DAM REMOVAL at RED SLIDE Haw River Ast Month, American Rivers and the U.S

Fall 2016

What is the DAM REMOVAL AT RED SLIDE Haw River ast month, American Rivers and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service teamed up to remove the Trail L remnants of Granite Mill Dam from the Haw River by Ride Slide Park. The dam was located just Partnership? upriver from the Highway 49 bridge in the Town of Haw River. Granite Mill was a cotton mill built in the mid-1800s known for its production of Alamance Plaid cloth and used into the 1900s to power The Haw River the area’s textile mill industry. The dam was torn down and rebuilt several times, but debris from the Trail Partnership foundation remained in the river. Looking from Red Slide Park across to the Cone Fabrics smoke was formed with stacks, the dam would’ve run straight across the river. The rubble was removed to improve public the goal of helping safety, expand recreation opportunities, and improve river health. the public enjoy and conserve the Over the last two centuries, thousands of dams were and continue to be built along U.S. rivers and natural resources their tributaries to benefit the communities around them. Dams are an important part of our cultural of the Haw River history, particularly here in Alamance County. They have been used for harnessing hydroelectric corridor. power for mills and homes, irrigating farm lands, controlling floods, and providing reservoirs for drinking water. However, they do change the natural characteristics of our waterways and can have The Partnership is negative consequences for river ecosystems in terms of wildlife habitat, water quality, and recreation. the result of a Removing unneeded dams or remnants in poor condition such as those at Red Slide can have a signed positive impact on the river’s health. It also allows for kayakers and canoers to safely paddle the river Memorandum of without having to avoid going over any falls, hit dangerous remnants of an old dam, or get pinned in Understanding the debris. The Haw River is also home to the endangered Cape Fear Shiner, and fish like these will between ten now have more freedom to swim up and downriver with fewer impediments. governmental agencies agreeing Thank you to American Rivers for sharing information from their article Haw River Healthier Without to work together Granite Mill Dam, authored by Erin Singer McCombs (Associate Director of Southeast Conservation) for the and their blog post How Dams Damage Rivers. You can access these articles on the American Rivers development of website (www.americanrivers.org) for more information. trails along the river and conservation of the river and lands within the watershed.

Conservation through recreation www.thehaw.org The river at Red Slide park before (top) and after (bottom, photo adapted from American Rivers) removal of the Granite Mill Dam remnants. The arrows point to the remnants from the dam that were taken out of the river. Page 2

Fall Color TALKING WITH A TRAIL STEWARD he Friends of the Mountains-to- The Colors T Sea Trail offers a Trail Stewards program for individuals dedicated to Three types of helping maintain the quality and safety pigments make up of the Mountains-to-Sea/Haw River the color in tree Trail. We talked to a local Trail Steward leaves. Chlorophyll in Alamance County to share his story makes leaves appear with people who might be interested in green during spring taking care of the Trail. Mr. Bob Ellis is and summer. a retired Presbyterian minister who Carotenoids appear yellow, orange, and moved to Alamance County three years brown. Present all ago to be near his family. Bob has now year, they are been working with the FMST for two masked by and a-half years. His hobbies include chlorophyll in spring nurturing his four grandkids, studying and summer. the history of the water-powered mills Anthocyanins, in Alamance County, woodworking, produced in Fall, are and building and maintaining the MST/ responsible for HRT. Here’s what he told us about his beautiful reds and experience as a Trail Steward: purples.