Help Restore the Swannanoa
Assessing the Damage
In July of 2025, RiverLink produced a detailed study of streambank damage caused by Tropical Storm Helene and opportunities to establish more flood resilience along a 6.9-mile stretch of the Middle Swannanoa River. This section of river extends from the outskirts of Black Mountain through Swannanoa and downstream to the western side of Warren Wilson’s campus.
Thanks to funding from the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina, RiverLink contracted Wildlands Engineering to study the river’s current condition. The study looked at damage to natural features like riverbanks, plant buffers along the river (called riparian buffers), and nearby floodplain areas. The goal was to find ways to repair this damage and make the area better prepared for future flooding.
Do You Need Help with Recovery?
Landowners who are interested in grant funded riverbank restoration are encouraged to fill out this form in order to begin project site planning:
The total cost to fix the damage and make the river more flood-resilient is estimated to be between $10 and $13 million. To learn more about our damage assessment and proposed actions, view this report summary:
Addressing Water Quality Issues
The Middle Swannanoa River was impaired even before the impacts of Tropical Storm Helene. Fecal coliform bacteria levels regularly exceed state water quality standards for swimming. Surveys have also found that the river does not support a healthy population of aquatic organisms known as benthic macroinvertebrates—an important indicator of water quality.
RiverLink is working with stakeholders, including Friends and Neighbors of Swannanoa and the Swannanoa Grassroots Alliance, to develop a watershed action plan that charts a path toward a cleaner Middle Swannanoa River. Once complete, the plan will be submitted for approval to the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, making water quality improvement projects eligible for additional funding sources.
RiverLink is grateful for the funders that make it possible to take critical steps toward restoring and strengthening the Swannanoa River for future generations.
