In starting a new year and second term as Haywood Waterways Association President, I find myself both reflecting back and looking ahead. Our association continued to grow over the past year with increasing membership and expanding programs and projects. The focus has been on education programs, water quality monitoring and Watershed Action Plan (WAP) implementation. The Haywood Soil and Water Conservation District has been working with landowners to reduce or eliminate sources of sediment and animal waste using Best Management Practices and cost-share opportunities. These important WAP strategies have resulted in over 9,700 feet of stream restoration/buffer protection to date. Participating landowners with capable assistance from District personnel are making a difference! We can all be proudly encouraged by HWA progress in raising awareness and understanding of water quality issues through our education and monitoring efforts, and in prompting action to better control our water quality through effective partnerships. A notable departure was the resignation of Gordon Small as our Project Manager. Gordon’s contributions to HWA have truly raised our potential as an effective watershed management group; his knowledge, skills and positive attitude will be sorely missed.

Looking ahead, I see another productive year in addressing our county’s non-point pollution issues. We hope to fill our vacant Project Manager position soon. This critical contract position serves as our natural resource specialist who chairs the Technical Advisory Committee and works toward implementing the Watershed Action Plan. This plan is truly a remarkable document that outlines a combination of approaches to improve surface water quality in our watershed. The Environmental Protection Agency is using our document as a “model watershed plan” in efforts to assist other watershed groups across the United States. We owe a true debt of gratitude to Gordon Small and the Technical Advisory Committee for providing a common-sense, how-to-guide for addressing our non-point pollution challenges. The recommended strategies and specific actions in the Watershed Action Plan should guide our efforts for years to come. 

We need your help. Much more can be accomplished with your involvement and support. Our collective efforts indeed will make a difference!