Progress 09/01/09 to 08/31/14
Outputs
Target Audience: Businesses within the Robeson Creek Watershed. Efforts were successful in identifying, contacting, and engaging businesses to assist with water quality efforts and take leadership roles within the community to encourage other groups to do the same. Middle school teachers. Teachers were taught to initiate water quality learning agenda to pass on to students. Stakeholders. Landowners and other interested persons were given opportunity to attend Robeson Creek Watershed Council meetings and learn more about the watershed. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?
Nothing Reported
How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Results have been disseminated to the community via newsletter, Robeson Creek Watershed Council meetings, town meetings, BMP tours, and volunteer opportunities. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
1. The Town of Pittsboro enacted new stormwater ordinances as a result of collaborations and education made possible through this NIFA grant. The Town also is now in the process of developing a new stormwater program and has applied for and been awarded grants to assist with stormwater issues throughout the town. The Town also held public meetings regarding new stormwater initiatives in order to educate citizens and garner their support. 2. Through the collaboration of NCSU and the Haw River Assembly, a pilot program was initiated in the local elementary school to take students to the newly completed Town Lake Wetland Restoration project and have an all-day laboratory session on local water quality. Through collaboration with NCSU and the Haw River Assembly, 8th graders at the local middle school each year will have a year-long curriculum in science classes to learn about local water quality. Trips to local creeks and restoration sites will be scheduled throughout the year. A survey was given to students pre-instruction at the beginning of the school year and then post-instruction at the end of the school year; every student that particpated in the curriculum was surveyed for understanding and comprehension of local water quality issues. The overall group scores increased significantly after the program by 11.7%. The survey showed that students' understanding increased considerably (15% or more) with regards to the impact sediment has on aquatic life (26% increase in score); the importance of planting trees for stream health (19% increase in score); the definition of stormwater (17% increase in score); how streams differ in forests compared to towns or cities (15% increase in score). The overall group score on individual questions decreased for only for one question (5% decrease in score) on where rainfall on streets goes. 3. Businesses within the watershed became more actively engaged in the stakeholder process through the Robeson Creek Watershed Council. Most importantly, developers within the watershed coordinated efforts with the Council and the Town of Pittsboro to insure water quality was being addressed during development. Multiple business within the watershed agreed to have future stormwater best management practices located on their property and they encourage other businesses to do the same. 4. Stakeholders participated quarterly in the Robeson Creek Watershed Council meetings. Local landowners, businesses, agencies, municipal governments, and others helped guide the direction of solving the watershed impairment through meetings, BMP tours, volunteer events, and newsletters. 5. Through long-term monitoring and increasing installation of Best Management Practices throughout the watershed, the water quality monitoring data documented decreasing trends in NH3- N, NOx-N, TP, and TSS loads at RC8 from 2006 to 2014.
Publications
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Waterways: News from Robeson Creek Watershed. Volume 1 Issue 7, 2014. Newsletter distributed annually to watershed landowners.
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Progress 09/01/11 to 08/31/12
Outputs
OUTPUTS: The Robeson Creek Water Quality Outreach Initiative proposes to improve stakeholder awareness of water quality issues in the Robeson Creek watershed and help the community become self-sustainable in water quality improvements through outreach, education, and ordinance review and improvement. The following are outputs from those objectives. A stormwater ordinance review committee was formed to strengthen the Town of Pittsboro's stormwater ordinances. Members include town officials, NCSU personnel, local engineers and developers, citizens, and nonprofit groups. Meetings were initiated with local middle school teachers and 4-H leaders regarding water quality in the Robeson Creek watershed. Robeson Creek Stewards Program was developed and includes local businesses invested in improving water quality. Newsletters, brochures, and workshops on water quality in Robeson Creek happened throughout the year to educate landowners, stakeholders and officials on issues. Stakeholders were identified throughout the watershed through the Robeson Creek Watershed Council. PARTICIPANTS: Christy Perrin-North Carolina State University, facilitated ordinance review committee meetings and gave presentations to town officials. Catherine Deininger-Haw River Assembly, initiated Robeson Creek Stewards Program and was instrumental in involving businesses in stewardship activities. David Monroe-Planner for the Town of Pittsboro, served as liaison between ordinance review committee and elected officials. David championed the ordinance review recommendations to the planning board and board of commissioners. Robeson Creek Watershed Council is a stakeholder group that helped address major issues and give technical guidance on projects. TARGET AUDIENCES: Businesses within the Robeson Creek Watershed. Efforts were successful in identifying, contacting, and engaging businesses to assist with water quality efforts and take leadership roles within the community to encourage other groups to do the same. Middle school teachers. Teachers were contacted to initiate water quality learning agenda to pass on to students. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. PARTICIPANTS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. TARGET AUDIENCES: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
The Town of Pittsboro planning board worked with NCSU and the ordinance review committee to meet Jordan Lake rules. Stormwater ordinances were passed. The board also updated buffer ordinance revisions recommended by the review committee. This will ultimately help improve water quality by affording more protection to fragile buffers in the Robeson/Jordan Lake watershed. Teachers at Horton Middle School are working with NCSU to educate middle school students about water quality issues in the Robeson Creek watershed. Students and teachers will have more understanding of the importance of the creek and pollution issues that flow from their campus to the surface waters. Teachers have asked for more resources to help teach students on these issues. The Robeson Creek Stewards Committee was formed and meets quarterly. Since its formation, several businesses have participated in watershed cleanups and one has adopted local BMPs. The group has created more formalized criteria for selection of the annual Robeson Creek Stewardship award. Waterways, the Robeson Creek newsletter, has been distributed to landowners throughout the watershed. The newsletter describes issues and activities happening around Robeson Creek and its tributaries. Brochures on the water quality initiatives have been handed out at workshops and events. As a result, landowners have contacted NCSU about potential BMP sites as well as presented stewardship ideas. The Robeson Creek Watershed Council, comprised of watershed stakeholders, meets quarterly to address water quality issues in the watershed. The group is the foundation for stakeholder evaluation of attitudes regarding water quality.
Publications
- 1. Waterways: News from Robeson Creek Watershed. Volume 1 Issue 5, 2011. Newsletter distributed annually to watershed landowners. 2. K. Hall, J. Blackwell, D. Line, K. Bass and J. Spooner. Robeson Creek Watershed: Twelve Years of Community Supported Initiatives to Restore Water Quality in an Impaired Watershed. In: Proc. 2012 Land Grand and Sea Grant National Water Conference, May 21-25, 2012, Portland, OR.
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Progress 09/01/10 to 08/31/11
Outputs
OUTPUTS: The Robeson Creek Water Quality Outreach Initiative proposes to improve stakeholder awareness of water quality issues in the Robeson Creek watershed and help the community become self-sustainable in water quality improvements through outreach, education, and ordinance review and improvement. The following are outputs from those objectives. The stormwater ordinance review committee formed to strengthen the Town of Pittsboro's stormwater ordinances met with town officials. Draft ordinance language was created to meet goals and awaiting official confirmation from town leaders. Educational activities were initiated with the local middle school teachers and eighth grade students regarding water quality in the Robeson Creek watershed. Field trips were conducted along Robeson Creek and students were taught about stream and riparian processes. Robeson Creek Stewards Program conducted meetings with local businesses invested in improving water quality. Newsletters, brochures, and workshops on water quality in Robeson Creek happened throughout the year to educate landowners, stakeholders and officials on issues. Stakeholders were identified throughout the watershed through the Robeson Creek Watershed Council. PARTICIPANTS: Christy Perrin-North Carolina State University, facilitated ordinance review committee meetings and gave presentations to town officials. Catherine Deininger-Haw River Assembly, initiated Robeson Creek Stewards Program and was instrumental in involving businesses in stewardship activities. Stuart Bass-Planner for the Town of Pittsboro, served as liaison between ordinance review committee and elected officials. Robeson Creek Watershed Council is a stakeholder group that helped address major issues and give technical guidance on projects. TARGET AUDIENCES: Businesses within the Robeson Creek Watershed. Efforts were successful in identifying, contacting, and engaging businesses to assist with water quality efforts and take leadership roles within the community to encourage other groups to do the same. Middle school teachers. Teachers were contacted to initiate water quality learning agenda to pass on to students. Middle School students. Students were engaged in environmental education regarding watershed impairments. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
The Town of Pittsboro planning board continued to work with NCSU and the ordinance review committee to meet Jordan Lake rules. Draft stormwater ordinances were created. The board passed stronger buffer ordinances recommended by the review committee. This will ultimately help improve water quality by affording more protection to fragile buffers in the Robeson/Jordan Lake watershed. Teachers at Horton Middle School and students participated in water quality educational programs in the Robeson Creek watershed. These activities included field trips to the creek, benthic monitoring of the creek, education of riparian and stream processes and stream stewardship practices. Students and teachers have a better understanding of the importance of the creek and pollution issues that flow from their campus to the surface waters. Teachers have asked for more resources to help teach students on these issues. The Robeson Creek Stewards Committee continued to meet and engage businesses within the watershed to assist with stream stewardship practices and lead by example in helping clean up water impairments throughout the watershed. Several businesses participated in watershed cleanups including BMP repair and BMP installation. Additional businesses contacted the Stream Stewards Coordinator inquiring about best management practices within their businesses. Waterways, the Robeson Creek newsletter, has been distributed to landowners throughout the watershed. The newsletter describes issues and activities happening around Robeson Creek and its tributaries. Brochures on the water quality initiatives have been handed out at workshops and events. As a result, landowners have contacted NCSU about potential BMP sites as well as presented stewardship ideas. The Robeson Creek Watershed Council, comprised of watershed stakeholders, meets quarterly to address water quality issues in the watershed. The group is the foundation for stakeholder evaluation of attitudes regarding water quality.
Publications
- Waterways: News from Robeson Creek Watershed. Volume 1 Issue 5, 2011. Newsletter distributed annually to watershed landowners.
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Progress 09/01/09 to 08/31/10
Outputs
OUTPUTS: The Robeson Creek Water Quality Outreach Initiative proposes to improve stakeholder awareness of water quality issues in the Robeson Creek watershed and help the community become self-sustainable in water quality improvements through outreach, education, and ordinance review and improvement. The following are outputs from those objectives. A stormwater ordinance review committee was formed to strengthen the Town of Pittsboro's stormwater ordinances. Members include town officials, NCSU personnel, local engineers and developers, citizens, and nonprofit groups. Meetings were initiated with local middle school teachers and 4-H leaders regarding water quality in the Robeson Creek watershed. Robeson Creek Stewards Program was developed and includes local businesses invested in improving water quality. Newsletters, brochures, and workshops on water quality in Robeson Creek happened throughout the year to educate landowners, stakeholders and officials on issues. Stakeholders were identified throughout the watershed through the Robeson Creek Watershed Council. PARTICIPANTS: Christy Perrin-North Carolina State University, facilitated ordinance review committee meetings and gave presentations to town officials. Catherine Deininger-Haw River Assembly, initiated Robeson Creek Stewards Program and was instrumental in involving businesses in stewardship activities. David Monroe-Planner for the Town of Pittsboro, served as liaison between ordinance review committee and elected officials. David championed the ordinance review recommendations to the planning board and board of commissioners. Robeson Creek Watershed Council is a stakeholder group that helped address major issues and give technical guidance on projects. TARGET AUDIENCES: Businesses within the Robeson Creek Watershed. Efforts were successful in identifying, contacting, and engaging businesses to assist with water quality efforts and take leadership roles within the community to encourage other groups to do the same. Middle school teachers. Teachers were contacted to initiate water quality learning agenda to pass on to students. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
The Town of Pittsboro planning board is working with NCSU and the ordinance review committee to meet Jordan Lake rules. The board is also working on updating buffer ordinance revisions recommended by the review committee. This will ultimately help improve water quality by affording more protection to fragile buffers in the Robeson/Jordan Lake watershed. Teachers at Horton Middle School are working with NCSU to educate middle school students about water quality issues in the Robeson Creek watershed. Students and teachers will have more understanding of the importance of the creek and pollution issues that flow from their campus to the surface waters. Teachers have asked for more resources to help teach students on these issues. The Robeson Creek Stewards Committee was formed and meets quarterly. Since its formation, several businesses have participated in watershed cleanups and one has adopted a local BMP. The group has created more formalized criteria for selection of the annual Robeson Creek Stewardship award. Waterways, the Robeson Creek newsletter, has been distributed to landowners throughout the watershed. The newsletter describes issues and activities happening around Robeson Creek and its tributaries. Brochures on the water quality initiatives have been handed out at workshops and events. As a result, landowners have contacted NCSU about potential BMP sites as well as presented stewardship ideas. The Robeson Creek Watershed Council, comprised of watershed stakeholders, meets quarterly to address water quality issues in the watershed. The group is the foundation for stakeholder evaluation of attitudes regarding water quality.
Publications
- Waterways: News from Robeson Creek Watershed. Volume 1 Issue 4, 2009. Newsletter distributed annually to watershed landowners.
- Hall, K. 2010. Invasive Exotic Vegetation in the Riparian Zone: Taming the Weeds through Partnerships and Perseverance. Page 10 in Proc. of the Land Grant and Sea Grant National Water Conference, Feb.21-25, Hilton Head Island, SC.
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