Discover your Journey... 

 

Then Help Us Protect It!

 

It's amazing how

469 miles can hold

thousands of memories

for millions of us! 

 

Are they worth preserving?

 

Donate today to the

Blue Ridge

Parkway Foundation

to preserve and protect

 

The

Blue Ridge

Parkway

 

It's Trout Season - Go Fish!

 

Shake off the winter blues and

get outside in Boone, NC.

 Spring is the perfect season to

do a little trout fishing in one of

our cool, clean, mountain rivers 

 

Plan your adventure at: 

ExploreBoone.com

Blowing Rock WoodWorks

Open 7 days

End of Season Sale

109 AHO RD BLOWING ROCK

Custom Orders, unique pieces

Live edge Dining Tables, Desks

LOCALLY MADE 

RUSTIC AND MOUNTAIN

MODERN

CLICK HERE

RaysWeather.Com

2018 Blue Ridge

Parkway Calendar

 

Great "from the Mountains"

Christmas Present

 

Stunning Photography

Parkway Information

Monthly Climate Information

Includes Nov-Dec 2017 Pages

 

Order yours now at

RaysMarketplace.Com

 

Click to Learn More

**Grandfather Vineyard 

& Winery** 

Monday, Wed - Saturday 12-6pm

Sunday 1-5pm

Closed Tuesday

$10 dry tasting /$6 sweet tasting 

 

Come enjoy a glass of our award

winning wine while you relax by

the Watauga river!


Life Outdoors
Preserving the High CountryBirdingTake it OutsideHigh Country WaterfallsBrenda's Bloomin WildflowersDan's Starry SkiesFishingHealth and FitnessIdeas?Life Outdoors Setup
Make Text Larger Make Text Smaller Switch Fonts Email This Page Click Here For A Printable Version
Media Sponsors

That's Why It's Called a Floodplain!
by National Committee for the New River

Latest Update: April 15, 2010


Along the New River this winter, many landowners saw and felt the results of major winter storms and extended periods of sub-freezing temperatures. In many areas, the river froze in layers of thick ice. Simultaneous events of moderating temperatures and heavy rain caused the river to rise and the ice to crack, forming huge ice floes. The rising waters carried the ice floes up onto the floodplain, the natural area for high-water levels to gravitate. You may remember seeing pictures of this phenomenon on Ray's Weather's Photo of the Day this winter. Contrary to popular belief, flooding is a very good thing for the river to do. This winter the floodplains were doing the important work of allowing the water from snow melt, ice melt, and rain to flow up and out of the river banks, dispersing the energy of that tremendous amount of water entering the watershed. Floodplains hold large quantities of water, which slows the flow of water. They allow the sediment carried by the water to settle out on land where it is needed, instead of in the river. Native plants in the floodplain filter pollutants and chemicals from the water, improving water quality for both humans and wildlife. The water held on floodplains also allows the groundwater to recharge, keeping the water in the area to supply streams and wells. In some cases, flood waters and ice damaged the vegetation along the river but the river banks themselves remain mostly unchanged. This is NOT the time to take advantage of cleared banks and start a lawn to the river. The shrubs, grasses, and trees on the river bank are the important riparian buffer that prevents erosion, absorbs pollutants in stormwater runoff, shades the river to keep it cool for fish, and provides food for wildlife, among other things. Landowners should know that while the vegetation itself was sheared off or flattened, the root systems in most cases remain intact. Inaction is the best action as the root mass in the banks will send up new growth this spring for both grasses and wildflowers and the native shrubs. Mother Nature has used this winter weather to remind us of the importance of floodplains and riparian buffers. All of the snow and ice has replenished the water tables and the flooding will provide nutrients and water for spring growth and rebirth. Just sit back and enjoy the show!