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.

Kayaks glide over a glassy surface. The occasional splashes of fish going after bugs on the surface reflect the last of the silver sunset in ways that give the illusion of white waterborne fireflies. Paddlers take this all in while discussing common interests; paddling, water quality and, most of all, the upcoming paddling season. If you have an interest in being part of the environment and camaraderie that we had on the Salem Lake Moonlight Paddle, then get your calendar out and save some room for trips with the Yadkin Riverkeeper in 2026.

Twenty-five staff members from nine North and South Carolina Waterkeeper organizations met in Winston-Salem on March 17–18 to discuss advocacy priorities, including data center impacts and hurricane preparedness. Waterkeepers Carolina (WKC) meets twice per year, and this spring, Yadkin Riverkeeper hosted the coalition in Winston-Salem.

On March 19th, Yadkin Riverkeeper (YRK) hosted the final forum of their series on local water quality issues and the proposed High Rock Lake Nutrient Management Strategy, or High Rock Lake Rules.

Forsyth Creek Week is March 21 - 29, 2026!

Check out their new website and all Creek Week events HERE.

Every year, the NC State Institute for Emerging Issues hosts a forum and this year, it was on water! There could not be a more imminent concern in our great state of North Carolina; we are facing greater water demand, water quality impairments, larger and more frequent storm events that put enormous pressure on our surface waters, utility systems, and infrastructure. Attendees from water servicing, providing, treating, distributing, consuming and protecting came together to discuss the future of water quality in our region and the workforce that manages it. 

Yadkin Riverkeeper held a half day board-staff retreat on February 28 at the Catawba College Center for the Environment in Salisbury.

Yadkin Riverkeeper is proud to announce that Layne Meredith has stepped into the full-time role of Director of Development.

On February 23, 2026 Yadkin Riverkeeper (YRK) and Piedmont Triad Regional Council (PTRC) hosted the second forum of a series to inform stakeholders and local residents about water quality in their region and the High Rock Lake Rules, which are designed to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus from wastewater, stormwater and agricultural runoff in all waters that drain into High Rock Lake.