Overmountain Chapter Trout Unlimited
Some of Our Past Projects.
Right Prong Rock Creek (2021)
People built a small dam below a culvert that TWRA wanted to use as a rainbow trout barrier. A small group of OMTU volunteers removed the rocks and the tarp holding the pool to help ensure rainbow trout aren’t getting into that culvert and up to the Brook Trout waters.
Doe River Fishing Trail (2018-20)
OMTU worked with County and State officials to put in a series of parking lots and access trails along the upper Doe River gorge. This is a beautiful section of river and we wanted to get more people access to enjoy it..
Rocky Fork Water Quality (2019-20)
OMTU, in partnership with Cherokee Chapter TU, Friends of Rocky Fork, East Tennessee State University, and Rocky Fork State Park, launched a project to monitor water quality in Rocky Fork Creek. The state park was looking to build a visitor's center and develop better roads and trails. This project was vital to identifying and mitigating impacts to the creek as these activities occurred. OMTU volunteers collected water samples a few times a year at the park. We then installed two water quality monitors to continuously monitor the water.
Hampton Creek Cattle Crossing (2018)
This project consisted of installing a gravel cattle crossing on Hampton Creek to help eliminate some of the mud and settlement that gets into the creek. OMTU partnered with TWRA and the Nature Conservancy to complete this project. OMTU received money from the Tennessee Conservation Grant Program to help pay for some of this project.
Blevins Road Handicap Dock (2018)
OMTU partnered with TVA and TWRA to install a handicapped fishing dock on the Watauga River at the Blevins Road boat ramp. This platform gives handicapped and mobile limited individuals to the chance to get closer to the water and more easily fish this area of the river. OMTU received money from the Tennessee Conservation Grant Program to help pay for this project.
Briar Creek Culvert (2017)
We worked to install a new culvert over Briar Creek (just off Cherokee Road) that will enable native brook trout to move into higher water where the habitat is more suitable to their livelihood. OMTU donated $10,000 towards the purchase of the culvert. We are also provided labor to help rebuild the stream bed after the culvert was installed.
Hampton Creek
At Hampton Creek we helped to install a barrier to separate the rainbow trout downstream from the brook trout upstream.
Watauga Bluffs
With this project we installed a public access area on the Quality Trout Fishing section of the Watauga River. This is currently the only public access on the entire length of the Quality Trout Fishing section. As follow-p to this project we provide manpower to maintain the parking area and trail and we also clean up trash along this section of the river.
Buffalo Creek
An Embrace-A-Stream grant of $7,160 was awarded to the Chapter in April 2002 to install stream bank stabilization and habitat improvement on Buffalo Creek. Two hundred feet of affected stream bank, J-hook jetties and armored toe-protection were installed. Trees were planted by the Elizabethton High School Ecology Club under the leadership of Gary Barrigar, Science Teacher. The Club also placed tree shelters to protect them from animal and weed eater damage.
North Indian Creek
An Embrace-A-Stream grant of $7,160 was awarded to the Chapter in April 2002 to install stream bank stabilization and habitat improvement on Buffalo Creek. Two hundred feet of affected stream bank, J-hook jetties and armored toe-protection were installed. Trees were planted by the Elizabethton High School Ecology Club under the leadership of Gary Barrigar, Science Teacher. The Club also placed tree shelters to protect them from animal and weed eater damage.
Hampton Creek
An Embrace-A-Stream grant of $4240 was awarded to the Chapter in March 1997 to restore native brook trout population in this unique state natural area of Roan Mountain. The funds were used to build a fish passage barrier to separate brook trout and rainbow trout populations. The second phase of the project was to remove rainbow trout above the barrier and stock brook trout back in the stream.
Laurel Fork Creek
An Embrace-A-Stream grant of $3350 was awarded to the Chapter in May 1994. The project objectives were: 1) placement of 16 fish habitat improvement structures, 2) sediment traps at trail/creek crossings, 3) permanent road closure to prevent illegal use and damage at stream crossings, 4) tree planting along the banks, 5) population monitoring station maintenance, and 6) population/structure use monitoring. A sign was placed along the trail in the project area with information about brown trout and the EAS project. A bulletin board was placed in the campground downstream displaying the Laurel Fork Creek ecosystem and the EAS project.
