Connections

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): When the water in our rivers, lakes, and oceans becomes polluted; it can endanger wildlife, make our drinking water unsafe, and threaten the waters where we swim and fish. EPA research supports efforts under the Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act. Water Topics

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - Clean Water Act Section 303(d): Impaired Waters and Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs): Assist states, territories and authorized tribes in listing impaired waters and developing Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) for these waterbodies. A TMDL establishes the maximum amount of a pollutant allowed in a waterbody and serves as the starting point or planning tool for restoring water quality.

National River Project: Discover interactive maps, paddling and access information, and local managers for thousands of unique sections of river in the United States. Explorer Map and River Directory. Geospatial portfolio of information on Wild & Scenic Rivers, water trails, whitewater rivers, access points and campgrounds within the United States. Serving to help identify, explore and plan trips on rivers within the database.

National Water Dashboard: Geodata base, maps: Surface-water levels, groundwater levels, spring water levels, water quality, rainfall, atmospheric.

National Weather Service (NOAA / NWS): Provide weather, water, and climate data, forecasts and warnings for the protection of life and property and enhancement of the national economy.

Polluted Runoff: Nonpoint Source (NPS) Pollution: This is an educational page about NPS pollution management. NPS pollution generally results from land runoff, precipitation, atmospheric deposition, drainage, seepage or hydrologic modification. NPS pollution, unlike pollution from industrial and sewage treatment plants, comes from many diffuse sources.

Water Resources U.S. Geological Service USGS: Monitor, assess, conduct targeted research, and deliver information on a wide range of water resources and conditions including streamflow, groundwater, water quality, and water use and availability. Science, data, maps, multimedia, publicatios, web tools, software, documents, news. USGS Water Data for the Nation, National Water Dashboard, National Groundwater Monitoring Network Data Portal, Groundwater Watch, Modflow, StreamStats.

STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Asheville's Climate Justice Initiative: In January 2020, Asheville City Council declared a Climate Emergency. Through this work, the City seeks to take climate action in partnership with community leadership. The Climate Justice Initiative seeks to build a community-defined understanding of climate equity and climate resiliency. The Climate Justice Initiative works to center frontline communities' (those that experience the first and worst) experiences and recommendations.

Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC): Innovate, partner, and invest to build community capacity and strengthen economic growth in Appalachia. ARC is an economic development agency of the federal government and 13 state governments focusing on 420 counties across the Appalachian Region.

Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP): Help local farms thrive, link farmers to markets and supporters, and build healthy communities through connections to local food. Support family farms, link farmers to markets, create community connections to local food, and conduct rigorous food systems research at our Local Food Research Center .

Buncombe County: Related sections: Emergency Services, GIS, Parks & Recreation, Permits & Inspection, Planning & Development, Register of Deeds, Soil & Water, Solid Waste, Sustainability Office, WNC Air Quality, Grants.

Buncombe County GIS mapping: Geodate, maps. Lakes & ponds, protected ridges, stream & river, contours, flood, water supply watershed, debris flow pathways, stability index map, county image grid.

Buncombe County Soil & Water Conservation: District's mission is to conserve the soil, water, and related natural resources of Buncombe County by providing education, information, technical assistance, and economic incentives to County residents and by establishing new programs in concert with other appropriate organizations to meet changing needs. Cost share programs, environmental education, farmland preservation, farmland equipment rentals.

Discover Buncombe: City/County data tailored to any address within Buncombe County. Closest Pools, Parks, Libraries, Tax Information, and even Crime Incidents all within one application accessible via one search. Also: Full GIS Access, Digital Data, Parcel Look-Up, Slope Calculation Tool, Representative Finder Tool, Land Use Plan, Healthy Living Map.

Land of Sky Regional Council: Voluntary association of local governments authorized by state law to make and implement joint regional decisions, provide management, planning and technical services to local governments, identify and solve short and long-term problems best addressed at the regional level, and bring together local elected officials on a regular basis, giving them an opportunity to form working relationships.

North Carolina Conservation Network: Statewide network of over 60 environmental, community, and environmental justice organizations focused on protecting North Carolina’s environment and public health. supports, trains, and coordinates diverse groups and directly advocates to achieve equitable and sustainable solutions for our environment.

North Carolina Division of Environmental Quality (DEQ): Administers regulatory programs designed to protect air quality, water quality, and the public's health, and also works to advance an all-of-the-above energy strategy that fits North Carolina’s needs. DEQ also offers technical assistance to businesses, farmers, local governments, and the public and encourages responsible behavior with respect to the environment through education programs provided at DEQ facilities and through the state's school system.

North Carolina Division of Environmental Quality (DEQ), Biological Assessment Branch, Benthic Macroinvertebrate Assessment Data: The Biological Assessment Branch is charged with evaluating the water quality of rivers and streams using the biological communities that live there. Benthic macroinvertebrates are composed of aquatic insects but also include: crustaceans such as crayfish; molluscs like mussels, clams and snails; and aquatic worms. These collections have been obtained from every Level-IV ecoregion, every county, and every river basin in North Carolina. Waterbodies as small as one meter in width and as large as over 2 kilometers wide have been routinely sampled by NCDWR biologists.

North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (NCDA&CS): The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services' divisions have responsibilities in regulatory and service areas covering agronomy; animal health; weights and measures; gas and oil inspection; crop and livestock statistics; USDA commodity distribution; state farm operations; food, drug and cosmetic testing for purity; agricultural marketing and promotion; agricultural marketing grading; international agricultural crop and livestock marketing; operation of the North Carolina State Fair and North Carolina Mountain State Fair; operation of four state farmers markets; research station operations; seed and fertilizer inspection; nursery and plant pest eradication activities; regulation of the structural pest control and pesticide industries; agricultural environmental issues; soil and water conservation; forest management and protection; state and federal agricultural legislation; and agricultural economic analysis.

North Carolina Division of Water Resources (DEQ-WR): Ensures safe drinking water in accordance with federal requirements, issues pollution control permits, monitors permit compliance, evaluates environmental water quantity and quality, and carries out enforcement actions for violations of environmental regulations. Public Water Supply, Water Planning, Water Quality Permitting, Water Quality Regional Operations, Water Sciences, and Groundwater Resources.

North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation: Inspire citizens and visitors through conservation, recreation and education. Conserve and protect representative examples of North Carolina’s natural beauty, ecological features, recreational and cultural resources within the state parks system; provide and promote safe, healthy and enjoyable outdoor recreational opportunities throughout the state; and provide educational opportunities that promote stewardship of the state’s natural and cultural heritage.

North Carolina Natural Heritage Program (NCNHP) : A program of the Division of Land and Water Stewardship within the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. Ensures public access to information that is needed to weigh the ecological significance of natural areas and to evaluate potential ecological impacts of conservation and development projects. The natural heritage inventory helps project planners and landowners make decisions that have the most benefit for society and the economy, while having the least ecological damage. Use our tools and research to learn about North Carolina’s rich natural heritage.

North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC): The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is the state government agency created by the General Assembly in 1947 to conserve and sustain the state’s fish and wildlife resources through research, scientific management, wise use and public input. The Commission is the regulatory agency responsible for the enforcement of N.C. fishing, hunting, trapping and boating laws. Includ

North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission Interactive Maps: Boating access areas, fishing areas & trout waters, fish attractors, game lands, wildlife control agents, wildlife rehabilitators, agency snapshot.

North Carolina State Extension: NC State Extension transforms science into everyday solutions for North Carolinians through programs and partnerships focused on agriculture and food, health and nutrition, and 4-H youth development. Extension faculty and staff work throughout the spectrum of innovation to deliver research-based solutions to local issues. Agriculture and food, animal agriculture, aquaculture, horticulture, nursery & turf, farm health and safety, local foods, pest management, specialty crops, forest resources, health and nutrition and 4-H youth development.

WNC Nature Center: The Western North Carolina Nature Center connects people with the animals and plants of the Southern Appalachian Mountain region. Home to sixty species of wild and domestic animals and hundreds of species of plants, all representative of this unique bioregion. 42 acres of award-winning habitats get you closer than you ever thought possible to the incredible wildlife of the Southern Appalachians. School children and adults opportunities to learn about this area’s native wildlife and habitats.

PRIVATE - CONSULTING COMPANIES

Equinox Environmental Consultation & Design, Inc. : Ecology Services: streams & wetland Mitigation, ecological restoration, landscape and habitat management, natural resource inventories & assessments, streams & wetland delineations & assessments, environmental reviews & permitting. ecological monitoring, invasive exotic species management. Design Services: Sustainable Design; stormwater design; greenway/park planning & design; landscape architecture; residential landscape design; permaculture design; interpretive and wayfinding signage; ecological planting design. Planning Services: land planning & master planning; planning for due diligence; water resources; environmental planning; NEPA/SEPA; outdoor recreation; conservation planning; Geographic Information Systems (GIS); partnership & capacity Building. Sustainability Services.

NON PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS

American Chestnut Foundation (TACF): Helping rescue the iconic American chestnut tree and return it to its native range in the eastern U.S. forests. Harvested our first potentially blight-resistant chestnuts. The return of the American chestnut is a major restoration project that requires a multi-faceted effort involving members and volunteers, scientific research, sustained funding, and a sense of the past and a hope for the future.

Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP): Help local farms thrive, link farmers to markets and supporters, and build healthy communities through connections to local food.

Asheville Greenwork: Asheville GreenWorks works to enhance the environment and quality of life for residents of Asheville and Buncombe County. Native Pollinator-Friendly Plants and Local Suppliers, Pollinator Garden Certification, garden adoption, urban greening,

BearWise: Helping people live responsibly with black bears. BearWise® is the black bear program you can trust for sound information and smart solutions that help people, neighborhoods and communities prevent problems with bears.

Center for Watershed Protection (CWP): OWL is a searchable online database of watershed and stormwater articles, reports, manuals, plans, tools and other resources. All Center for Watershed Protection publications are free to the public on OWL.

Conserving Carolina: Protect, restore, and inspire appreciation of the natural world. Serve part of Western North Carolina and Upstate South Carolina. Includes Polk, Henderson, and Transylvania Counties, and parts of Rutherford and other surrounding counties. In South Carolina, serve the Landrum area, including parts of Greenville and Spartanburg Counties.

Dogwood Alliance: Dogwood Alliance mobilizes diverse voices to protect southern forests and communities from destructive industrial logging.

Environmental Quality Institute (EQI): Collects scientific data that informs environmental understanding and decision-making. Water Quality Map, Current testing includes pH, alkalinity, turbidity, total suspended solids, conductivity, ammonia-nitrogen, nitrate/nitrite-nitrogen, orthophosphate, total phosphorus, and fecal coliform analysis, and also benthic macroinvertebrate identification. The lab currently analyzes approximately 160 stream and lake samples monthly in 10 WNC counties, which are located in the French Broad, Broad, Watauga, and Catawba River Basins.

Green Built Alliance: Green Built Alliance is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing sustainability in the built environment through community education, measurable standards and regional action in Western North Carolina and beyond since 2001.

Mountain Valleys Resource Conservation & Development Council (RC&D): Develop, improve, and conserve natural resources and provide employment and other economic opportunities to the people of Western North Carolina, serving Madison, Buncombe, Henderson, Transylvania, McDowell, Rutherford, Polk, and Cleveland counties. RC&D address the conservation of local resources through hands-on-projects, such as: energy efficiency and renewable energy grants, stream restorations, stormwater and agricultural best management practices, straight pipe elimination, forest fire prevention, and community wildfire preparedness.

MountainTrue: Thriving communities in the mountain region that are connected to and help sustain both each other and our natural environment. Fosters and empowers residents throughout the region to engage in community planning, policy and project advocacy, and on-the-ground projects. Clean waters, resilient forest, healthy communities, green energy.

RiverLink: Promotes the environmental and economic vitality of the French Broad River and its watershed. Water quality: Adopt-A-Storm Drain, stream restoration, stormwater control, waterRICH, watershed planning, Name That Creek. Environmental education: RiverRATS, RiverCamp, Voices of the River Contest, Learn to Love the River. Land conservation: Parks, greenways and blueways, Land FAQs and Resources, Protected Properties.

Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy: Protect over 75,000 acres of unique plant and animal habitat, clean water, farmland, scenic beauty, and places for people to enjoy outdoor recreation in the mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee: Appalachian Trail Countryside, Highlands of Roan, French Broad River Valley, Black Mountains, Smoky Mountains and Balsam Mountains. Land protection, farmland program, community farm education, farm incubator, Stewardship.

Southern Appalachian Man and the Biosphere Program (SAMAB): Is both a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and a collective of agencies, private individuals, policy- and decision-makers, and scientists who work together to promote communication and action on key issues in the Southern Appalachians, with a focus on decision-making to foster sustainability. Manage the Culturally Significant Plant Species Initiative (CSPSI) and the Southern Appalachian Vitality Index (SAVI).

Trout Unlimited Land O' Sky: Organization of anglers and conservationists for the protection of trout and their habitat. Actively involved with NC Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) in decisions about best management practices for fisheries and watersheds. Assist fisheries scientists, education of youth on the importance of trout habitat protection and catch and release angling.

Western North Carolina Vitality Index: Geodata and statistical information that allow planners, decision makers, and the public the information necessary to inspire quality discussion and craft informed decisions on issues affecting Western North Carolina’s abundant natural resources and its potential for sustainable growth. Natural, human, building, economical data.

Western Carolina Botanical Club (WCBC): Identify and study native plants and their habitats and to advocate the protection of biodiversity in our natural world. Weekly field trips, informative indoor winter programs, occasional overnight trips to significant botanical areas, workshops, community service projects, maintenance of a database of Southern Appalachian biota.