The Town of Black Mountain has received additional funding for removing vegetative stream debris from the Swannanoa River. The Town has received $71,816 from the Streamflow Rehabilitation Assistance Program (StRAP), administered by the NC Department of Agriculture, Division of Soil & Water Conservation. The Town of Black Mountain is one of 18 applicants in the state to receive this funding.
We want to hear from the community about the location of debris jams along the Swannanoa River.
We will evaluate all requests and will complete as many as the funding will allow. Requests will be prioritized according to the degree of hazard they pose. Town staff will visit the sites of the possible debris jam areas that could be removed with this funding.
What kind of debris jams can be removed with this program?
- Trees that have fallen across the river, impeding the flow of water
- Trees that are in the process of falling into the river, leaning toward the river at an angle greater than 45 degrees
- Branches and small trees that have been pushed together to create a wall of debris
- Beaver dams may be considered for removal
- Sediment removal is not eligible through this program
Is access to the debris jam important?
- Yes, removal crews will need to have access to the debris jam through your property.
Can the debris jams be on private property?
- Yes, this work can occur on private property.
If you know of a debris jam that you would like to have evaluated for removal, please fill out the online form: https://www.cognitoforms.com/TownOfBlackMountain/DebrisJamRemovalRequest
The request for debris locations will be open until 5pm on Sunday, June 11th. The requests will then be evaluated and submitted to the NC Department of Agriculture, Division of Soil & Water Conservation for approval.
We will notify you after all reviews have been completed.
If selected, we cannot guarantee that the work will take place when you are at home, or according to a specific time frame.
