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An Environmental Education Camp on Watersheds, Water Q uality and Science

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Cape Fear River Watch Waterkeeper Camp was developed by:

Kay Lynn Plummer‐Hernandez Education Specialist River Watch, Inc.

Roger Shew, Prof. Department of Geography and Geology University of Wilmington

Jana Sprenger, PhD Watch (intern)

We wish to thank the following people for their contributions to this document:

Kemp Burdette Cape Fear RIVERKEEPER®

Photographs Alan Cradick, Jana Sprenger, Roger Shew

We also wish to thank the other sources cited in this project.

Waterkeeper Camp 1

CAPE FEAR RIVER WATCH WATERKEEPER CAMP

The Waterkeeper Camp is a project of Cape Fear River Watch, Inc. (CFRW), a non-profit environmental organization based in Wilmington. CFRW has been working to protect and improve the water quality of the Cape Fear River Basin since 1993. The organization is a member of the Waterkeeper Alliance. In addition to supporting the work of the Cape Fear Riverkeeper®, CFRW offers a variety of Environmental Education, Action and Advocacy programs for all residents of the Cape Fear River watershed.

The Waterkeeper Camp is tailored to children and young adults between the ages of 13 to 17 years. It is designed to enable students to better understand the connections between people and their natural and urban environment by looking at rivers, watersheds, water quality and usage. The camp combines learning about our watershed and scientific research methods with fun recreational activities like paddling. Students will learn how they can become an excellent steward of the environment. The camp serves as a long term watershed protection program and opportunity for students to be exposed to environmental studies.

Students will develop critical thinking skills as well as hands-on experience through the exploration of important watersheds. They will gain experience in modern scientific methods related to the survey of water quality including field work and data analyzing as well as finding solutions to minimize negative impacts on local water quality. Through unique and memorable field trips students will be able to make real-world connections. Field work and field trip locations include:

 Northeast Cape Fear River (boat trip)

 Greenfield Lake (including paddling)

 Anne McCrary Demonstration Site

 Carolina Beach State Park

 Town Creek and Rices Creek (canoe/kayak trip)

For more information on the Waterkeeper Camp, please contact: Cape Fear River Watch, c/o Education Specialist, Phone: (910) 762-5606 2 Cape Fear River Watch

Alan Cradick Waterkeeper Camp 3

Greenfield Lake – Sampling site for water quality measurement

General Information

 Topics: Cape Fear River Basin, Watersheds and Water Usage, Water Quality Testing, Coastal Ecosystems, Canoeing, Use of GPS-Systems

 Location: Cape Fear River Watch, Inc., 617 Surrey Street, Wilmington, North Carolina, 28401. Phone: (910) 762-5606, http://www.cfrw.us

 Target group: Age 13-17

 Hours: Monday to Thursday from 8.30 am to 3 pm Friday from 8.30 am to 1 pm

 Needed items: Lunch box Appropriate clothes (weather depending), sunscreen and bug spray Tuesday and Friday paddles: Second set of dry clothes 4 Cape Fear River Watch

Camp Overview

Day 1

® On the first day of the Junior RIVERKEEPER Camp students will gain a basic knowledge about the Cape Fear River, its watersheds and its water quality. We will also talk about the history and current mission of the RIVERKEEPERS. After this introduction we will spend two hours on the river in a pontoon boat. We believe the best way to understand a river is to get out on it. Students will learn about the history and current issues affecting the river as well as about the geology of the region and the many ecosystems along the river. The Northeast Cape Fear River is a perfect place to see for instance the impact of saltwater on cypress forests in a tidal river and the impact of slight changes in elevation on the ecosystems. In the afternoon students will develop familiarity with our water test equipment and the use of GPS-Systems. We will take our first water samples at the boat ramp at the end of Castle Street near the Cape Fear River Watch Headquarters.

Alan Cradick The impact of saltwater on the cypress forests of Water testing and GPS equipment. the Northeast Cape Fear River. Waterkeeper Camp 5

Day 2

The second day concentrates on Greenfield Lake. We will start with an indoor exercise outlining the Greenfield Lake watershed on a topographic map. This enables us to understand which areas have a direct influence on the water quality of the lake. Water samples from the lake will be taken from the boundary areas and within the lake. Students will get canoe training at the Cape Fear River Watch boat rental location. They will paddle to the sampling locations using GPS-Systems. After lunch we will take the remaining water samples from the lake banks and finally discuss water quality parameters and our sampling results. Analyzes will include T°, pH, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, nitrogen, phosphorus and optionally fecal coliform bacteria. Our results can be compared with existing data from former measurements. We will also talk about management practices that are currently used to reduce the amount of pollutants (trash, pesticides, fertilizer, car fluids, pet waste and sediment) that are washed into Greenfield Lake and other bodies of water by storm water runoff.

Alan Cradick Alan Cradick Taking water samples in Greenfield Lake. Discussing water parameters.

Day 3

On our third day we will continue looking at management practices that can help improve the water quality of our lakes and rivers. Students will visit Anne McCrary Demonstration Site on Randall Parkway. This area shows the use of different so-called Best Management Practices (BMPs) like rain gardens, bioretention areas, habitat gardens, shade trees, rain barrels, retention ponds, riparian buffers, grassy swales, pet waste stations and pervious pavements. Students will be divided into small groups. Each group will choose one to three BMPs and will prepare a short presentation to teach the other campers about their specific management practices. After we study runoff problems in the city, we will talk about the countryside of the Lower Cape Fear River Basin as well. Hundreds of animal farms (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations, CAFOs) are located in this area. These operations have a huge impact on water quality through the large amounts of swine and poultry waste that are washed into the river. This happens especially 6 Cape Fear River Watch during storm caused flooding of the lowlands (the most important geo-hazard in the US). In a map exercise students will learn how to predict the impacts of different flooding events. In the afternoon the students will do our own public service project. This could be a clean-up of a local creek, a restoration of an artificial wetland (e.g. Kerr Avenue) or a Watershed Watch report of a local creek for the city of Wilmington.

Day 4

On day 4 we will study the ecosystems of the Lower Cape Fear River region and coastal . At the Cape Fear River Watch Headquarters we will teach an introduction to the ecology of the local area, and then we will start our day trip to Carolina Beach State Park. The introduction will include coastal wetlands, Xeric Sandhill Communities, Pond Pine Woodlands. We will study soil and groundwater conditions, carnivorous plants and a comparison between blackwater creeks and brownish colored rivers. Some ecosystems of the state park, like swamps and marsh areas, are directly influenced by the river and its tidal changes. For example the pine and oak forests are located on nutrient-poor sandy soils in higher regions of the park. These areas provide an ideal habitat for several carnivorous plants like Venus Flytraps, Yellow Pitcher Plants and Sundews.

Carolina Beach State Park – River bank Carnivorous plants – Venus Flytrap

Day 5

On the last day of the camp we will paddle in canoes on Town Creek and Rices Creek as well as have a picnic. The creeks are tributaries of the Cape Fear River and a good opportunity to experience blackwater rivers and most importantly, apply the knowledge and skills learned during the previous days of camp. During the paddle there will be many chances to see different ecosystems and wildlife.

Waterkeeper Camp 7

Alan Cradick

Alan Cradick

Waterkeeper Camp 9

Background Information

Topics and Research Activities of the Camp

10 Cape Fear River Watch

North Carolina Physiography and Geology

North Carolina is subdivided into three physiographic provinces: Blue Ridge, , and Coastal Plain. The Blue Ridge is 10% of the state while the Piedmont and Coastal Plain are each 45% of the state’s area. Each of these areas has unique topographic features, rock types, soil types, plants and animals, and landforms. The area is the very low-lying area in eastern N.C. formed since approximately 70,000 years ago but it is often just included within the Coastal Plain province.

Physiographic map of North Carolina (http://www.cgia.state.nc.us/graphics/physprov.gif)

The Coastal Plain extends from the shoreline to the fall line. Te fall line is an important geological and historical site for N.C. and the entire Atlantic seaboard. The change from the harder rocks of the Piedmont to the softer rocks of the Coastal Plain is where many of our larger cities developed. The reason, energy could be generated from fast moving water as the elevation of the rivers drop when they move from the Piedmont to the Coastal Plain.

The Coastal Plain is comprised of sediments and sedimentary rocks and dominantly acidic soils. Rock resources in the Coastal Plain are dominantly aggregate stone (limestone) for road building and construction. More important to the economy is agriculture and silviculture (pine plantations). The elevations are low but soils and vegetation dramatically change with only a few feet of change in elevation. Vegetation, other than crops, is dominated by pine forests on the higher interstream divide areas and bottomland hardwoods and wetlands occur along river systems. There are also numerous swamps and marshes.

Waterkeeper Camp 11

Cape Fear Watershed

The Cape Fear River and its watershed are the largest river system and watershed contained entirely within the borders of the state of North Carolina. The watershed includes 9,164 mi2 (23,735 km2) and a total stream distance of 6,584 miles (10,534 km). It also contains the largest population of people and animal operations in the state and therefore has many pressures on its water supply and water quality. Streams are important for water supply, commerce, recreation and as ecosystems. For all of these reasons we need to be able to define and manage our watersheds effectively.

The Cape Fear River source is just west of Greensboro. Two rivers, the Haw and Deep, come together to form the Cape Fear. After crossing the fall line the Cape Fear changes from a slightly faster moving stream to more of a slow, meandering river system ending up in an ~30 mile estuarine system with tidal action that extends well up the river. The Cape Fear drains the clay rich Piedmont Province, which leads it to take on a brownish water color from the addition of clay minerals that are suspended in the water. The tributaries originating in the Coastal Plain, in contrast to the primary Cape Fear River, are dark in color and are termed blackwater streams. They have little dissolved sediment in the water and the black color originates from tannins that are derived from the forests and swamps in the Coastal Plain.

River basins in North Carolina: The Cape Fear River Basin is the largest river basin that is located entirely in the state (http://www.harnett.org/utilities/).

The intake for Wilmington’s water supply is located above Lock and Dam #1 approximately 23 miles northwest of the city. There are three locks and dams on the Cape Fear River. Although they are little used today, the presence of Lock and Dam #1 is critical to providing freshwater to Wilmington and other areas in southeastern N.C. as there is a tidal flux that extends all the way to the dam. However, there is an issue with the presence of the lock and dam system. Since they are a barrier, anadromous fish that would normally migrate upriver to spawn are blocked by the dam. 12 Cape Fear River Watch

One remedy is to construct rock weirs to allow the passage of fish over the dam. At present, one is being constructed below Dam #1.

US Army Corps of Engineers Cape Fear River – Lock and Dam #1 Rock weir at Lock and Dam #1

The lower Cape Fear lies within an active hurricane zone where issues of coastal inundation and stream flooding must be considered. In addition, we have issues with water quality. In the 2005 Cape Fear Watershed study done by the Department of Water Quality, almost 35% of the waters (lakes, streams, estuaries, and tidal creeks) in the watershed were at least in part impaired. Impaired means that they fail to meet at least part of their intended usage such as for recreation, fishing, shellfishing, etc. For instance several of our streams have warnings associated with high levels of mercury or fecal coliform bacteria. One of the concerns in the Cape Fear watershed, but more particularly the NE Cape Fear watershed which comprises 19% of the total watershed, is the presence of the largest concentration of animal operations in the state. Most of these are hog farms sometimes called Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs). The issue is possible runoff in the stream tributaries, particularly during storms.

In the camp exercises, the Cape Fear River and several of its watersheds within New Hanover County will be studied to investigate natural and human impacts on the quality of the water and methods to insure the best quality possible.

Waterkeeper Camp 13

Greenfield Lake

Greenfield Lake was created in 1750 when a small dam was put in place to create a millpond that was used as a water source for a rice plantation. The lake is 91 acres in size and there are several small streams and ditches that supply water to the lake. The total area or watershed that is drained by these streams, plus the lake area, is 2551 acres. The lake is mostly shallow, averaging just over 4ft (> 1,2 m). However, the center of the lake is deeper as the stream channel that was part of the drainage system is still evident on the bottom of the lake.

The Greenfield Lake area is small but it is an important recreational park for the city of Wilmington; it was purchased for this purpose in 1925. A five mile (8 km) walking/bike trail circles the park. In addition to the high public use of the park, the surrounding area of the watershed is densely populated. This dense population (322 people per mi2) means there are many houses and streets, which are impervious surfaces. Impervious surfaces prevent infiltration of rainfall so the water will become runoff from these surfaces directly into the streams, lake, or to stormwater drains that eventually drain into the lake. And of course whatever is on the land or hard surfaces, such as oil, antifreeze, silt, trash, fertilizers, “pooh”, etc. will be part of the runoff into the lake. The Greenfield Lake watershed contains 36% impervious surfaces, which is a high percentage. It has been found that when the total impervious surface cover in a watershed is greater than 10-12 % there is a strong chance of water degradation.1 This has been an issue for Greenfield Lake for many years.

Watersheds of Wilmington (http://www.wilmingtonnc.gov/public_services/stormwater/) and satellite picture of the Greenfield Lake Watershed. Features that are obvious in the map are the lake and river, the golf course, the streets and the developed areas.

1 Water degradation: deterioration of water quality by either physical, chemical, and/or biologic processes. Most often means the water does not meet its intended use (recreation, shellfishing, etc.) and requires treatment for use. 14 Cape Fear River Watch

Objectives of Greenfield Lake Activities

We will investigate the Greenfield Lake Watershed, evaluate past water quality measurements, and obtain our own water quality measurements for comparison. Cape Fear River Watch and the City of Wilmington are working to keep Greenfield Lake as clean as possible as well as provide the public with a valuable recreational destination. Our work will help us to see “how we are doing” as students will monitor the lake for water quality, trash, and other issues that might lead to watershed impairment.

Parameter Standard Dissolved 5.0 ppm (mg/L) Oxygen 25 NTU (saltwater) Turbidity 50 NTU (freshwater) 14 CFU/100ml Fecal Coliform (shellfish waters) Units 200 CFU/100ml (human contact) 6.8 - 8.5 Market Shellfishing, Saltwater ~ 4.5 Swamp Waters pH 6.0 - 9.0 Aquatic Life, Secondary Recreation, Freshwater; Swamp Waters

GFL watershed and sample locations North Carolina water quality standards for selected water quality parameters

Dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration in GFL between 2003 and 2009 – DO is necessary for fish and other aquatic life but critically reduced by algae blooms that are caused by pollution. (Graph:http://www.uncw.edu/cms/aquaticecology/Laboratory/Wilmington%20Watersheds/Wilmington%20 Watersheds%20Annual%20Report%202009.pdf)

Waterkeeper Camp 15

Ecosystems in Carolina Beach State Park

The state park is a perfect place for exploring different coastal ecosystems of North Carolina. We will learn about the Xeric Sandhill Community, the Pond Pine Woodland and Pocosin and the intermediate zones between these two different habitats. The Xeric are composed of dry, acidic, sandy soils that are low in organic matter and nutrient-poor. The dominant species are longleaf pines (Pinus palustris), turkey oaks (Quercus laevis) and sparse wiregrass (Aristida stricta). Pond Pine Woodlands contain much more organic-rich soils that hold abundant moisture. These occur in slightly lower topographic settings than the xeric sandhill communities. An elevation change of only a few feet leads to a dramatic difference in plant types and abundance. Common species are among others pond pines (Pinus serotina), numerous bays (sweet, loblolly) and a dense shrub layer. Intermediate between the xeric sandhill and the pocosin is an ecotone where the dry soils change to the wetter soils. The carnivorous plants are often located in this zone including Venus Flytraps (Dionaea muscipula) and various pitcher plants and sundews. Furthermore we will investigate relict eolian dunes that may be 10's of feet tall and the marsh areas directly at the river banks. We will describe the plants, animals and soils along with the topography of these areas.

Roger Shew

Roger Shew Venus Flytrap

Xeric Sandhill Community

Yellow Pitcher Pond Pine Woodland Plant Roger Shew