MillsRiver-Final--1-

Project Background
The Mills River Watershed provides exceptional trout
fishery habitat, irrigation for over 1,000 acres of crops, and
water to over 80,000 households in Henderson County.
Although the upper reach of the Mills River is protected by
Pisgah National Forest, the lower third is exposed to
development and intensive agriculture. In the late 1990s,
the lower North Fork, lower South Fork, and Mills River were
cited on the 303(d) list of impaired waters due to erosion,
sedimentation, and pesticide issues. To address these water
quality concerns, the Mills River Partnership (MRP) formed
in 1998 and went on to develop the Mills River Integrated
Watershed Management Plan in 2015. The EPA Clean Water
Act 319 grant has been critical to addressing water quality
in the watershed, partially funding both the watershed
planning process as well as a string of watershed
restoration projects since 2012.
Project Approach
This 2015 319 grant-funded project is part of ongoing
effort to reduce sedimentation, as well as other non-point
source pollutants. The MRP collaborated with several
landowners to implement best management practices
(BMPs) on and adjacent to streams. The project utilized a
holistic approach, which included agricultural BMPs, stream
restoration, and stormwater control measures. This multi-
pronged approach provides multiple in-stream benefits by
stabilizing streambanks, restoring aquatic habitat, and
reducing the amount of pollutants reaching the streams.
Already, the 319-funded projects have yielded measurable
improvements in turbidity in the rural upper watershed.
Further efforts will focus on the emerging impacts of
increasing development downstream.
Reducing Sedimentation
in the Lower Mills River

NC
319
Grant
Overview
River Basin: French Broad
County: Henderson
319 Funding: $230,000
Total Project Costs: $697,000
Mills River (bottom) and South
Fork Mills River (top)
watersheds
Kids in the Creek outreach event
BMPs Implemented
Outreach Efforts
Several educational opportunities were held throughout
the project period including outreach events, volunteer
days, workshops including “Shade Your Stream”, and
education for over 2,500 students in “Kids in The Creek”
type classes. Outreach efforts included:
• Water pollution lessons for ~900 8th graders
• Big Sweep river cleanups with ~40 volunteers cleaning
over 1 ton of trash from the Mills River
• Outreach at Farm City Day reaching ~500 spectators
• 12 educational signs for the Mills River Stewards
program
• A Spanish/English language brochure
• 3 backyard stream workshops reaching ~60 attendees
• 1 rain garden workshop for 25 people
• 6 volunteer planning events totaling 75 attendees
319 Grant Administrator: Rishi Bastakoti
Email: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]
Project Funding
*Match amounts include cash and in-kind services
Before
After
Agricultural Land BMPs
Field border improvements
3,000 ft Vegetated drainage
2 acres Riparian vegetation improvements
Stream Restoration BMPs
2,5000 ft Stream bank stabilization
3 acres Riparian area vegetation
Livestock Land BMPs
Livestock exclusion fencing
2 acres Riparian area vegetation
3 Stream Crossings
Stormwater Control Measures
1 acre Wetland creation
Rain barrels
Stream Restoration- The project
team regraded 600 lf of an incised
stream bank on this property to cre-
ate a natural slope, installed coir
logs and over 800 live stakes, and
enhanced 800 lf of riparian buffer
with trees and shrubs.
Learn more about the 319 Grant on the North
Carolina Department of Environmental Quality
website.