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Stream Restoration Brings New Life to Naked Creek
Waterbody Improved Naked Creekis in	N°rth Car°'™ fer
6 miles from the town of Jefferson to its confluence with the
South Fork New River. Due to pollutants and hydrologic impacts from residential and agricultural
areas, the North Carolina Division of Water Resources (NCDWR) added a 1.1-mile segment of the
creek to the Clean Water Act (CWA) section 303(d) list of impaired waters in 2016 for poor benthic
community conditions. Shortly thereafter, the New River Conservancy (NRC) conducted a holistic
stream restoration that reconnected the stream to its floodplain, daylighted four culverted sections,
replanted the riparian zone and stabilized the streambanks. The project also included a stormwater
assessment and plan to address urban pollutants, which was completed in 2019. NCDWR removed
the targeted section from the CWA section 303(d) list in 2020 after new in-stream benthic
monitoring showed improved conditions.
Problem
Naked Creek is part of the New River Basin and flows
for 6 miles in the mountainous northwest corner of
North Carolina (Figure 1). The creek originates just
north of the town of Jefferson in Ashe County. The first
mile of the creek passes through tree farms before it
reaches the town, where segments of the creek have
historically been channelized and piped underground.
In its final stretch, Naked Creek passes through
farmland and Jefferson Landing, a residential area and
golf course, before connecting with the South Fork
New River. About 94% of the land within 300 feet of
the creek is used for development or agriculture, leav-
ing little riparian buffer. Consequently, surface runoff
from these land uses combined with bottlenecks at
stormwater pipe inlets increase stormwater velocities
and contribute to water quality and flooding issues.
In 2016, NCDWR added a 1.1-mile segment of Naked
Creek from the Little Naked Creek to the South Fork
New River (assessment unit 10-l-32b2) to the CWA
section 303(d) list of impaired waters due to a benthic
community rating of fair. Benthic and fish community
ratings are derived from information on the diversity,
abundance, and pollution sensitivity of the organisms
found in NCDWR surface water samples. This informa-
tion is used to determine one of five bioclassifications
(excellent, good, good-fair, fair, or poor) for the
Figure 1. Naked Creek is in northwestern North Carolina.
waterbody based on indices developed for each major
ecoregion, and this provides an indication of overall
water quality.

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Story Highlights
Iri 2015, the New River State Park (NRSP) acquired a
110-acre parcel of land a haif-mile east of the town
of Jefferson aiong Naked Creek. The property had
historically been used for cattle production, and cattle
had had complete access to the stream. In 2016, to
address the newly recognized water quality impair-
ment and capitalize on removal of the livestock, the
NRC acquired funding from a CWA section 319 grant
and a North Carolina Land and Water Fund grant and
devised a holistic stream restoration project on the
property.
NRC restored approximately 4,873 linear feet of
stream using Natural Stream Channel Design best
management practices (BMPs). BMPs included sloping
streambanks to connect the stream to its floodplam,
daylighting four culverted streams, restoring riparian
zones with over 9,080 native shrubs and trees, and
stabilizing streambanks with in-stream rock and log
structures. In-channel bar deposits were altered or
removed to relieve the stress of high-energy flow
against the banks. The stream profile was modified by
installing cross vanes, rock vanes and boulder clusters.
The project included restoring aquatic habitat by
adding riffle/pool sequences for benthic macroinverte-
brate and fish habitat, and it provided safe fishing and
recreational stream access (Figure 2).
Additionally, NRC completed a Naked Creek Watershed
Stormwater Plan using GIS analysis. The plan modelled
rainfall and surface runoff and identified eight sites for
stormwater BMP implementation in the urban areas.
Results
Recent monitoring showed that Naked Creek's benthic
rating improved from/o/rto good-fair, indicating
that benthic macroinvertebrate species diversity
and population had increased. As a result, NCDWR
removed a 1.1-mile segment of Naked Creek from the
2020 CWA section 303(d) list. The in-stream structures
improved fish and macroinvertebrate habitat. Riffle/
pool sequences diversified the stream bed, improving
aquatic biodiversity. Revegetation of the riparian zone
significantly reduced the amount of nutrients and
bacteria in the water
by filtering ail surface
runoff, increasing
infiltration, and shading
the stream to decrease
water temperature,
which also incrweased
dissolved oxygen. The
value of restoring a
creek, floodplain, and
surrounding habitat on
permanently protected
land will only improve
over time as the planted Figure 2. A segment of Naked
vegetation becomes Creek before and after the
more established.	stream restoration.
Beyond the ecological improvements, the community
now has a safe recreational area in which to fish, hike
and enjoy the natural beauty below Mount Jefferson
State Natural Area. The site has already been used by
NRSP for educational opportunities for young students
to learn about ecology and to receive fishing lessons.
The NRSP has long-term plans to create a summit trail
to the peak of Mount Jefferson beginning at the Naked
Creek site, which will bring more outdoor tourism to
the area.
Partners and Funding
The NC Land and Water fund (formerly the NC Clean
Water Management Trust Fund) contributed $989,000
to the land acquisition and $436,377 toward stream
restoration. The U.S. Department of Interior's Land
and Water Conservation Fund provided an additional
$588,940 for land acquisition, along with administra-
tive services provided by the NC Parks and Recreation
Trust Fund. The CWA section 319 program granted
$214,955 for the restoration project and stormwater
plan. Foggy Mountain Nursery and Stream Restoration
Implemented the project. NRC worked with the
landowner and utility agencies, including the Town
of Jefferson's wastewater treatment piant and Blue
Ridge Energy to develop a partnership agreement for
vegetation and site management. Appalachian State
University provided monitoring services.
&
PROl*°
2
o
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA 841-F-21-001X
November 2021
For additional information contact:
Kelsey Rowland
North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality
229-251-9978 • kelsey.rowland@ncdenr.gov
Rishi Bastakoti
North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality
877-623-6748 • rishi.bastakoti@ncdenr.gov

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