The historic Dillsboro Dam in Jackson County has been demolished, creating approximately 32 miles of free-flowing water on the Tuckasegee River from Cullowhee to Fontana Reservoir.
Removal of the dam is expected to be a boon for fishers, paddlers, and other recreation-based users. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials said the river upstream of the dam will have a greater diversity of aquatic life, including gamefish such as smallmouth bass and rock bass. Wildlife biologists said surveys showed the number of aquatic species below the dam was more than half the number of species above the dam, due to blockage, higher water temperatures in the reservoir and the amount of siltation that had settled above the dam.
The initial dam was constructed of wood around 1913 by industrialist C.J. Harris to produce power for his tannery and home. It was the state’s first power plant. When the dam was destroyed by flooding, Harris built a concrete dam 12 feet high and 310 feet long. It was completed in 1927. Harris formed the Dillsboro and Sylva Electric Co., which was sold to Nantahala Power and Light Co. in 1957. Nantahala Power was acquired by Duke Power in 1988.
Business leaders in Dillsboro and Jackson County officials had fought removal of the dam since it was first proposed by Duke Power Co. in 2002. Opponents cited the dam’s value as a tourist attraction and possible source of electricity for the town of Dillsboro, even though it and its accompanying powerhouse had not produced electricity in more than a decade.
Officials from Dillsboro and Jackson County sued Duke Power to prevent removal of the dam, but a Superior Court judge overturned the suit in January 2010, and removal of the dam and powerhouse began.
More than 60,000 cubic feet of silt was removed above the dam before demolition work began. Tests showed the silt contained little toxic material. Most of the silt was used to build up exposed river banks. A small amount likely made its way to Fontana Reservoir, with no expected adverse results, wildlife officials said.
Duke Power plans to build several public-access points above the river to provide river access for boaters and other users. With only remnants of the dam remaining, in a few years the dam will be only a memory.
Trophy waters added to fly-fishing trail
The Raven Fork trophy trout fishing waters on the Cherokee Indian Reservation have been added to the Western North Carolina Fly Fishing Trail in Jackson County, replacing the Horsepasture River as spot No. 6 on the trail.
The Horsepasture was removed from the trail because public access to the stream has become too limited, according to Julie Spiro of the Jackson County Tourism Authority, which created the trail — the only one of its kind in North Carolina.
The Fly Fishing Trail map gives the location, access areas and general information for 15 prime fishing stops in Jackson County, including small streams such as Caney Fork and Moses Creek and larger streams such as the Tuckasegee River. Both hatchery-supported and wild trout streams are included.
The trophy waters, part of Cherokee Enterprise Waters, are regularly stocked with rainbow, brown, and brook trout, nothing under 1½ and some weighing more than 10 pounds. Limited numbers of hybrid golden trout also are stocked in the trophy section. Robert Blankenship, who manages the program, said that with supplemental feedings, he expects to see trout in the 12- to 15-pound range. Plans are to eventually expand the 2.2-mile trophy section to five miles.
Fishing guide Alex Bell of Sylva, who helped create the Fly Fishing Trail, said Cherokee wants to be a destination east of the Mississippi River that every fly fisherman knows about. “They have a vision of what it can become,” he said. “I think it’s going to keep getting better and better.”
Blankenship said Raven Fork is open to fishing year-round and is stocked at least once a month. The trophy section is catch-and-release, artificial flies only. A $20 special-use permit and a $7 daily permit are required to fish the trophy waters. No other license is needed. The trophy section, north of the Blue Ridge Parkway bridge on US 441, is on Big Cove Road.
A map of the fly fishing trail is available from the Jackson County Tourism Authority by calling 800-962-1911. The new version of the trail map is posted at www.FlyFishingTrail.com.
Changes in stream designations approved by Commission
The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission approved a number of changes in trout-stream designations at its March Meeting, including removal of seven streams from public mountain trout waters.
The streams affected are Mineral Creek in Buncombe County, Thorps Creek in Caldwell County, Crab Creek and Laurel Branch in Alleghany County, Sawyer Creek in Graham County, and Fork Creek and Big Fall Creek, both in Polk County. The streams were removed because they are on private lands and have limited public access. The changes do not affect sections of the streams on game lands.
Wildcat Lake in Avery County was classified as hatchery-supported waters. Four streams were reclassified as wild-trout waters: Elk Hollow Branch in Avery County, Bluff Branch in Clay County (1.2-mile section that formerly was hatchery-supported), Lower Creek and a section of the South Toe River in Yancey County. The reclassification of the South Toe affects waters close to National Forest campgrounds, providing campers and others an opportunity to catch and keep trout.
The headwaters section of the South Toe River in Yancey County was changed from wild-trout waters to catch-and-release, artificial-flies only. Upper Creek, also in Yancey County, was reclassified from catch-and-release artificial lures only to catch-and-release artificial flies only trout waters.
Franks Creek in Graham County was reclassified from hatchery-supported waters to wild-trout, natural-bait waters. The Tellico River in Cherokee County was reclassified from wild-trout, natural-bait waters to wild- trout waters.
Unclassified tributaries of hatchery-supported streams no longer are automatically designated as wild trout waters. Also, fishers will be allowed to catch and keep non-trout species in catch-and-release artificial lures or flies-only streams.
Fishing no longer will be permitted during the closed season on hatchery-supported waters upstream of Nantahala Lake in Macon County.
In another action affecting mountain fisheries, the Commission approved a statewide 42-inch minimum size and a 1-fish limit daily for muskellunge. The previous size limit was 46 inches.
All changes go into effect on July 1 for the 2010-2011 season. For a full version of the rules changes, go to www.ncwildlife.org.
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