Jason Sandford
Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.
Nobody’s said much, but this is a serious issue. We got several inches of rain over two days last week, which helped ease our drought, but triggered lots of polluting run-off at construction sites around Buncombe County. You can be trained to spot these situations, and report them. The reports do result in enforcement actions.
Here’s the press release I received from RiverLink’s Hartwell Carson:
The latest rain is a much welcome relief for the area’s water supply, but the rains renewed the concern for muddy runoff. RiverLink’s trained Muddy Water Watch volunteers were busy reporting dozens of polluting construction sites during the latest rain event.
These sites ranged from small residential sites to large commercial developments. One report included a buffer violation and an illegally ditched stream. Ditching and rerouting a stream is extremely harmful to its aquatic life, and therefore is not allowed without strict permits. The state Division of Water Quality and the Army Corps of Engineers are now pursuing cleanup and enforcement of this site.
The Muddy Water Watch training has helped volunteers notice problem areas and report these violations to the appropriate regulator agency. Many of these reports have resulted in inspections and reports of violation from state and local regulators. These violations require cleanup and improvement of the site in order to prevent future runoff.
Sediment in the French Broad’s number one polluter and the most common source is new development. This is verified by the over 50 Muddy Water Watch volunteers that are now patrolling the French Broad’s waterways. These volunteers are trained on erosion control, sediment runoff, and regulations related to sediment.
Because of the time and dedication to cleanup the river’s biggest polluter, these volunteers have helped ensure that the river’s polluters are noticed and reported.
To become a Muddy water watch volunteer fill out an online form at www.riverlink.org or call the French Broad Riverkeeper at 252-8474, ext. 114 or email [email protected]. The next set of trainings begin in Asheville on Feb. 10.
