The Clean Water Management Trust Fund, which since its inception in 1996 has distributed more than $200 million in grants in the region and more than $977 million statewide, has seen its funding fall by nearly 90 percent in the past two budget cycles and faces an even deeper cut this year.
Below is a list of the largest mountain-area projects funded by the Clean Water Management Trust Fund, total grants from the fund and the total amount leveraged and spent on the projects overall (with additional funding from other sources). For information on additional, smaller projects also aided by the fund, see the fund’s website.
Avery: 23 projects
$9,969,685 CWMTF; $25,558,744 total spent on projects
2012 — acquisition, Grassy Ridge Tract, Martin Creek, $599,905
2010 — acquisition, Humpback Mountain Tract, Harris Creek, $1,310,000
2008 — acquisition, Rhyne Tract, North Toe River, $2,450,000
2006 — acquisition, Powdermill Creek Tract, North Toe River, $1,070,000
2001 — restoration, Linville River, Sloop Dam removal, $465,000
Buncombe: 31 projects
$17,319,965 CWMTF; $38,234,929 total
2012 — restoration, Asheville-Craven Street watershed improvements, French Broad River, $400,000
2004 — acquisition, Reems Creek Headwaters, $4,120,000
2001 — restoration, Swannanoa River, $1,508,000
Cherokee: 11 projects
$5,973,400 CWMTF; $13,624,533 total
2012 — wastewater/septic improvements, Valley River watershed, $175,000
2008 — acquisition, Andrews Water Supply Watershed, Beaver Creek, $1,627,000
2007 — acquisition, Murphy, Marble Creek, $2,462,000
2001 — restoration, Valley River, $400,000
Clay: 5 projects
$2,848,190 CWMTF; $3,594,960 total
1998 — restoration and improvements, Brasstown Creek, $2,571,470
Graham: 4 projects
$4,186,950 CWMTF; $7,437,900 total
2008 — acquisition, Miller Tract, Eller Mill Creek, $2,362,000
2007 — septic System Replacement Project, Stecoah Creek, $560,000
2001 — restoration, trout buyout, Santeetlah Lake, $1,250,000
Haywood: 22 projects
$9,528,827 CWMTF; $37,998,300 total
2006 — Pigeon River Buffer Project, $350,066
2000 — stream restoration/ stormwater improvements, Lake Junaluska, $677,555
1998 — acquisition, Lake Logan, $3,800,000
Henderson: 40 projects
$21,795,503 CWMTF; $85,341,699 total
2005 — acquisition, World’s Edge Tract, Pool and Wolf Creeks, $3,900,000
2004 — acquisition, Schenk Tract, Green River, $5,141,000
2000 — county wastewater collection system, $500,000
2010 — restoration, Ochlawaha Bog, Mud Creek, $119,400
Jackson: 19 projects
$16,064,067 CWMTF; $40,214,658 total
2008 — Tuckasegee River wastewater treatment plant upgrades, $1,500,000
2006 — acquisition, Webb Tract, Cedar Creek, $2,369,000
2006 — acquisition, Plott Balsam Mountains, Fisher Creek, $3,580,000
2005 — Tuckasegee wastewater collection system rehabilitation, Cope Creek, $1,225,000
2003 — Dix Gap Creek collection system, $353,000
1997 — Tuckasegee wastewater collection system, $1,200,767
Macon: 23 projects
$9,397,417 CWMTF; $22,374,919 total
2007 — Mill Creek septic hookups, Highlands, $728,000
2006 — acquisition, Slagle Farm Tract, Cartoogechaye Creek, $612,000
2005 — acquisition, Needmore expansion, $727,000
1997 — stream and wetlands restoration, Little Tennessee River, $3,885,000
Madison: 8 projects
$2,157,661 CWMTF; $4,272,701 total
2007 — acquisition, Hornstein and Eidus Tracts, French Broad River, $139,000
2000 — Marshall stream restoration/ bank stabilization, French Broad River, $338,598
1997 — wastewater revolving fund/failing septic systems, $1,028,063
McDowell: 19 projects
$10,428,500 CWMTF; $21,421,601 total
2010 — acquisition, Wildcat Mountain, Catawba Headwaters, $1,341,000
2006 — Marion wastewater regionalization/ discharge elimination, Corpening Creek, $3,000,000
2005 — acquisition, CSX Tract, Catawba River, $936,000
2000 — Old Fort wastewater/sewer rehabilitation, Catawba River and Mills and Curtis Creeks, $400,000
Mitchell: 5 projects
$5,199,842 CWMTF; $9,784,907 total
2010 — wastewater/septic, high school connection, Spruce Hill, North Toe River, $752,842
2008 — acquisition, MER Equity Tract, Rose Creek, $4,215,000
Polk: 10 projects
$3,327,577 CWMTF; $9,138,652 total
2008 — restoration, North Pacolet River restoration, $1,582,087
1999 — Tryon wastewater/sewer rehabilitation, Howard Street extension, $660,490
Rutherford: 15 projects
$13,863,000 CWMTF; $50,202,592
2010 — acquisition, Weed Patch Mountain, Buffalo Creek, $1,776,000
2008 — acquisition, King Tract, Hickory Nut Gorge, $3,579,000
2006 — acquisition, Chimney Rock State Park, Fall Creek, $1,533,000
2005 — restoration, cattle exclusions, Broad River tributaries, $480,000
1997 — acquisition, Rollins Tract, First Broad River, $4,200,000
Swain: 6 projects
$8,841,900 CWMTF; $23,302,250 total
2004 — wastewater, marina waste management, Fontana Reservoir, $325,000
2002 — acquisition, Needmore Tract, $6,660,000
2002 — acquisition, Bryson City, Lands Creek, $1,531,000
Transylvania: 29 projects
$22,203,769 CWMTF; $43,211,189 total
2012 — acquisition, DuPont State Forest connector, Reasonover Creek, $387,269
2010 — acquisition, East Fork of the French Broad headwaters, $1,000,000
2004 — acquisition, Brevard, Brackens and Brushy Creeks, $1,037,000
1999 — acquisition, DuPont State Forest, Little River, $16,600,000
Watauga: 54 projects
$12,742,572 CWMTF; $35,713,574 total
2008 — Kraut Creek urban stormwater demonstration improvements, $136,000
2002 — Watauga and Wilkes counties, straight pipe elimination, $338,000
2002 — acquisition, Boone Fork Creek, $3,350,000
1999 — restoration and stormwater improvements, Watauga River, $880,000
Yancey: 9 projects
$2,325,000 CWMTF; $6,153,605 total
2004 — acquisition, Popper Tract, Price Creek, $1,534,000
2006 — acquisition, Wilburn Tract, South Toe River, $611,000
Source: N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources/Clean Water Management Trust Fund
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