Download - 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.