Newly appointed Yadkin Riverkeeper, Nicole Eastman, and Yadkin River State Trail coordinator, Ward Swann, will embark on a 192-mile, 14-day “Long Paddle” on August 1. The paddle will float almost the entire length of the Yadkin River starting on the upper Yadkin in Happy Valley to the River’s end at its confluence with the Uwharrie River at Lake Tillery and Morrow Mountain State Park where it becomes the Pee Dee River.

I was amazed by the number of people reaching out to me after I was announced as the next Yadkin Riverkeeper. They sent congratulations and offered their support as I started this new role. From Yadkin Riverkeeper members I have gotten to know over the last two years through Yadkin River State Trail paddles, events, and our volunteer monitoring programs to colleagues who I’ve been lucky enough to work alongside to achieve common goals, folks I’ve crossed paths with a time or two, and people I’ve never met but care about the protection of our watershed. It meant so much to be accepted by this passionate community of advocates, concerned citizens, environmental professionals, and paddle enthusiasts. These connections and warm notes remind me that YRK is part of a large community of people who are connected to the Yadkin River watershed and want to see positive change.

Nicole Eastman, Yadkin Riverkeeper, and Ward Swann, Yadkin River State Trail Coordinator, will embark on a 192 -mile paddle trip down the Yadkin River in August to draw attention to the beauty and value of the Yadkin River and the threats to our watershed! They will start at the Upper Yadkin River in Happy Valley and paddle to Morrow Mountain State Park, where the Yadkin River becomes the Pee Dee River.

On June 26 Yadkin Riverkeeper Edgar Miller and Riverkeeper assistant Nicole Eastman, embarked for a watershed flyover of the middle Yadkin, South Yadkin and Yadkin Lakes with volunteer SouthWings pilot Holliday Obrecht, III.

Watersheds across the state are grappling with proposed data center expansion. In the Yadkin River watershed, there are at least three data center proposals that are requesting or have already received a rezoning approval. Those are in Statesville, Rural Hall, and Salisbury. There are several more locations community members suspect developers are considering for these facilities. Counties and towns are responding to the attempted proliferation of these hyperscale data centers with moratoriums. Davie County passed a one-year moratorium on data centers last week.

Western Civilization has long sought to define the Source of Rivers. You’ve no doubt heard of the search for the Source of the Nile, or the Source of the Amazon. These were massive, multi year endeavors that often left explorers in financial ruin, that is, if they were lucky enough to escape the adventure with their life. It wasn’t until recently that I understood why these quests were worth it. To be able to identify the source is to say that you have mapped the complete basin; every stream or rivulet. And in the age before satellites and Google Maps, having a map is considered a measure of control over a wild area. While there are many springs and water channels that contribute to the flow of a river, the official source is the spring that is the furthest from its mouth to the ocean. That may seem arbitrary. I’ve been to the Source of the Yadkin River and may have felt that there must be more robust springs that could be considered worthy of the title “The Source.” But to know the source is to show that you know the whole territory.

Yadkin Riverkeeper (YRK) is excited to announce that Nicole Eastman will be succeeding Edgar Miller as Yadkin Riverkeeper effective July 1. Miller, who has served in the joint role of Riverkeeper and executive director for the past five years, will continue as executive director for the foreseeable future.

The North Carolina Environmental Management Commission (EMC) held a public comment period to receive input regarding the proposed PFAS and 1,4-dioxane monitoring and minimization rules. The rules would require industries and Publicly Operated Treatment Works (POTWs) to monitor and create a plan to minimize or eliminate three PFAS and 1,4-dioxane, but there are no requirements for implementation. Without an enforcement mechanism, the proposed rules would not hold dischargers accountable for releasing these extremely harmful contaminants into receiving water bodies, and they would not adequately protect water quality and public health.

As I sat underneath a large sycamore tree along the banks of the Yadkin on the new boat access ramp just opened as part of the Town of Jonesville’s lovely Double Bluffs Park, it occurred to me that we’ve come along way in our appreciation of the value of the River.

In January 2024 I started working at Yadkin Riverkeeper (YRK) as a Riverkeeper Intern; I didn’t know what to expect, although I had a specific task to complete for YRK.

Trail Days! Trail Days! Trail Days! Yadkin Riverkeeper was integral in three parts of the NC Trail Days; a River Clean-up, River Hero Award, and the Yadkin River Rumble Canoe and Kayak Race. But first, what is a “Trail Day?”

On May 21, the Division of Waste Management (DWM) held a community meeting to listen to the concerns of West Badin residents regarding the legacy pollution left behind by Alcoa and to present the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Part B permit renewal process.

Yadkin Riverkeeper Edgar Miller, Yadkin River State Trail (YRST) coordinator Ward Swann, and YRK member and Appalachian Trail Conservancy board member Bill Holman spent all day on May 12 participating in the Great Trails State Lobby Day at the NC General Assembly. YRK sponsored a reception for state lawmakers later in the day and attended a briefing by NC State Parks Director Brian Strong about the Great Trails State grant program.

We are at a tipping point. There are many great things happening in the Yadkin River watershed. Yadkin Riverkeeper is making progress on cleaning up Alcoa’s legacy of pollution on Badin Lake with the issuance of a much stronger water quality permit. We are making progress on building public consensus on how to reduce nutrient and sediment pollution damaging the River and causing harmful algal blooms on High Rock Lake, Tuckertown Reservoir and Badin Lake.

On April 16, Holliday Obrecht III, a volunteer pilot with SouthWings, took Nicole and Stephanie in his plane to monitor the sedimentation problem in Big Elkin Creek, the poultry houses in the upper watershed, and land application sites near Roaring River and Ronda. It was a clear and sunny day, making for a perfect flight out of Wilkes County Airport!

As many of you may be aware, It’s been my mission to bring more campsites to the Yadkin River State Trail. I’ve also been trying to find locations that are more than just a spot to set up a tent, but more of a welcoming space that speaks to a wilderness experience. Quality camping options will attract paddlers from multiple states away as they learn to see and experience the Yadkin River that we know and love. Over the winter two new Campsites have been added, and both are going to require a little grit to get there.

With warm weather officially here, we are getting out and hitting the water. There are three opportunities to enjoy time on the water with Yadkin Riverkeeper. These range from mild to wild, from clean to “don’t wear that into the house” dirty. If you do all three of the paddles, you will have done 18 miles on the Yadkin and South Yadkin Rivers combined.

Spring is here, and the River is waking up. Soon, families will be back on the water. Paddlers will return to their favorite stretches. Kids will skip rocks along the banks. It is one of the most important times of year for the Yadkin River, and for the people who depend on it.

Duke Energy is considering two combined-cycle methane power plant sites across the Yadkin River from each other in Davidson and Davie counties in addition to an expansion at the Buck Station in Rowan County. These plants would generate electricity with a gas-powered turbine which would produce heat and use the heat to convert water to steam, powering the second turbine.