2022 & 2023
In 2022 each angler contributed $1,000 toward protecting trout habitat and cleaning up the rivers. The Over Mountain TU chapter selected two projects over two years.
One project involved a cattle watering system and signage on Hampton Creek which is a tributary of Doe River. A second project involved supporting the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy, which purchased 52 acres of land on Tom Branch that feeds the Doe River, which dumps into the Watauga River. These efforts will keep clean water going into our watershed and help protect rivers that most people fish. Rhett Butler, the Over Mountain TU Chapter President oversaw these good works.
2024
The TTF partnered with the Over Mountain TU Chapter and the Blue Ridge Guide Association (BRGA) on projects. Each angler gave $500, and the two organizations each received $3,000.
The BRGA installed temperature gauges in 6 locations on the Watauga and the South Holston. Lower, middle and upper. These gauges provide automatic data feeds on water temperature, which are important to trout health. They provide a reliable data source for the TVA and help build the relationship between the two organizations. The gauges cost $1,347 each. The BRGA and the OMTU added to the TTF donations to close the gap in total cost. The guages were installed before Helene, were taken down and reinstalled.
In April, OMTU is planning to install a passive trash collector on Stoney Creek, one of the tributaries of the Watauga. These float and are about the size of a pontoon boat. There was a pre-existing one on the Buffalo Creek. They are able to measure the pounds of trash collected annually. The OMTU Chapter and TTF each contributed to the funding of the floating trash collector on Stoney Creek.
2025
Blue Ridge Guide Association
The BRGA plans to post signs the 4 boat ramps on the Watauga and 3 on the South Holston to alert anglers to the time it takes water released from the dams to reach their location.
The purpose is to promote safety on the river and reduce accidents that occur. Last year there was one death due to rising water levels. There are incidents each year where anglers get stranded on islands with the rapidly changing conditions. Guides are called up to rescue stranded anglers.
The estimated cost is greater than $6,000. The BRGA will use other funds to make up the difference. More information will be posted on this project in the next 2-3 weeks
We want to support this organization as they elevate their voice and make an impact on the Watauga and South Holston Rivers
Overmountain TU Chapter
The Overmountain Chapter of Trout Unlimited is proposing the installation of cellular water level and temperature monitoring devices on three wild trout streams in northeast Tennessee. This initiative will help gather critical data that can guide OMTU conservation efforts and ensure sustainable fishing practices in these waterways.
OMTU aims to purchase and install three cellular water level and temperature monitoring devices on the following wild trout streams:
- Beaverdam Creek – Home to a wild brown trout population, this creek flows into the South Holston Reservoir.
- Doe Creek – Home to a wild rainbow trout population, this creek flows into the Watauga Reservoir.
- Laurel Fork – Home to a wild brown trout population, this creek flows into the Doe River and then into the Watauga River.
Each monitoring device will be capable of sending hourly updates on both water temperature and water level directly to the OMTU website, allowing for real-time access to data. This data can also be pulled on demand from the database for a look at historical information.
OMTU is seeking funding from the Tennessee Tri-Fly to cover a portion of the total cost of approximately $6,500, with the remainder to be funded by the Overmountain Chapter of Trout Unlimited. They plan to install the devices in late spring of 2025.
