[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6640269,"mediaKeyId","2556156-60704446520fe6ecafd93c7554e16f9f","parentId",2556156,"title","Researchers report largely clear watershed but warn of microplastic spread after Helene; prescribed burn planned","audioSeconds",2210,"startMs",713000,"endMs",2923000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2556156-60704446520fe6ecafd93c7554e16f9f&start=713&end=2923","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2556156-60704446520fe6ecafd93c7554e16f9f/thumbnail_713000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6640269/North-Carolina/Researchers-report-largely-clear-watershed-but-warn-of-microplastic-spread-after-Helene-prescribed-burn-planned","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6640269-0541c9414b4ac34e268944e3a63d999f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770647746&Signature=hgczAvFfQGozyfhBv9uc4vN~5lStC5oP-~n9~2bxg14S9fclMl492PhXEoOqlLkiqlqgDDYdUG0SNxwKnJR9CWHEU5MkLe76o0nrfBgUfLZKLPKIBj68ciLR1CJ9MtgQYLPEhl4EW~vIe6wKvG7p~vizv9ZUxkF1H48wZULGirlEc8pNAyBd-uPRK4ylvdrXV-rVIpJQs3ls1aKkooGwOjTTuYbLbUI7avSbeCKM3x2vDHNcyNdmxIpKa3M2EyRQTiMv3PbePo7~924ER0mvCPM2at6Xjy7PYdsgoy1uXc--ZeuvxuwAvvGFegLkR~sBDSjVKhF~fhusBjY5rNSPKQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Waynesville","date","2025-03-12T00:07:28.267Z","article","Dr. Peter Bates and watershed colleague Jerry Miller told the Town of Waynesville council on March 11 that long-term monitoring shows very clear water within the town's watershed but that extreme storms and regional sources are moving sediment and microplastics downstream.

The presentation summarized more than a decade of monitoring at multiple stations in the Richland Creek watershed, ongoing invasive-plant control and forest stewardship work, and regional sampling that found microplastics present in streams, flood deposits and biological samples.

The speakers said routine samples at the \"Old Ball 1\" monitoring station and most sites show very low suspended-sediment concentrations: more than 90% of samples are under about 10 milligrams per liter, a level the presenters characterized as clear water. But Hurricane Helene produced an extreme flood that briefly pushed turbidity and suspended-sediment values well above typical ranges and delivered large slugs of sediment to the lower Allen Creek channel and the reservoir, they said. The flood also moved substantial quantities of plastic debris downstream into Lake Junaluska and the reservoir area.

Why it matters: Town officials and stewardship partners said the watershed's overall water quality remains good under normal flow conditions, but episodic storm flows can rapidly change conditions and move sediment and contaminants into storage areas downstream. The presentation identified both local work (invasive plant removal, targeted thinning and planned prescribed fire) and broader regional issues (atmospheric deposition of microplastics) as relevant to future stewardship and planning.

Most of the stewardship work described is aimed at maintaining forest diversity and limiting non-native invasive plants near the reservoir. Bates said the watershed's conservation easement, held jointly by the Conservation Trust for North Carolina and the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy, restricts treatments near water and requires easement-holder approval for plans. He described an effort to avoid using herbicides near the reservoir and to pilot non-herbicide methods for controlling multiflora rose in the 300-foot buffer where herbicides are discouraged.

Jerry Miller summarized monitoring methods and results. He described automated pressure transducers and ISCO samplers that record flow and collect samples during rising stages, and multi-parameter sondes that log turbidity, temperature and conductivity every five minutes. At Old Ball 1, which has a long record dating to 2008, more than 90% of samples are at or below about 10 mg/L suspended sediment. Miller said the flood associated with Hurricane Helene produced the highest discharges recorded at that site; an outlier suspended-sediment sample reached about 3,400 mg/L during short pulses likely tied to debris flows. He said conditions returned to baseline relatively quickly after the event.

Miller also presented a regional study of microplastics in the Richland Creek and Upper Pigeon River basins. The team sampled eight locations from headwaters through Waynesville and analyzed water, sediment and benthic organisms. Average concentrations in water were about 9.7 particles per liter (roughly 20 particles per two-liter bottle), with most particles fibers consistent with textile-derived materials (nylon/polyester). During high-flow events such as Helene, the number of particles passing downstream rose dramatically because of increased discharge: at one Waynesville cross section the team estimated particle loads climbed from roughly 1.2 billion particles per day to about 61 billion particles per day during the storm.

The presenters also reported microplastic concentrations in flood deposits and streambed sediments in ranges that they described as high compared with many global records, and they showed small aquatic organisms (caddisfly larvae) that contained microplastics, which could move plastics into the food web. Miller said atmospheric deposition (plastic-bearing dust and fibers falling during rain) appears to be a source in upland areas; atmospheric samplers at Highlands Biological Station and other high-elevation sites recorded high deposition rates, particularly during heavy rains associated with Helene.

On forest management, Bates described ongoing thinning, understory work and the goal of increasing native forest structural diversity to improve resistance and resilience to disturbance. He said the town has a 135-acre prescribed burn plan developed with the North Carolina Forest Service; easement holders are reviewing the plan because species of concern (a northern water shrew) occur near the proposed burn unit. Bates said the team hopes to complete the burn in the current prescribed-burn season if the easement holders grant approval.

During a brief question-and-answer period, council members asked whether the reservoir clarity matches the headwater sites and whether long-term capacity of the reservoir is threatened by the sediment influx. Miller said the town's water-treatment plant data, not part of this monitoring program, would better answer reservoir clarity; he added that most of the flood-deposited material was sand-sized and likely to be deposited near shorelines, and he did not expect a major reduction to reservoir capacity from the Helene deposits.

The presenters invited council members and staff to visit the watershed and review monitoring stations and stewardship work in the field.

Ending: Council members thanked the presenters and said they appreciated the long-term monitoring and the preparations for prescribed fire and invasive-plant control. No council action was required of the town based on the presentation at the meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Town Council Meeting: March 11, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Dr. Peter Bates and watershed colleague Jerry Miller told the Town of Waynesville council on March 11 that long-term monitoring shows very clear water within the town's watershed but that extreme storms and regional sources are moving sediment and microplastics downstream.","taxTitle","Town of Waynesville, Haywood County, North Carolina","taxId",54747,"location","North Carolina","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6640265,"Waynesville council adopts personnel policy, annexes property, backs state bill change and approves infrastructure contracts",226,5128000,5354000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2556156-60704446520fe6ecafd93c7554e16f9f&start=5128&end=5354","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2556156-60704446520fe6ecafd93c7554e16f9f/thumbnail_5128000.jpg","/articles/6640265/North-Carolina/Waynesville-council-adopts-personnel-policy-annexes-property-backs-state-bill-change-and-approves-infrastructure-contracts","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6640265-3cadea835cd7ea28813400096b245506/orig.mp4?Expires=1770647746&Signature=HAYAQHITqW0JntasQlBW1vUbt3dq7c2xrAhB9nv8CsK7FXDx4AhIVYDwWi~A5C4~YFUwGrzxc2iHAa5IghBl9NBeiIsOXujxuCWU-TgetYiMVCvQmZNQoHtH8fHcSoVhMHqgaIVayPMYpebLH3ktQSFK95lTv8zAQRb3H7NLMN38I4sHP4eee17paGfsKNviKg9WNiY63ZLqXMohpSZqyFXK8FO0l1JT-U8l3oeFtE1dfcwWdHYeudT64z-fTI17f1aZ2MDMjk9lZ5QnYNK1w-vfrOeNIClBAg2NYe1B6ww9ezv~5k99WLnBRVJFdMUMlgHb-IRn2il6lTIF75mxdw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Town of Waynesville council on March 11 approved multiple measures: a rewritten personnel policy, a contiguous annexation ordinance for 64 Clement Drive, a resolution asking the General Assembly to strike a session-law restriction on local rezoning, and contracts authorizing engineering work on a bridge and the schematic design for two ballfields.

Why it matters: The personnel-policy changes update leave and workplace rules, stop post-retirement health-insurance obligations for employees hired after March 30 if the council approves the change, and codify modern federal requirements and a new vacation-accrual schedule. The resolution supporting House Bill 24 addresses a state law that town staff said restricts municipalities' ability to initiate down-zoning or reduce permitted uses in local zoning ordinances. The engineering contracts and bridge design authorization are tied to post-Hurricane Helene repairs and the town's sewer-plant and recreation-facility recovery.

What the council decided:

Votes at a glance

- Annexation: The council adopted an ordinance approving the contiguous annexation of property at 64 Clement Drive (PIN 8616908565). Planning staff member Ali presented the petition and confirmed notices were published in the Mountaineer on Feb. 26 and March 5 and that signs were posted on the property on Feb. 27. The property is in Waynesville's extraterritorial jurisdiction and not in the 100-year flood plain. The council voted to adopt the ordinance by voice vote; the record does not show a roll-call tally.

- Personnel policy: Council approved a revised Town of Waynesville personnel policy. The presenter described updates to discrimination and harassment provisions, new federal-law references (for example, updated Family and Medical Leave guidance), a revised vacation accrual schedule aligned with North Carolina state practice, expanded bereavement language and a new grievance/appeal process. The policy also removes the town's obligation to provide post-retirement health insurance to employees hired after March 30 (if the council adopts that provision). The council approved the policy by voice vote.

- Resolution on House Bill 24: The council voted to adopt a resolution supporting House Bill 24, which would repeal a section of Session Law 2024-57 that restricts local governments from initiating down-zoning or reducing permitted land uses specified in zoning ordinances. Town staff and council members said the section, added late in the Helene recovery session law, prevents the town from advancing parts of its comprehensive-plan recommendations related to density and land use. The council approved the resolution by voice vote.

- Bridge engineering authorization: Staff recommended negotiating a contract with KCA Engineers (KCA Construction/Engineers) to design strengthening work for a town bridge used for access to the sewer plant. Town staff said the bridge is rated at about 20 tons (40,000 pounds) and some vehicles expected to access the plant, including chemical deliveries (sodium hypochlorite loads cited at about 77,000 pounds) exceed that rating. The council authorized staff to negotiate with KCA Engineers and, if a design estimate is affordable within sewer-fund balances, to proceed to bidding; if costs exceed available balances staff said they would seek financing. The council approved the authorization by voice vote.

- Recreation-field schematic contracts (McAdams Associates): The council approved two separate schematic-design contracts with McAdams Associates for post-storm reconstruction and mitigation work on Vance Street and Dutch-Fisher ballfields, to support FEMA reimbursement processes and future construction. The Vance Street schematic contract is a lump-sum $92,220; the Dutch-Fisher schematic contract is a lump-sum $130,000. The Dutch-Fisher site requires more extensive stream-mitigation analysis, which explains the higher fee.

What was discussed

Planning staff summarized the annexation petition and confirmed public-notice steps. The personnel-policy presenter said the rewrite reconciles previous department policies into a single, user-friendly document and incorporates recent federal requirements; several council members praised the work and the staff outreach that informed the draft.

On the session-law resolution, staff and council members said the contested provision was inserted late in a state storm-recovery act and that it prevents towns from initiating rezonings that would reduce density or permitted uses in some areas. Council members said they support House Bill 24 because it would restore local flexibility to pursue comprehensive-plan recommendations that respond to slope, floodplain and community concerns.

Rob (town manager) described the need to strengthen a construction bridge near the sewer plant to allow safe passage of heavy equipment and chemical deliveries as the plant rebuild concludes. Staff recommended KCA Engineers because of the firm's experience with bridge strengthening and DOT projects; the council authorized staff to negotiate a contract.

Next steps and implementation notes

- Staff will complete negotiated contracts with KCA Engineers and McAdams Associates; design and permit steps will follow. If bridge strengthening costs exceed available sewer-fund balances, staff said they would pursue borrowing or another funding strategy and present options to council.

- The annexed property will be processed per the adopted ordinance and town procedures.

Ending: Council closed the meeting after approving the measures and scheduling a retreat for the council the following week; several members urged follow-up on state-level advocacy concerning House Bill 24.","At its March 11 meeting the Town Council approved a revised personnel policy, adopted an ordinance annexing 64 Clement Drive, adopted a resolution supporting House Bill 24 to remove session-law limits on local rezoning, and authorized engineering work on a bridge and two recreational-field schematic designs.","actionData","errors"]

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Researchers report largely clear watershed but warn of microplastic spread after Helene; prescribed burn planned

Waynesville council adopts personnel policy, annexes property, backs state bill change and approves infrastructure contracts