Cool Rivers Forever

10/12/2026

HELP MAKE AN IMPACT ON THE FRENCH BROAD RIVER!

Throughout the year RiverLink hosts volunteer events that are open to anyone who wants to help out. There’s no experience needed for these events, just a love of the river and a desire to make an impact.

Throughout the year RiverLink hosts volunteer events that are open to anyone who wants to help out. There’s no experience needed for these events, just a love

10/12/2026

GET HELP RESTORING YOUR FAVORITE STREAM

RiverLink is spreading some love to our local waterways who have experienced stress after Hurricane Helene with our Adopt-A-Stream program. We will equip property owners with the resources and knowledge to repair and steward their eroded streams.

This program focuses on privately owned waterways in Buncombe County that need attention in the following ways:

- Minor to moderate streambank erosion repair that does not require grading of vertical streambanks
- Ongoing support in streambank repair and water quality questions
- DIY streambank repair resources

RiverLink is spreading some love to our local waterways who have experienced stress after Hurricane Helene with our Adopt-A-Stream program. We will equip

10/12/2026

The Swannanoa River is showing encouraging signs of recovery after Hurricane Helene. NCWRC biologists report improved water quality, returning aquatic life and early habitat stabilization following months of restoration work. There’s still a long way to go, but the river is steadily rebounding thanks to ongoing monitoring, debris removal and watershed repair efforts.

Read the full update on our latest blog: https://bit.ly/3VQCn2q

10/11/2026

THE SCIENCE BEHIND SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN MOUNTAIN BOGS

Southern Appalachian Mountain Bogs are one of North America's rarest and most incredible habitats!

Science has answered many important questions about Mountain Bogs. Students and researchers from the University of North Carolina Asheville (UNC-Asheville) understand where their water comes from, how its chemistry shapes these ecosystems, how human activities can alter their delicate balance, how restoration efforts can be evaluated, and how even the smallest habitat features can support biodiversity. The next question is no longer scientific …it is societal: What can we do with this knowledge?

If you are interested in the conservation of these valuable habitats, we recommend reading Chapter VII: Conservation Action on the EcoBridge Conservation Pathway No. 1: The Science Behind Southern Appalachian Mountain Bogs:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xdlXl9Wefis1et0x7l91ySNH1yfKjwi-/view?usp=sharing

You can find more information about the Southern Appalachian Mountain Bogs at: The Nature Conservancy's bogs conservation activities: https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/united-states/north-carolina/stories-in-north-carolina/mountain-bogs/

Photo credit: The Nature Conservancy.

https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/united-states/north-carolina/stories-in-north-carolina/mountain-bogs/

10/11/2026

Metropolitan Sewerage District of Buncombe County (MSD) Wastewater Facility Tour

Wastewater Treatment Facility Plant Tour - July/August 2020.

10/10/2026

Workshop information available here: https://www.bae.ncsu.edu/works...

10/10/2026

Eroded stream banks can lead to poor water quality, habitat loss, a...

09/06/2026

This Watershed Action Plan (WAP) has been developed in accordance with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Nine-Element Watershed Planning framework to address documented water quality impairments in the Middle Swannanoa River watershed. The plan covers the Middle Swannanoa and North Fork Swannanoa River HUC12 subwatersheds (060101050603 and 060101050601, respectively) as a single combined planning unit but also includes a small drainage area along the western boundary of the Upper Swannanoa River HU12 subwatershed (06060101050602) just north of US-70, all of which are located in Buncombe County, North Carolina.

An EPA 9-Element Plan StoryMap