From the headwaters on the slopes of Grandfather Mountain to the Watauga Lake Dam on the Tennessee border, the Upper Watauga River is one of Western North Carolina’s treasures. The Watauga, a Cherokee word meaning “beautiful river,” begins its westward flow to the Gulf of Mexico in Watauga County, North Carolina. A fast growing area in the Carolina Mountains, Watauga County is experiencing increased development that could impact the future of the Upper Watauga River. Unmonitored, this development could cause higher flooding events and more intense low water droughts. In the past, the health of the river was left to chance, but that is about to change with the addition of a Riverkeeper to protect the future of the Upper Watauga River.

Donna Lisenby comes to her new position as the Upper Watauga Riverkeeper from a similar position on the Catawba River, which flows through North and South Carolina. Donna, a South Carolina native and Clemson University graduate, is committed to “building sustainable relationships between people and Earth.”

Donna began her mission as the Catawba Riverkeeper in 1998 with responsibility for all 300 miles of the river. Along with a network of trained volunteers, she monitored water quality and enforced environmental laws, among other tasks. Being the voice of the Catawba had many challenges but did not go unnoticed. Donna was named as the “1999 Guardian of the Environment” by The Charlotte Observer and received three “Best of Charlotte” awards for “Best Effort to Improve the Environment.” In speaking of Donna, Hickory, North Carolina Mayor Rudy Wright said “She has been an advocate and a spokesman for what I consider the most endangered river in America.”

Sponsored by Appalachian Voices among others, the Upper Watauga Riverkeeper is part of the national, non-profit organization Waterkeeper Alliance. Headed by Robert Kennedy, Jr., the Waterkeeper alliance helps local Waterkeepers provide a voice for their waterways. The Waterkeeper Alliance defines a Waterkeeper as follows: “Waterkeepers are full-time, privately funded, non governmental advocates for an identified river, lake, bay, or sound. They are recognized by their community, local government and media as the voice for that particular body of water. They advocate compliance with environmental laws, respond to citizen’s complaints, identify problems which affect their identified bodies of water and devise appropriate remedies to address these problems.” There are about 160 Water, River, Lake, Bay, Cove and Sound Keepers in North America. In North and South Carolina there are 14 Waterkeepers. Part of Donna’s new challenge is to head Waterkeepers Carolina, which will coordinate all 14 Carolina programs.

Once on the river, Donna’s job will have new challenges every day. Waterkeeper Alliance states: “Waterkeepers are part investigator, scientist, lawyer, and advocate. Think of a Waterkeeper’s clients as all the users of the watershed for which the Waterkeeper advocates. A successful advocate has a diverse bag of tools that allows him or her as the Waterkeeper to get the job done. All Waterkeepers also have a boat ranging in size from canoes to research vessels, but sometimes a pair of hip boots is more important than a boat. Sometimes a legal brief is more important than either. Each waterbody has its own unique challenges requiring a distinct and well defined strategy.”

Donna states, “One of the largest threats to the Watauga River and her communities is uncontrolled growth and development. When our native oak-hickory hardwood deciduous forest is clear cut and replaced with devolvement, it has a dramatic effect on river flows. Basically, high flows during sustained rain events and low flows during drought become much more intense. In a nut shell, development causes floods and drought to be much worse. Rivers reach new highs and lows.” By studying the history of the river and its historic communities, Donna plans to show what the Upper Watauga River’s future might become. In this fast growing area of the mountains, development is inevitable; but Donna says, “Policies can be established governing new development that simultaneously protects the river, existing communities, and the mountain way of life.” Donna concludes that “….there are some really great things that can be done….depending on the decisions that we make today.”

Meet Donna Lisenby the new Upper Watauga Riverkeeper on Saturday, May 24th at The Mast General Store Annex in Valle Crucis, North Carolina. She will be available to answer questions and give much more information from 11 a.m. -3p.m. during the kickoff event to the Take it Outside series at the Annex.