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Conservation Makes Waves on the Deep River

Deep River State Trail Authorized; State Purchases 75-acre Powell Tract on Deep River

Moncure, NC – TLC continues its ongoing partnership with the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation to protect conservation lands along the nationally significant Deep River. In July, the State purchased the 75-acre Powell tract on Water Tower Road in Chatham County for $549,300. The property is adjacent to 870 previously conserved acres known as the Justice Lands, bringing this conservation assemblage to a total of 945 acres. Together, this land could form the first node for the Deep River State Trail, a newly authorized state parks unit.

TLC facilitated the Powell tract purchase for the state, as it did for the previous acquisitions here. Sold by Evelyn O’Brien Powell of Pittsboro for $7,000 per acre plus closing costs, the land is covered in mixed pine and hardwood forest and includes almost two miles of stream frontage along two unnamed tributaries of the Deep River. Funding for the purchase came through the NC Clean Water Management Trust Fund ($315,000) and the NC Natural Heritage Trust Fund ($234,300).

In late August, the Deep River State Trail was added to the State Parks System. A State Trail is somewhat different than a traditional state park. When the General Assembly adds a State Trail unit to the system, it defines an area larger and more linear than a traditional State Park. The focus is on joint planning, acquisition, development and management with local governments, non-profit organizations, and other state and federal agencies.

Paddlers on the Deep River. Photo by Charlie Peek, NCDPR.

The Deep River State Trail could begin as a canoe/paddle trail with public access sites, beginning near the new Randleman Lake Dam and continuing downstream to the confluence of the Deep River and Haw River near Moncure in Lee County. The NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources now manages more than 1,100 acres along the Deep River. The NC Department of Cultural Resources manages over 400 acres, (including the House in the Horseshoe State Historic Site and the Endor Iron Furnace property), and Triangle Land Conservancy owns 720 acres, including White Pines Nature Preserve. At least some of these lands could serve as the first public access areas on the Deep River State Trail. Click here to see a conceptual map of the trail.

The Powell family has been connected to this land since the 1950s. Woodson Lea Powell III, Mrs. Powell’s late husband, was mayor of Pittsboro at the time and helped the state acquire land for Jordan Lake.

“My father had a vision that Pittsboro and Chatham County were going to grow and were going to need water,” said Rev. Woodson Lea Powell IV, Mr. Powell’s son.

Rev. Powell remembers when his father bought the land in Moncure. He said the state didn’t need the land for the lake, so his father bought it for himself, acquiring it in several different parcels.

Rev. Powell said his family sought out conservation of the property because “basically, we wanted the land to remain as undeveloped as possible.”

“There’s no problem getting development into Chatham County,” he said. “Pittsboro and the rest of the county are trying to hold it down until infrastructure can be developed. Preserving land doesn’t generate a lot of profit, so it will be harder and harder to find land for humans to enjoy and for wildlife to live.”

There’s also a direct benefit to Rev. Powell.

“Personally, I live right next to it, and I’d rather live next to land in a natural state than something built up.”

“TLC was thrilled to work with the Powell family to add this land to the potential Deep River State Trail for residents of North Carolina and out-of-state guests to enjoy for years to come,” said TLC president Kevin Brice. “The Powell family should be commended for their strong desire to enlarge the forestland reservoir here at the Justice Lands that is so critical for wildlife and water quality.”

This project enhances the connectivity of an important overland wildlife corridor for birds and mammals between Jordan Lake and the Deep River corridor. It also helps to protect a significant aquatic habitat. The Lower Rocky River/Lower Deep River is a Nationally Significant Aquatic Habitat, supporting rare aquatic species, including the Cape Fear Shiner (a minnow); Carolina Redhorse (a variety of “quillback” fish); and Roanoke Slabshell, Brook Floater and the Yellow Lampmussel (all freshwater mussels).

Some conservation definitions

Stream frontage: The greatest threat to water quality in our region comes from sediment and other pollutants running off the land into our streams. Maintaining vegetated buffers on streams helps keep sediment and other pollutants out of streams. By purchasing land with frontage on streams, TLC and the state ensure that stream buffers are maintained.

Connectivity: Many of our native plant and animal communities require large, contiguous territories to maintain the vitality and viability of their populations. As human activities reduce the size of natural areas and isolate them from one another, populations of native species become isolated, their natural movements, dispersal patterns and gene flows are disrupted. By connecting protected tracts, TLC and the state help to maintain the vitality and viability of our native plant and animal communities.

The Deep River is one of Triangle Land Conservancy’s priority areas. This nationally significant river provides drinking water for Chatham and Lee counties and is home to many rare and endangered fish and mussel species.

Since 1983, TLC has helped to conserve 3,872 acres in Chatham County. These projects include conservation agreements with five owners of farmland and forestland conserving 956 acres; ownership of 826 acres on seven properties; and conservation partnerships on projects that have conserved 2,089 acres.

Deep River in June. Photo by Sonke Johnsen.