*This interview was conducted and article written prior to Hurricane Helene. Community efforts to clean up and revitalize the French Broad River and other watersheds in the region are more important now than ever. Learn how you can support these efforts at RiverLink.org.

With an original mission to encourage guests to extend their visit to Asheville by “one more day,” RiverLink is a nonprofit organization originally conceived in the mid-1980s by the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce.

During the 1980s, properties along the French Broad River in Asheville were mostly derelict industrial properties. Due to the high pollution of the river, many people avoided the area. RiverLink’s Founding Director Karen Cragnolin shared a vision of a revitalized riverfront area, which involved an in-depth cleanup of the river and those old properties, and spurred economic development opportunities that would benefit locals and visitors alike.

RiverLink Scientist and Educator Renee Fortner said, “Cleaning up this resource flowing through our city that had been abused and neglected for so long was also just the right thing to do.”

Throughout the years, RiverLink has acquired properties along the French Broad with an intention of revitalization. Old junkyards, illegal landfills, old warehouses, and the site of an old car crushing operation are once again safe for the public, some requiring in-depth work like phytoremediation to clean the soil — a 15-year process.

In 2020, the French Broad River Partnership, an umbrella organization comprising various nonprofits and businesses that have a stake in the French Broad River watershed, conducted a study completed by Western Carolina University Professor Dr. Inhyuck “Steve” Ha. This study analyzed the economic impact of the French Broad River on an eight-county region that makes up the watershed, and determined an annual impact of about $3 billion.

Economic development spurred by efforts of RiverLink and other businesses and organizations to remediate the polluted waterway was not unique to Asheville. Other areas including Marshall and Rosman as well as scattered campgrounds along the river’s paddle trail have experienced growth and opportunities from the cleanup’s impacts.

“Cleanups have not only improved the aesthetic of the river, but the environment has also encouraged businesses to locate along the river and spurred new businesses offering activities involving the river,” Fortner said. “Greenways built along the river are also another way of connecting people to the river.”

Outdoor recreation is a significant economic driver in WNC, and riverfront parks and access points have allowed for the creation of businesses that offer tubing, boating, and fishing. Many early visions of connecting the riverfront parks outlined in the Wilma Dykeman Riverway Plan have been implemented, and today, the greenway and the connections it provides have spurred even more businesses, like Flying Bikes in the River Arts District, which rents bicycles for people to enjoy riding along the river.

“We couldn’t have the economic development without the environmental component to it,” Fortner said. “Collectively, all of the trash pick-ups and various efforts among RiverLink and our partners have had a huge impact, because we wouldn’t have the economic development if the river was still heavily polluted.”

RiverLink is spearheading a year-long campaign funded by the Community Foundation of WNC and the Duke Energy Foundation to raise awareness about the impact that stormwater runoff, currently one of the largest pollutants, has on the river. The organization and its partners are encouraging residents and businesses to get engaged in tackling stormwater runoff. The huge volume of water entering the river after heavy rains is not treated, and includes various pollutants like oil, gas, and bacteria. Large amounts of runoff also contribute to worsening erosion and sediment in the waterway, all of which damage the water itself as well as the species living in the waterways.

While it may be easy for homeowners to redirect downspouts or add rain barrels to their properties, there are also things businesses can do to lessen runoff. Permeable paving, green roof systems, and other stormwater infrastructure projects help to mitigate runoff pollution into the river, and continuing to improve water quality will continue to improve not only economic opportunities, but opportunities for locals to further enjoy natural amenities in WNC.

Throughout the years, various businesses, organizations, and community members have played large roles in helping RiverLink accomplish its goals. Private donors, foundation funding, and volunteer efforts by individuals and business groups all continue to support the efforts resulting in tremendous environmental revitalization and economic accomplishments rooted in the improvement of the French Broad River.