Long stretch of Asheville's French Broad River goes on NC DEQ's ‘impaired’ list

ASHEVILLE - A miles-long stretch of the French Broad River has been placed on the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s impaired list, local environmental groups announced Sept. 20, emphasizing better stormwater management is one of the best paths forward.

The DEQ’s most recent tally of new impaired waterways shows a 19-mile section of the French Broad from N.C. 146 to Craggy Dam was added during the summer.

The list, updated every two years, also includes Bacoate Branch and Town or “Nasty” Branch, which originate near downtown Asheville and enter the French Broad River in the River Arts District, according to a news release from River Link and MountainTrue.

In this case, the river − which is an economic powerhouse in Western North Carolina, bringing in $3.8 billion annually − is considered impaired because of the presence of certain bacteria beyond standard levels.

Swimming, paddling, French Broad River:Here’s how to check E. coli levels before you go

Enka Rec Park:TDA invests $5.9M more in Woodfin 'Wave' project, $750k

“The newly released NC 2022 list of impaired waters includes a section of the French Broad River that extends from Long Shoals Road in Arden to Craggy Dam in Woodfin, including popular sections for tubers, kayakers, and other recreational uses,” the news release stated. “This also includes the section that parallels the French Broad River and Wilma Dykeman Greenways. The entire stretch of the Swannanoa River from its source to where it meets the French Broad River in Asheville is also on the impaired waters list.”

“Impairment” is related to recreational use, according to the Environmental Protection Agency’s listing for the French Broad. The waterlife, according to the EPA, is not threatened by the impairment.

No portions of the French Broad were removed from the impaired list in 2022.

Local groups including RiverLink and MountainTrue are trying to address the problem through coalitions like the Asheville Stormwater Task Force.

French Broad Riverkeeper Hartwell Carson said in the release that stormwater has a significant impact on water quality.

New study says:$3.8 billion: French Broad River has mighty economic impact in WNC

“(D)ata shows when rain falls on paved or impervious surfaces it picks up pollution, such as bacteria and sediment,” Carson said. “The recommendations from the task force are designed to filter out these pollutants before they reach our local waterways.”

Those pollutants include fecal coliform bacteria, a group of bacteria that are found in human and animal feces.

Fecal contamination comes from stormwater runoff, livestock manure, failing septic systems, leaking sanitary sewer pipes, sanitary sewer overflows, and wildlife/pet feces. It also brings with it the risk of E. coli.

Because the French Broad is a hub of recreation, the DEQ and MountainTrue have partnered to create a tool that tracks E. coli levels live, letting swimmers and paddlers test the waters before they pack up the car.

That tool is hosted on a website, frenchbroadwaterquality.com, and draws from a U.S. Geological Survey device at Pearson Bridge, a relatively central part of the river’s meandering course through the city.

This device measures E. coli by how turbid the water is.

Answer Man: Why is the French Broad River so muddy lately?

"It is common in all water bodies for E. coli to increase as turbidity increases, so elevated turbidity and E. coli at Pearson Bridge is an indication that other turbid sections of the French Broad River would be expected to contain elevated E. coli as well," the website states in is FAQ section.

According to the tracker, E. coli values greater than 126 most probable number (MPN) “represent an increased exposure risk for primary recreation,” including full-immersion activities like swimming and snorkeling.

As of Sept. 21, the tracker was at 90 MPN.

$3.8 billion: French Broad River has mighty economic impact in WNC, new study says

Jean Webb:French Broad River revitalization pioneer and park namesake, has died

“We must use more green infrastructure that keeps stormwater runoff onsite where it can soak into the ground, as opposed to traditional stormwater management which is designed to move water offsite quickly and into the nearest stream,” RiverLink’s Watershed Resources Manager Renee Fortner said in the release.

The Asheville Stormwater Task Force in January released a report delineating future needs for controlling and maintaining runoff systems to preserve the French Broad.

“As water quality and safe recreational conditions continue to decline in the French Broad River and surrounding streams, the City must implement changes to its stormwater program to reduce and mitigate this alarming trend,” the report stated. “This trend will not change on its own and is largely influenced by development pressure and precipitation shifts to larger storm events. Efforts to increase capture, treatment, and/or infiltration of stormwater runoff throughout the watershed before reaching a water body is essential to turning back the clock and protecting both the ecological and economical value of the French Broad River Watershed.”

Andrew Jones is an investigative reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at @arjonesreports on Facebook and Twitter, 828-226-6203 or arjones@citizentimes.com. Please help support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Big stretch of Asheville's French Broad goes on the ‘impaired’ list