Black Mountain, NCSU to host streambank repair workshop

Black Mountain’s stormwater department has partnered with the North Carolina State University’s cooperative extension program to host a streambank repair workshop.

Stormwater technician Anne Phillip said she took the course last year and approached instructors about using Black Mountain as a host site for the workshop.

Phillip said the program is a partnership between N.C. State and the town as the stormwater program is purchasing the supplies needed and the university is donating time as instructors.

She said it is important to know how to repair a streambank because, in short, it helps keep soil from washing away, which can lead to damage to not only the stream but also property.

“The workshop is basically to show people how to stabilize a streambank that’s eroding,” Phillip said. “We do have incidences of that happening throughout town just because of our topography, the way the water comes down the mountain sometimes will create some eroded spots.”

Phillip said erosion can be made worse by not having native plants at the streambank. Part of the workshop will include teaching how to reintroduce these native plants that will help stop or slow down erosion.

“If people have a perennial or an intermittent or even an ephemeral stream that only runs when it’s raining, something they can start experiencing erosion,” Phillip said. “We wanted to be able to bring this workshop to the town so that people can join and find out more about how they can stop that.”

The workshop will take place on March 16 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Participants can choose to either earn certification or just take the class. The registration fee for non-certification is $25, and the fee for certification is $250. Lunch will be provided.

Phillip said the workshop will be hands-on, and participants will receive not only classroom instruction, but the opportunity to put what they’ve learned to work while repairing the streambank outside of the public works building, where the workshop will take place.

“I am so excited that we can have this here and that there’s this second level of inclusion in the workshop so that if you want to go for the information but not the certificate it’s not as much of a barrier financially,” Phillip said. “I’m really excited about that portion.”

Phillip said if Black Mountain residents are interested in learning more about this workshop or anything else to do with stormwater, they can go to the town’s website and sign up for alerts under the “Notify Me” tab.