Snowbird – All the paperwork has been filed – and the Little Snowbird Watershed is much improved as a result.
Damage sustained by Hurricane Micheal’s contribution to Graham County on Oct. 10, 2018 might have taken over five years to repair, but the results are both aesthetically pleasing and built to last.
A two-year study of the destruction was conducted by Charlotte’s Greenman-Pedersen, Inc., which concluded Dec. 12, 2020. The Graham County Soil and Water Conservation District then applied for – and obtained – $321,366.25 in federally-funded EWP (Emergency Watershed Protection) monies to clear out both dead and water-blocking materials in the creek; as well as $264,622 in funding from StRAP (Streamflow Rehabilitation Program) to pick up where the watershed efforts concluded.
The project – officially titled “Little Snowbird Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) Program Debris Removal & Bank Stabilization” – hit a snag, however: low or non-existent bids were returned to the county by area contractors, leading to a lengthy waiting period. Local firm Adams Contracting was finally awarded the contract, which totaled $677,012.50.
In a swift eight months, the deed was done: Adams began its restoration efforts April 17, 2023 and a report of substantial completion was received Dec. 15.
Along the way, 400 linear feet of Little Snowbird Creek – as well as two separate banks bordering the water – were either cleared or stabilized. An estimated 13,000 linear feet of debris was removed, eliminating countless blockages in the creek.
Adams Contracting also removed 120 dead hemlocks from the bank area, with all cited as contributing to debris blockages.