of chlorine for disinfection."
995:
61:
aquatic life, and biodiversity in the watershed. The 200-plus people who participated decided that an organization was needed to lead the effort, and the LTWA was born.
955:
47:
through monitoring, education, habitat restoration, and citizen action. With around 140 members, the organization advocates for the conservation of the watershed in
205:
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manager Jack Horton, soil and erosion control officer Matt Mason, Director of Permitting, Planning and Development Jack Morgan and county planner Derek Roland.
97:
The LTWA has provided informal courses as part of volunteer biomonitoring activities for individuals and groups from many organizations including
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72:'s Natural Resource Conservation Service. In 1998, the LTWA hired its first paid staff member. It earned 501c(3) nonprofit status in 2001.
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County, and received a federal stimulus grant through the USFWS's Partners for Fish & Wildlife Program funds program (part of the
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day of treated wastewater into the Little Tennessee. The proposed Rabun County Water Reclamation Facility, located at a former
200:
129:, and many others. It played a major role in creating a Biomonitoring Curriculum for Macon County schools in partnership with
950:
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The State of the Streams in the Upper Little Tennessee Watershed: A Report on Water Quality and Habitat Trends, 1990-2002
693:
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137:'s "Kids in the Creek" program. It has also published several guides and publications about the watershed, including
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In 2006, the LTWA was awarded a grant to study the spotfin chub, designated as a threatened species by the
718:"Franklin, North Carolina. The Franklin Press Online. The local newspaper of Macon County, North Carolina"
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153:, which uses data from the biomonitoring program to illustrate the overall health of the watershed.
414:"Little Tennessee Watershed Association Publications | Little Tennessee Watershed Association"
333:"About the Little Tennessee Watershed Association | Little Tennessee Watershed Association"
743:"Needmore Road Public Hearing September 21, 2010 | Little Tennessee Watershed Association"
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892:
842:
114:
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535:"Watauga Creek Restoration - tree planting | Little Tennessee Watershed Association"
506:"Contractors and fish benefit from federal stimulus funds being used on Watauga Creek"
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110:
106:
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814:"Board Biography- Stephanie Laseter | Little Tennessee Watershed Association"
403:
Little Tennessee Watershed Association Strategic Plan Executive Summary, 2009-2010
80:
The LTWA focuses broadly on biomonitoring, education, restoration, and advocacy.
484:
64:
From 1994 onward, the LTWA operated as an all-volunteer organization under the
16:
960:
889:"Board Biography- Chad Boniface | Little Tennessee Watershed Association"
839:"Board Biography- Sarah Weresuk | Little Tennessee Watershed Association"
917:
867:
792:
141:, a 71-page illustrated booklet about 68 species of fish in the watershed,
665:"It's unanimous: Agencies, public oppose NCDOT alternative for river road"
434:
66:
Southwestern North Carolina Resource Conservation and Development Council
435:"Soil & Water Conservation District | Macon NC Government"
139:
A Field Guide to the Fishes of the Upper Little Tennessee Watershed
15:
122:
185:
North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources
914:"Ed Haight Bio | Little Tennessee Watershed Association"
864:"Kathy Tinsley | Little Tennessee Watershed Association"
789:"Stacy Guffey | Little Tennessee Watershed Association"
647:"Proposal to pave, widen Needmore road met with skepticism"
230:
outlined its primary concerns in comments submitted by the
512:. Thefranklinpress.com. December 21, 2009. Archived from
965:
945:
149:
with information about the problems of sediment, and
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to protect and restore the health and waters of the
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Environmental organizations based in North Carolina
35:) is a conservation organization formed in 1993 in
618:"Georgia to give public a hearing on Rabun Plant"
560:"State seeks interstate cooperation on Little T."
302:Dr. Bill McLarney, Biomonitoring Program Director
612:
610:
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578:
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206:American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
8:
359:"Crowd shows up to talk about flood program"
197:North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
189:the North Carolina Division of Water Quality
305:Jason Meador, Watershed Program Coordinator
193:North Carolina Department of Transportation
768:"Public comment period closed on Needmore"
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29:The Little Tennessee Watershed Association
586:"Georgia hears Macon on wastewater plant"
260:The LTWA's board of directors comprises:
996:Water organizations in the United States
694:"Little Tennessee Watershed Association"
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325:
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220:Rabun County Water Reclamation Facility
720:. Thefranklinpress.com. Archived from
537:. Ltwa.org. 2010-04-07. Archived from
365:. Thefranklinpress.com. Archived from
7:
671:. September 10, 2010. Archived from
43:and its tributaries upstream of the
770:. Smokymountainnews.com. 2010-10-27
462:. September 4, 2008. Archived from
145:, a 4-page brochure funded by the
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299:Jenny Sanders, Executive Director
232:Southern Environmental Law Center
485:"Spotfin Chub in North Carolina"
456:"LTWA Project Restores Wetlands"
147:Little Tennessee Nonpoint Source
592:. July 10, 2009. Archived from
565:. April 9, 2009. Archived from
201:North Carolina State University
175:The Watauga Restoration Project
624:. June 5, 2009. Archived from
295:The LTWA's staff members are:
1:
267:Stephanie Laseter, Vice Chair
127:Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory
181:US Fish and Wildlife Service
70:US Department of Agriculture
119:The Mountain Retreat Center
1012:
916:. Ltwa.org. Archived from
891:. Ltwa.org. Archived from
866:. Ltwa.org. Archived from
841:. Ltwa.org. Archived from
816:. Ltwa.org. Archived from
791:. Ltwa.org. Archived from
745:. Ltwa.org. Archived from
335:. Ltwa.org. Archived from
308:Sharon Willard, Bookkeeper
247:Needmore Road improvements
135:Tennessee Valley Authority
143:Sediment in our Watershed
76:Activity in the watershed
273:Sarah Weresuk, Secretary
256:Organizational structure
133:and has worked with the
270:Dick Heywood, Treasurer
131:Coweeta Hydrologic Lab
41:Little Tennessee River
25:
22:Little Tennessee River
487:. Fws.gov. 1977-09-09
19:
569:on February 3, 2013.
99:Franklin High School
941:Eenorthcarolina.org
651:Smoky Mountain News
264:Stacy Guffey, Chair
171:other landscaping.
103:Macon Middle School
956:Greenjobspider.com
669:The Franklin Press
653:. August 31, 2010.
622:The Franklin Press
590:The Franklin Press
563:The Franklin Press
510:The Franklin Press
460:The Franklin Press
363:The Franklin Press
125:, interns at the
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961:Rankdirectory.org
951:Geonames.usgs.gov
227:Fruit of the Loom
45:Fontana reservoir
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922:. Retrieved
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107:Upward Bound
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49:Macon County
37:Franklin, NC
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157:Restoration
20:Map of the
985:Categories
924:2012-10-31
899:2012-10-31
874:2012-10-31
849:2012-10-31
824:2012-10-31
799:2012-10-31
774:2012-10-31
753:2012-10-31
728:2012-10-31
703:2012-10-31
699:. Ltwa.org
679:2010-11-16
632:2010-11-16
600:2010-11-16
545:2010-11-16
520:2010-11-16
491:2010-11-16
470:2010-10-19
441:2012-10-31
420:2010-11-16
416:. Ltwa.org
373:2010-11-16
343:2010-11-16
313:References
288:Vic Greene
282:Ed Haight
93:Education
24:watershed
976:Ctnc.org
971:Faqs.org
966:Ltlt.org
946:Ltwa.org
212:Advocacy
56:History
199:, and
697:(PDF)
115:NCCAT
123:SAFC
33:LTWA
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