Inconceivable. Unimaginable. Disheartening.
These are words I never thought I’d speak about a natural place once described by many (including myself) as a refuge, a sanctuary, a holy place thousands upon thousands of family and friends would go for exhilarating delight. The Green River and specifically what’s known as the Green River Cove in Polk County North Carolina is one such place.
Whether it was fly-fishing, whitewater kayaking, tubing, hiking, or simply to have a picnic lunch by her waters, this place had a venerable tone. There were campgrounds and cabins and Summer cottages that lined the rivers edge. Hallowed traditions were shaped here by families bringing their children to her waters to share in the joy of the bewitching experiences found there.
Today, I saw with my own eyes the destruction that Helene brought to the banks of this extraordinary Green River. What once appeared as a brawny and burly wilderness, rugged and sturdy now appears delicate and exposed.
From the lower section put-in named “Fishstop” which somewhere along the line morphed into being called “Fishtop” down stream to the take-out named “Big Rock” is approximately 6 miles. Along the river is a road called “Green River Cove Road.” Along this road were homes and cottages and cabins and campgrounds.
Without getting into the details as to the “lay of the land” and the “watershed” that feeds into Green River Cove the sequence of rain and rising waters and flood levels that began to flow down the Green river created a torrent, a deluge, a cataclysm of not just rising water, but also felled trees, boulders, river rock, and then when homes and cabins and cars began to wash away this debris added to the deluge. And then it began to pile up...and push...and shove.
These six miles of river now looks like a nuclear powered wind pushed and shoved and compressed and bulldozed everything within its grasp. And everything pushed from above was deposited below...in the Green River Cove. Where once everything was green and lush and essentially rainforested, it’s now covered with sand and debris and trash and trees ripped from their roots. Whole trees and roots of trees and then sand and then more trees and roots of trees. The image below used to clearly depict five buildings/structures/homes along this river bank of the Green River which are now simply, gone.
It’s hard to notice that the river still flows for how bewildering the insurmountable destruction that is scattered everywhere. But if you look beyond the rearranging, if you can see through the mud and piled up trees, there she is. There’s the Green, still flowing. Her channels are very different now. The rocks are moved into different resting places. But she still flows.
I’ve never seen such colossal change in nature. And what adds to this is that this destruction is not just limited to these six miles of Green River. An unfathomable amount of places like this throughout the entire Western North Carolina region have been rearranged.
I told myself that once I was able to see this beautiful river (that I’ve spent countless hours guiding whitewater kayaking trips and family and friends down its waterways) that I knew I would be one step closer to admitting to myself “what is” and then begin to be able to move forward and become familiar again with the now very new Green River Gorge and Green River Cove.
It’s only been five weeks since Helene came knocking...and already there’s been remarkable improvements to the road surface (much of which wasn’t known if it was still there because of the amount of sand and silt that covered the road...which has since been cleared off) and the two main bridges. Day-by-day there’s more access and debris clean-up and trash removed from the riverbed and its banks.
The Green Riverkeeper, Erica Shanks with Mountain True has been working tirelessly with Precision Grading (lead operator Jake) along with engineers and others to organize, plan and implement clean-up efforts. When all is said and done an environmentally friendly ticker-type parade needs to be held in honor of the Erica’s and the Jake’s in the world here. Who knew just how invaluable heavy equipment operators skills would become here...along with thousands of other sites like this in Western North Carolina.
I do know that in these five weeks a common theme has surfaced which is...everything is evolving and changing day-by-day. So what once seemed like a daunting, insurmountable task...begins to show signs of improvement because as you do one thing...the next appears that needs to be done...and so on...and before you know it...improvement arrives. And then when that improvement is built upon...another improvement arrives.
I don’t know what the next version of the tenacious Green River will ultimately look and feel like...but for now..she’s fragile and resting...but before long...she will persevere and regenerate.
And for those “bridge-builders” and visionaries (like Mountain True and Precision Grading and NC DOT) who are working towards restoration of the almighty Green and the infrastructure around her...a million thanks are due and a tremendous amount of gratitude!
Also worthy of note is that in lieu of the ever-so-famous Green River Race being canceled this year due to the impact of the flood, a festival and a fundraiser was held instead! Collaborating along with Mountain True, the Green River Race team is also highlighting fundraising efforts to be directed towards The Green Race Conservation Project. The main focus in and around the Green River currently is trash and debris removal from the water and its banks.
To learn more about the Green River Race 2024 Festival that was held on November 2nd, click here.
If you wish to learn more about the Green Race Conservation Project or to donate towards the clean-up and recovery process in the Green River please click here.
Photo Credit (top): https://greenrace.us/
Photo Credit (middle): https://ca.news.yahoo.com/helene-hit-nc-green-river-140810661.html
