Yadkin Riverkeeper Year End Appeal

Your past support for Yadkin Riverkeeper helped us achieve our goal of uniting communities along the River around the common goals of improving water quality and recreational access throughout the watershed. Protecting our most fundamental natural resource necessary for survival is critical to our future sustainability.

Safeguarding our River’s headwaters, wetlands, floodplains, tributaries and stream buffers is paramount to becoming a more resilient River in the face of increased erosion and sedimentation (the River’s #1 pollutant) and flooding caused by over development and more intense storms resulting from global climate change. 

We thank you for your past support and hope you will consider renewing your Yadkin Riverkeeper support with a year end gift to help us continue our efforts to protect the Yadkin and its tributaries and lakes. From the headwaters of the Yadkin and South Yadkin along the Blue Ridge and Brushy Mountains, down to the River as it flows through the farmland and urban areas in the Piedmont, to the Lakes formed by the River in the lower watershed, YRK is having an impact on protecting water quality and improving recreational access to the River. 

Thanks to your support, Yadkin Riverkeeper:

  • Rallied public support to demand the state reduce benzene limits in Colonial Pipeline’s wastewater treatment permit to protect public health and aquatic life in the Yadkin-Pee Dee.

  • Advocated for more stringent requirements for Alcoa Badin Business Park’s stormwater and hazardous waste permits.

  • Assisted environmental justice communities in challenging state permitting of stormwater and development and local sewer overflows disproportionately impacting their communities.

  • Organized stream, river and lake cleanups that removed 15,000 pounds of trash from our waterways. 

  • Monitored High Rock lake for chlorophyll-a, nutrients and bacterial pollution. 

  • Conducted quarterly flights to check for overall watershed health and pollution sources.

  • Spearheaded public engagement in the High Rock Lake stakeholder process to reduce nutrient and sediment pollution in the Yadkin and High Rock Lake.

  • Sampled at 23 swimming sites and paddle access areas for e. coli bacteria as part of the Swim Guide Program, and eight sites for PFAS or so-called “forever chemicals.”

  • Obtained $75,000 from the NC Land and Water Fund to develop a watershed restoration plan for the South Yadkin River watershed.

  • Established a Harmful Algal Bloom (HABs) Workgroup to reduce HABs on the Yadkin Lakes.

  • Installed and maintained a Trash Trout (garbage collection device) on Silas Creek in Reynolda Village to reduce plastic waste in the creek.

In addition to our efforts to improve and monitor water quality in the Yadkin Pee Dee River watershed, YRK is the official nonprofit partner with the NC Division of Parks and Recreation for the Yadkin River State Trail or YRST. 2023, officially The Year of the Trail, has been an historic year for the YRST. During The Year of the Trail, YRK:

  • Published updated YRST online and printed paddle trail maps, which can be found here.

  • Installed 10 YRST mile marker signs on the River from Elkin/Jonesville to Pilot Mountain State Park to below Donnaha. The Donnaha access should be reopened by the summer of 2024.

  • Sponsored the “Yakin' on the Yadkin” paddle series highlighting needs and potential projects along the YRST. 

  • Secured $70,000 in state Complete the Trail funding to acquire the Burch Station Access Area at the confluence of the Yadkin and Mitchell Rivers in cooperation with Surry County.

  • Received a $150,000 appropriation from the NC General Assembly for YRST improvements.

With the additional grant funding and ongoing strong business and major donor support, Yadkin Riverkeeper is poised to have an even greater impact in 2024. With your continued support, YRK will:

  • Expand our Waterkeeper Alliance jurisdiction to the River above Kerr Scott Reservoir into western Wilkes, Caldwell and Watauga Counties all the way to the River’s headwaters.

  • Increase our capacity to address harmful algal blooms plaguing the Yadkin Lakes.

  • Support strong final rules for reducing nutrient and sediment pollution going into the River and High Rock Lake.

  • Improve access areas along the YRST and develop new ones.

  • Leverage more stringent stormwater and hazardous waste permit requirements for Alcoa Badin Business Park.

  • Expand outreach to communities, landowners, farmers and other stakeholders along the South Yadkin River as part of the watershed restoration planning process.

  • Refocus and expand our public education efforts to increase public awareness about threats to the River and what can be done about them.

To ensure we can meet these challenges, I hope you will consider renewing your support for the Yadkin Riverkeeper. We are grateful for your support and will ensure your contribution goes to our efforts to create a more sustainable future for our River as well as future generations.

For the River,

 

Edgar Miller
Riverkeeper/Executive Director

PS- Happy Holidays to you and your family.