North Toe River (Lower Reach)
Stream Restoration Project

 
 

The North Toe Project (Lower Reach) improved water quality through reduced sediment and nutrient load and stabilized streambanks.

North Toe River (Lower Reach)

French Broad River Watershed
Avery  County, Newland, NC
Status: Complete
Stream Restored: ~ 1,500 feet
Planting Stats: 2,975 livestakes & 517 trees
Carbon Sequestration:  13.2 tons
Sediment Reduction: 72 tons

Resource Institute’s Partners:

Before restoration, the North Toe River (Lower Reach) faced significant sediment issues. Restoration efforts are estimated to reduce sediment in the stream by 72 tons (over 10 years), significantly improving water quality and habitat health.

Natural Resource Concerns/Issues

  • Streambanks on North Toe River (Lower Reach) were steep and severely eroded and lacked a riparian buffer

  • Original Stream = C4

Project Objectives:

  • Restored Stream Type = C4

  • Improve water quality by reducing sediment, nutrient, organic, and inorganic loading of the stream and reduce streambank erosion

  • Stabilize the stream reach to prevent further aggradation or degradation by providing an improved dimension, pattern and/or profile that will improve sediment transport and manage surface waters and groundwater levels in floodplains, riparian areas, and wetlands

  • Construct rock and woody structures to provide instream habitat, stabilize streambanks and the channel bed

  • Establish a riparian buffer, remove invasive plant species, and reestablish native plants, trees, and shrubs

  • Enhance flood resiliency by improving the stream’s capacity to manage high-flow events, reducing the risk of flooding, and protecting surrounding infrastructure and habitats through strategic floodplain reconnection and the installation of flood-tolerant vegetation