Lake Norman will soon have an additional 589 acres for a park. Catawba Lands Conservancy has announced the approval of $2.6 million in funding for the permanent conservation of 719 acres along the shoreline of Lake Norman, Mountain Creek and Terrapin Creek located in Catawba County. This move will bring permanent watershed protection to the region and create the largest public park in Catawba County.
This public/private partnership involved:
Catawba County
Catawba Lands Conservancy
Clean Water Management Trust Fund
Duke Energy
Crescent Resources
The North Carolina Clean Water Management Trust Fund awarded a $2.6 million grant to purchase 589 acres from Crescent Resources along Mountain Creek. The “match” for the grant includes a reduction of the purchase price and a donated conservation easement on an additional 130 acres along Terrapin Creek (valued at $1.6 million). In total, the 719 acres will protect more than 10 miles of stream and shoreline along critical waterways serving the Charlotte Region.
Dave Cable, Executive Director of Catawba Lands Conservancy said,
“This project presented a unique opportunity for land protection on a major scale, including water quality protection in one of the most rapidly urbanizing watersheds in the state. This landmark project increases our total conserved acreage by nearly 10% to 8,214 acres. The partnership with the community, Duke Energy and Crescent Resources was critical, and we are very grateful for the funding from the North Carolina Clean Water Management Trust Fund.”
The 589-acre Mountain Creek tract is one of the largest remaining natural tracts on Lake Norman. Its preservation addresses water quality protection in the Catawba River Basin watershed, which is currently losing 56 acres of land a day to development. This preserve will serve as a public park with more than 20 miles of hiking trails and educational opportunities for schools, universities, and the public.
Tue, Nov 18, 2008
On The Lake