Protecting Water by Protecting Lands Our Work

2022-2023 Source Water Protection Grants Conservation Prioritization Tool for Source Water Protection

Johns River Headwaters Conservation Project

CWWMG provided a $40,000 grant to Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina to support acquisition of 332 acres of undeveloped, forested land in the headwaters of the Catawba River Basin. The property includes the source of the Johns River (Catawba Basin) and will protect the Blowing Rock Cliffs NC Natural Area.

Wilson Creek National and Wild Scenic River

CWWMG provided a $40,000 grant to the Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina to support the acquisition of 93 acres comprising 1.5 miles along Wilson Creek. Wilson Creek is a direct tributary of the Johns River in the headwaters of the Catawba River Basin. The project includes permanent protection of riparian buffers, water quality, instream aquatic habitat, and terrestrial habitat.

The Source Water Protection Tool developed by RTI International is free online and accessible to anyone for planning purposes. Users can overlay priority catchments on existing land use plans or districts and can customize their analyses to focus on the priorities or water supply concerns specific to their areas. For example, the tool can focus on sediment loading, “flashiness” or increased runoff, base flow, recreation, and land value impacts to help planners and policy makers make critical decisions for future growth patterns in their jurisdictions. These choices will not only affect their water supply, but that of others throughout the watershed for years to come.

To access this interactive online tool, go to Catawba Lands Map for Conservation Prioritization for Source Water Protection at: catawbalands.org/cwi Catawba-Wateree Water Management Group; CatawbaWateree Initiative; RTI International. (2021, June 23). Conservation Prioritization Tool for Source Water Protection: Quantifying the Potential Benefits of Land Conservation on Water Supply to Optimize Return on Investments.