WATAUGA
T
RIVER
BASIN
owering peaks, snowskiing, flyfishing, clear mountain streams and year-round
scenery are the hallmarks of the Watauga River Basin. The North Carolina portion
of the Watauga River Basin includes the headwaters and tributaries of the Elk and
Watauga rivers. These two rivers flow northwest into Tennessee, and their waters
eventually empty into the Gulf of Mexico via the Mississippi River.
Va
The Watauga River Basin is trout country.
Anglers find wild populations of native brook
Tenn
trout alongside hatchery-raised rainbow, brown
and brook trout in the streams of the upper
basin. Rock bass and smallmouth bass are other
popular catches. Thousands of tourists also flock to this
region to ski, hike and golf. Breathtaking vistas are another offering that visitors discover in
abundance. The Watauga River Gorge, where the river drops sharply as it enters Tennessee, is
one of the most beautiful stretches in the basin. Parts of the basin are traversed by the scenic
Blue Ridge Parkway and contained within the Pisgah National Forest.
profile:
Total miles of
streams and rivers:
279
Municipalities
within basin: 6
Counties
within basin: 2
Size: 205
square miles
Population:
25,329
(2010 U.S. Census)
The basin includes parts of Watauga and Avery counties and only six
incorporated towns, including Banner Elk, Beech Mountain and a
portion of Boone. Although the year-round population of this basin
is low, the area hosts vast numbers of seasonal visitors. Overall water
quality is excellent—most of the streams flow undisturbed through
the forested mountains of the Blue Ridge. The entire length of the
Watauga River is classified as High Quality Waters by the North
Carolina Division of Water Quality.
BILL LEA
BILL LEA
Trout fishing on the
Watauga (above); fall visits
the Pisgah National Forest
(left); Carolina northern
flying squirrel (below)
KEN TAYLOR, WILDLIFE IMAGES
CHARLES BRASWELL JR.
The second smallest river basin in the state,
the Watauga River Basin makes up in rugged
beauty for what it lacks in size. The Watauga
River originates on the north slopes of Grandfather Mountain on land protected by The
Nature Conservancy. The highest peak along
the Blue Ridge Escarpment at 5,964 feet,
Grandfather Mountain is considered the
most biologically diverse mountain in eastern
North America. It is an outstanding example
of the globally endangered, high-elevation
spruce-fir ecosystem. The mountain’s rare
animal residents include the Carolina northern
flying squirrel and the Virginia big-eared bat,
both federally listed endangered species.
White Water
From December to
April, spectacular whitewater rapids with names
like “Hydro” and “Edge
of the World” can be
found in the Watauga
River Gorge, which
crosses the North Carolina-Tennessee border.
Continuous Class III and
IV rapids and a few
dramatic Class V drops
entice nervy paddlers
to navigate the chal-
Several high-quality mountain bogs throughout
the basin contain many rare plants and animals,
including the federally threatened bog turtle.
Mountain bogs are a type of wetland that is
fast disappearing—nearly 90 percent have
been destroyed in North Carolina, and fewer
than 150 are thought to remain in the entire
BILL LEA
Southeast. Mountain bogs are topped with
Spruce-fir forest on Grandlayers of sphagnum moss and saturated with water most of the year.
father Mountain
The spongy sinks are natural water purifiers and contribute to the
high-quality water at the headwaters of many streams. Several good
examples of Southern Appalachian bogs are found in Julian Price Park on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
lenging gorge when
Several types of animals are found in the Watauga River Basin. The green floater, a mussel that
lives in smaller, slow-flowing streams, is considered endangered. A large, long-lived salamander,
the hellbender, is a species of special concern in the basin and is routinely
monitored. Several rare aquatic insects—including mayflies, stoneflies
and caddisflies— also live here. These insects are so attractive to trout
t
a
red b
that flyfishermen make artificial lures that look like these creatures.
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a
i
Because mayflies, stoneflies and caddisflies have distinct tolerances to pollution, biologists
gin
Vir
look at their diversity and abundance to gauge the health of streams. Stoneflies are especially
U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE,
JOHN MCGREGOR
DOUG WECHSLER, VIREO
sensitive to excess sediment and quickly disappear from
peregrine falcon
polluted waters. These aquatic insects are known as indicator
species because they are good indicators of water quality.
water levels allow.
The basin includes 19 miles of state-designated Outstanding
Resource Waters along Boone’s Fork Creek that receive extra
protection due to excellent water quality and exceptional
ecological and recreational resources. More than half of the
streams in the basin are classified as trout waters, which means additional treatment is required
at wastewater treatment plants. In addition, 25-foot buffers of shrubs and trees must be maintained between trout streams and graded construction sites to filter runoff and prevent erosion.
Much of the land disturbance in the basin takes place on steep mountain slopes, which are
naturally vulnerable to soil erosion. Alteration of natural areas may damage or destroy wildlife
habitat and harm surrounding waters. As land is cleared, rain and melting snow (stormwater)
pick up eroded sediments, pesticides, fertilizers and road salt and carry them to streams and
rivers. Runoff of human and animal waste is also a problem. Proper construction and maintenance of septic systems and efficient municipal wastewater treatment are critical to protecting water quality. Responsible management of land activities is also needed to help
protect streams and rivers.
Many stressors combine to negatively influence water quality. Every person, industry, landowner, town and county influences water quality. A variety of skills, knowledge and talents is
necessary to solve water quality problems—which is why it’s so important for many different
people, organizations and agencies to pool their resources to protect a community’s natural
resources. Many of these cooperative strategies are at work in the Watauga River Basin.
Several communities within the Watauga River Basin tackle stormwater management from
a watershed perspective. Among the initiatives is an urban stormwater demonstration project
in the town of Banner Elk. The town is using constructed wetlands and other innovative
techniques to help detain and cleanse runoff from streets. It has also built a greenway along a
pond and two creeks. “Kids in the Creek” brings river basin theater to schoolchildren through
its “stream doctor” and mayfly presentations. Several organizations have banded together to
create an annual river celebration festival to raise awareness about water quality issues and
strengthen collaboration among community groups.
KEVIN ADAMS
BILL LEA
Roan Mountain, which lies
in the southwest corner of
the basin, contains several
rare and exceptional natural
communities, including
bogs and wetlands.
HIKING & BIKING
2 Glen Burney Trail
www.blowingrock.com/areahiking.htm l
Steep 1.6 mile trail just steps from Main
Street in Blowing Rock.
3 Julian Price Memorial Park
www.blueridgeparkway.org/v.php?pg=110
l 4,344 acres l 10 miles of trails within the
park, which is also crossed by the 13.5-mile
Tanawha trail. An easy 2.7-mile loop circles
scenic Price Lake and has paved, wheelchairaccessible sections.
5 Valle Crucis Park
www.vallecrucis.com/sites-to-see/valle-crucispark/ l 23 acres l 1-mile paved loop circles
small pond.
l HIKING and BIKING l
6 Beech Mountain
www.beechmtn.com/things-to-do/
summertime-sports/biking l With more than
20 miles of wooded hiking trails and over 50
miles of biking trails, there is a lot to explore
around Beech Mountain.
= some trails designated as wheelchair accessible
Blowing Rock
l hiking
l hiking and biking
PHOTO COURTESY OF NC DIVISION OF TOURISM, FILM, AND SPORTS DEVELOPMENT
www.townofbannerelk.org/recreation/
greenway-trail l 1.1 miles of trails through
the scenic town.
www.lmc.edu l Campus trail through a stand
of virgin hemlocks.
3
2
1 Banner Elk Greenway
4 Lees-McRae College/Hemlock Trail
R.
PI S GAH NATI O NAL
FOREST
The Watauga River Basin offers many opportunities to enjoy and explore nature through
walking, hiking and biking. This list includes places with at least a few trails for easy to
moderate activity. Keep in mind that at some mountain sites, the steepness of terrain
may limit easy activity, other than at an overlook or short path. Many sites include views
of streams, rivers, creeks, lakes and/or waterfalls. Remember that some trails are multiuse, serving pedestrians, bicyclists, equestrians and other recreational users. For information about urban and regional bikeways, visit www.ncdot.gov/bikeped.
l HIKING l
a
in the Watauga River Basin
ug
1
4
AVERY
ta
Valle
Beech Crucis
Mountain
W WATAUGA
a
5
Banner Elk
6
PHOTO COURTESY OF NC DIVISION OF TOURISM, FILM, AND SPORTS DEVELOPMENT
PADDLING
ta
Valle
Beech Crucis
Mountain
W WATAUGA
a
Banner Elk
1
ug
a
R.
AVERY
PI S GAH NATI O NAL
FOREST
in the Watauga River Basin
2
Blowing Rock
The Watauga River Basin offers mostly
whitewater adventure not covered by
this brochure. These two lakes, however,
provide opportunities for easy paddling.
1 Buckeye Lake
www.beechmtn.com/things-to-do/summer
time-sports/lakes l 7 acres l Situated at the
foot of Beech Mountain, this small lake is a
popular place for paddling, trout fishing,
hiking and bird-watching.
2 Price Lake
www.blueridgeparkway.org/v.php?pg=110 l
47 acres l The lake is named for the late Julian
Price, who was the president of Jefferson Pilot
Standard Life Insurance Company and bought
the land with the intent to create a vacation
retreat for his employees. Price died before his
plan became a reality. The company donated
the land to the National Park Service for public
use, asking that Boone Fork be dammed to
create the lake in Price’s memory. Rental
canoes and kayaks are available.
Price Lake
PHOTO COURTESY OF NC DIVISION OF TOURISM, FILM, AND SPORTS DEVELOPMENT
PHOTO COURTESY OF NC DIVISION OF TOURISM, FILM, AND SPORTS DEVELOPMENT
PHOTO COURTESY OF NC DIVISION OF TOURISM, FILM, AND SPORTS DEVELOPMENT
forest (right)
?
WHERE
SHOULD
I GO
BILL LEA
(left); spruce-fir
CHARLES BRASWELL JR.
Yellow poplar forest
What makes the Watauga River Basin so special? See for yourself. Visit these Environmental
Education Centers to discover more about your ecological address.
l Blue Ridge Parkway
For more information about Environmental Education Centers in North Carolina,
check out the Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs’ website at
www.eenorthcarolina.org.
HOW
CAN
I HELP
?
You can gain a sense of community pride by learning more and helping to protect streams, rivers
and lakes in the Watauga River Basin. The organizations listed below can help you do just that.
To find out about local river organizations and conservation groups, contact your local soil
and water conservation district. To find out about how you can get involved in local
waterway and other litter cleanups, contact North Carolina Big Sweep.
Clean Water Management Trust Fund
www.cwmtf.net/
Division of Water Quality, Stormwater
and Runoff Pollution
www.ncstormwater.org/
Kids in the Creek/Watauga River Basin
Volunteer Monitoring Program
http://watauga.ces.ncsu.edu/content/
KidsInTheCreek
(828) 264-3061
N.C. Cooperative Extension Service
Avery County:
http://avery.ces.ncsu.edu
(828) 733-8270
Watauga County:
http://watauga.ces.ncsu.edu
(828) 264-3061
North Carolina Association of Soil &
Water Conservation Districts
www.ncaswcd.org
North Carolina Big Sweep
www.ncbigsweep.org/
North Carolina Stream Watch
www.ncwater.org/Education_and_Technical_
Assistance/Stream_Watch/
North Carolina Water Science Center
http://nc.water.usgs.gov/
Watauga Basinwide Plan*
http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/wq/ps/bpu/basin/watauga
t
*Basinwide water quality planning is a nonregulatory, watershed-based approach to restoring and protecting the
quality of North Carolina’s surface waters. The N.C. Division of Water Quality welcomes community input.
To order additional brochures on any of North Carolina’s 17 river basins, a general river basin booklet or a poster, fill out
the online order form at www.eenorthcarolina.org.
State of North Carolina: Governor Pat McCrory • North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources: Secretary
John E. Skvarla, III • Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs: Program Manager Lisa Tolley; Project Manager Ian Brown
• Editor Carla Burgess • Designer Kimberly KC Schott, Red Gate Design • Special Thanks North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission,
North Carolina Division of Water Quality and North Carolina Natural Heritage Program • Date: 2013 • 5,500 copies of this public document
were printed at a cost of $1,289.50 or $0.234 per copy. • This publication was funded through a Walmart Stormwater Compliance Grant.
Printed on recycled paper