American Whitewater has been working with citizens to propose Wild and Scenic River designation for approximately 3.2 miles of the North Fork of the French Broad River, located in Transylvania County, North Carolina, beginning in 2016. This section of the river is entirely on federal lands managed by the U S Forest Service, and has a rich history of attempts to dam it as well as protect it.
American Whitewater worked to get the North Fork found eligible for Wild and Scenic designation in the Nantahala Pisgah National Forest Plan, and our appeal of the plan secured the eligibility finding. This finding laid the groundwork for agency support, and kicked off an upswell of local public support and political dialog.
Wild & Scenic designation for the North Fork of the French Broad River would ensure that it is never dammed, that its water quality is protected, and that it receives exemplary management by the US Forest Service to protect its special values in perpetuity. Local citizens defeated proposed dams here in the past, and their hard-won success should be made permanent.
Learn more about the effort at www.wildandscenicwnc.org