all about riverlink

RiverLink is a regional non-profit spearheading the economic and environmental revitalization of the French Broad River and its tributaries as a place to live, work and play. RiverLink is often referred to as the “go-to” organization for water quality and urban riverfront issues and concerns.

RiverLink provides a wide array of services focused around water quality, the environment and sustainable economic development within the region that no other non-profit or agency is providing on a regional or local level. Get to know us and you'll love our work.

The Wilma Dykeman RiverWayAnd Urban Plan

Linking Our Rivers and Our Region

At the heart of RiverLink’s work is the Wilma Dykeman RiverWay Plan, a greenway linking the French Broad and Swannanoa Rivers into a 17-mile continuous greenway with separate walking and biking trails anchored on the south at the NC Arboretum and on the east by the Blue Ridge Parkway and on the north by UNCA.

RiverLink raised over $250,000 to develop The Wilma Dykeman RiverWay Plan from the NCDOT, Buncombe County, the City of Asheville, The Asheville Merchants Association, The Tennessee Valley Authority and Progress Energy. The plan took over two years to complete and involved numerous focus groups and public meetings, that encouraged a broad cross-section of our community to share their ideas.

BE THEREB – Balance – Something for everyone - environmental protection, balancing modes of transportation, arts and industry. E - Economic Development --- mixed income, mixed use, low impact sustainable development T - Transportation – a 17 mile greenway with separate walking and biking trails H - Health – the RiverWay offers a comprehensive approach to health care and wellnessE – Environment – Clean air and water are essential to our sense of place and total well being.R - Recreation –walking, biking, paddling, etc. E – Education – knowing about our rivers and our history through an artistically interpreted RiverWay

The Wilma Dykeman RiverWay and Urban Riverfront Plan

Linking Our Rivers and Our Region

Artist rendering of the future RiverWay

Development of our unique River Corridor can have a significant impact on our “Quality of Place.”

Developing our Communities“Quality of Place”is key to attractingentrepreneurs, companies, jobs, and economic development.

Next Steps Work with city, county DOT, State &

Federal agencies for funding Create joint city-county-chamber-CIBO-

RiverLink Commission Award $600,000 RFP for study area Keep getting Brownfield Agreements Keep master planning Watch this space!

Volunteers are a critical link in helping to achieve RiverLink’s

mission of revitalizing the French Broad River watershed. Our small staff just couldn’t do it

without help from the community.

RiverLink Volunteer Programs

RiverLink volunteers at work …

RiverLink Volunteers by the numbers:

RiverLink has over 600 active volunteers

In one year, volunteers accomplished all of this!

~ Conducted 150 river cleanups ~~ Collected over 2,000 bags of trash and 500 tires ~

~ Presented 600 Watershed Education lessons for over 4,000 K-12 students ~

~ Offered 8 Riverfront Bus Tours for more than 80 people ~~ Contributed over 300 hours in RiverLink’s office ~

~110 Volunteers Graduated from RiverLink’s Muddy Water Watch Program~

Volunteer Opportunities:

Indoors

• Office AssistantFiling, data entry, archiving, mailing

• Media assistantweb, PR, etc.

• Special EventsHelp plan, organize, and volunteer at events

Volunteer Opportunities:

Outdoors River Cleanup Coordinator Organize and/or participate in river clean-ups

Adopt-a-Stream Recruit a team from your business, neighborhood, church, school, etc.

Conduct a minimum of two cleanups a year on your adopted stream and one visual monitoring session

Adopt-a-Greenway Same as Adopt-A-Stream, but group maintains a stretch of our

greenway system

Environmental EducationHelp conduct Watershed Education for K-12 students in the FBR watershedincludes Enviroscape, art and poetry, and water quality testing

River District Bus Tour GuidesTwo hour drive explores the past, present, and future of the river

Outing guidesDesign and lead interpretive hikes and field trips in and along the river

Interested in getting involved?Contact RiverLink’s

Director of Volunteer

Services Dave Russell

(828-252-8474, ext. 11; dave@riverlink.org)

for more information

and come join the

Team!

FRENCH BROAD RIVERK-12 WATERSHED EDUCATION

PROGRAMEDUCATING AND EMPOWERING THE NEXT GENERATION OF WATERSHED STEWARDS

Programs are FREE for all K-12 students in the French Broad watershed!

All public, private, charter, and home schools, as well as youth afterschool and camp programs, are

invited to GET RIVERLINKED!

Our programs will focus on: French Broad River ecology Water quality and quantity Student engagement in scientific investigation Science as a link to personal decision making Environmental awareness, appreciation, stewardship,

and activism National curriculum like Project WET (Water Education

for Teachers) Links to NC Standard Course of Study

Kids in the CreekStudents will be active participants in catching and identifying aquatic insects—based on the types of bugs and their pollution sensitivity, we will calculate a Pollution Tolerance Index for the stream we are studying. Older students can conduct chemical water tests for pH, turbidity, nitrates, phosphates, and dissolved oxygen.

EnviroScape™ Enviroscape is a plastic model of a watershed which demonstrates the roles of roads, buildings, animals, factories, and farms, and how their pollution affects water quality. Students will create a rainstorm to visualize how storm-water runoff carries pollution such as sediment and chemicals into our waterways. We will also address ways to help prevent pollution.

Voices of the River RiverLink annual program, Voices of the River, would like to invite all schools and classes (K-12) to participate in creating art and poetry based on our local rivers. Submissions will be judged by local artist and poet celebrities and be displayed as a several month art exhibit. Winners will be awarded prizes from various local sponsors. All the Way to the Ocean

A lesson with the sound of rain, brightly colored pictures, and googly-eyed puppets, students learn that everything entering storm drains, into rivers, streams, and eventually the ocean. Students utilize rain sticks, trash and aquatic life puppets to act out effects of pollution. They also simulate a stream clean up. "Volunteers" use pick up sticks to put trash puppets in a big orange bag. The lesson ends with a river free from trash, and happy sock puppets. Classes have the option of locating a storm drain near their school placing a real "No Dumping" sticker on it.

Summer Camps~ Environmental Education ~ River Recreation ~ Service Learning~

~ Kids in the Creek ~ River of Words & Art ~ River cleanup ~ Raft Trip down the French Broad ~ Tour of River Parks, stream restorations, and rain gardens ~ Nature Journals ~ Guest Speakers ~ Crafts ~ And much

more! For rising 3rd-8th graders

To schedule a program or for more information:Please contact

Nikki Bauman (828) 252-8474 x18

RiverLink Education Coordinatoreducation@riverlink.org

To schedule a program or for more information:Please contact

Nikki Bauman (828) 252-8474 x18

RiverLink Education Coordinator education@riverlink.org

Water Quality Programs in the French Broad River

Watershed

Building stewardship and improving water quality through community education, outreach, program development and project implementation.

STREAM RESTORATION

Stream restoration is becoming more prevalent within our urban areas,

due to recognition of water quality issues, desire for public green

space and environmental awareness in your own back yard.  Stream

Restoration is the re-establishment of the form, function, and behavior

of a stream.  This consists a broad range of mechanisms including re-

alignment, minimizing existing up stream factors, installing structures

and stream bank planting.  These features collectively support the

stability of the stream, increases habitat, improves water quality and

recreational opportunities. 

RiverLink’s Stream Restoration Projects:• Swannanoa River ~ Azalea Park

• Haw Creek ~ Charlie Bullman Athletic Field

• Robinson Creek ~ Arden

• Buttermilk Creek ~ Malvern Hills Park

• Rhododendron Creek ~ West Asheville Park

WATER QUALITY

Sedimentation is the largest water quality issue within the French Broad River Watershed. We have localized pollution issues which have been designated target sub-watersheds in efforts to obtain funding to remediate the pollution issues. In efforts to remediate these issues RiverLink focuses on the implementation of stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs), community education and engagement, and development and managing a residential stormwater management program –WaterRICH.

RiverLink’s Water Quality Projects:• Town Branch ~ LinkingWaters• Haw Creek ~ Evergreen Charter Community School• Haw Creek ~ Jones Residence

• Swannanoa River~ Black Mountain Well Lot

• Swannanoa River ~ Riverside Park

• Buttermilk Creek ~ Malvern Hills Park

• Rhododendron Creek ~ West Asheville Park

WATERRICHWater Reuse Infiltration and Conservation for the Home

WaterRICH Program Goals:• Empower the homeowner• Improve water quality• Increase water infiltration• Reduce Use• Build Incentive based Certification Program• 75 Pilot homes

WaterRICH Elements:• Online Handbook ~ resource for training and workshops. • Worksheets• Workshops• Site Assessment• Certification

The program will target the understanding, designing, regulations, permits, and construction of residential stormwater features. Designed as a community resource the program will develop an online layman’s guide to stormwater management, training, project assistance, and certification. The Homeowner’s on-line guidebook will take a resident step-by-step through developing a Water RICH landscape. This process starts with examining your site, then walks you through the decision making process for options specific to your yard, highlights permitting and other regulatory requirements, and then teaches you the techniques for implementation. The Water RICH Program will help improve surface water quality in the French Broad River watershed by empowering residents through education, implementation and certification.

The French Broad River Paddle Trail will serve to protect the river as a resource for recreation, environmental stewardship, education, and economic development. The trail will build long term partnerships with local governing agencies and private landowners to assist in the development of a low impact trail with, Leave No Trace paddle–in camping every 8-10 miles along the river corridor.

Paddle Trail Elements:• Access• Campsites• Informational Kiosks• Riparian Conservation• Online/Printed Map and Guide• Managed by a Friends Group

FRENCH BROAD RIVER PADDLE TRAIL

CONSERVATION EASEMENTS

RiverLink works in many ways to support the environmental integrity, economic sustainability, and revitalization of the French Broad River Watershed. One of these ways is land protection through the FOREVER OPTION, RiverLink’s conservation easement program. 

RiverLink has accepted over 90 acres in conservation easements through the FOREVER OPTION. Why is RiverLink interested in holding your conservation easement?  Conservation easements along a riparian or steep slope area are wonderful tools for improving water quality, and they may also be written to allow greenway trails and other recreational uses. Some easements even allow public access, though this is not a requirement. Many new housing developments are adding easements as an amenity for the homeowner. You can also include a stream restoration in your easement. All these benefits are in line with RiverLink’s mission to make the French Broad River Watershed a better place to live, work and play.

THE FOREVER OPTION…

Special EventsAs part of our outreach, RiverLink also hosts events to draw people down to enjoy their river, the French Broad. For many years, the French Broad was seen as a tool to drain away the substances no one wanted hanging around – industrial waste, sewerage, even dead cows. The River has enjoyed a resurgence as it has become a lot cleaner over the past three decades.

Inviting people down to the River helps to make them aware that the River and its riparian areas are a resource for recreation, such as fishing, boating, biking, walking, etc. and makes them better stewards of their river.

We hope you will come join us at one of our events and rediscover the French Broad River

and the opportunities it provides.

RiverFestOur signature event is RiverFest, held in August at French Broad River Park. RiverFest features a great lineup of music, local beer, arts and crafts, and food from local restaurants. Groups from all around WNC put together watercraft for the “Anything that Floats Parade."

RiverFest offers lots of fun for kids, too, with face-painters, art supplies, and a Kids Parade.

Fins-n-Gills Fishing Tournament

The Fins-n-Gills fishing tournament is designed to attract fisherfolk of all ages and abilities. There’s a floating fishing derby for adults, a trout pond for kids, and prizes for almost everyone!

Find us, support us …We’re on the Web: www.riverlink.org

We hang out on Facebook: www.facebook.com/riverlink

Our blog is updated daily: www. theriverwhisperer.blogspot.com/

And if we are not hanging around the French Broad River, we’re at 170 Lyman Street in Asheville, right across the street from 12Bones. Click here for a map.

Become a member or make a donation: https://co.clickandpledge.com/sp/d2/default.aspx?wid=35189