April Update
Greetings Stakeholders,

Since our last update the Richland Creek Watershed Alliance distributed the latest CreekVoice issue, attended another meeting with Vanderbilt University researchers, who are conducting a study in our watershed (the Nashville Yard Project), held the fourth Annual Spring Creek Clean Up, planned for the Annual RCWA Gathering and fielded inquires and environmental concerns from readers.

RCWA NEWS
Big thanks to readers for their membership contributions! RCWA submitted the 501c3 application filing fee of $400 because of their support.
You can still renew your membership or join the Alliance with an annual membership fee of $15 through our website (Click How you can Help) using PayPal or send a check to P.O. Box 92016 Nashville, TN 37209. THANKS!

Metro Water Service's staffer, Mike Hunt, notified RCWA of a more direct contact number for reporting illicit discharges to streams and storm drains. Mr. Hunt contacted RCWA to say he enjoyed the lastest newsletter (CreekVoice) and also relay that, "the contact email (stormwater@nashville.gov <mailto:stormwater@nashville.gov> ) you provided for [RCWA readers from our website] will work, but it is more for all general stormwater inquiries. A better email address specifically for water quality issues - that route emails directly to our staff - is stormwaterquality@nashville.gov . "Thanks for you and your organization's ongoing concern and input regarding Richland Creek, which is extremely helpful to us in identifying and addressing water quality issues." See the related story in our latest CreekVoice, when RCWA help report an illicit discharge observed by a stakeholder over a weekend- "What does RCWA do?"

The 4th Annual Spring Creek Clean Up was a fun community-building success!
More good news for this small segment of Richland Creek at Charlotte Avenue this year- "the trash and debris in and around the stream seems to have decreased since last year." We had 35 volunteers participating. There were students from Hume Fog, Nashville State Community College and Belmont University; representatives from Ingram Barge and RCWA members who worked hard for our cause. Also, RCWA supporter Warren Dusak represented the Herpetological Society and joined our effort to identify snakes and other reptiles, and their habitat, for participants. Check out the photos RCWA member Faye Hendrickson took for us here, on our blog. See a northern water snake!

Also, thanks again to Metro Water Services and Metro Beautifications' Adopt a Stream program and their sponsor, the Great American Clean Up, for supplies. RCWA also appreciates the contributions made by Krogers and Harris Teeter to purchase snacks and water for volunteers. Together~ we make a difference.

SAVE THE DATE- You are invited to our Annual Membership Gathering - Sunday, May 16th, 4:30-6:00 p.m. Location for the gathering will be at the West Nashville United Methodist Church located at 4710 Charlotte Avenue. Thanks WNUMC! This is a very exciting year! Please join us! Reception to follow program below.

Kim Elkins of the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency will discuss the recently completed instream flow report for Richland Creek, which she conducted. The Agency is currently working on setting standards for instream flow in Tennessee. Please come to learn about the study results and Richland Creek’s sustainability.

Dr. George Hornberger and Dr. James Fraser, (Dr. Michael Vandenbergh, Dr. Kimberly Bess, Dr. Amanda Carrico, Jennifer Mokos and Josh Bazuin) from Vanderbilt University will discuss their upcoming research project for the Richland Creek watershed- The Nashville Yard Project. The research being conducted will examine the use and environmental impacts of nitrogen-containing fertilizer. Researchers of the study will invite Richland Creek watershed residents to participate in a survey about their lawn care practices as part of the project study. Please come to learn about this important research and RCWA partnership.
Green Cheers~
Monette Rebecca
Richland Creek Watershed Alliance
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January Update
Greetings Stakeholders~
In January RCWA submitted the 501c3 filing documents to the BABC law firm; distributed the latest CreekVoice to locations in the watershed and¨ began planning for the fourth annual spring creek clean up and our annual membership gathering.

Please renew your membership or join RCWA in 2010! Annual membership is $15. "We need to generate funds for the upcoming 501c3 filing fee."
(Note: a misprint for the annual membership fee was in the last CreekVoice).
You can join RCWA through our website (click How you can help) using PayPal or send a check to P.O. Box 92016 Nashville, TN 37209.

Save the dates-
• Fourth Annual Spring Creek Clean Up- April 10, 2010
Please help us get the reoccurring accumulation of trash from around and in Richland Creek at Charlotte Avenue. You can email us at rcwa@comcast.net to pledge your help.
• RCWA Annual Membership Gathering- Sunday May 16th
TWRA flow biologist, Kim Elkins, will speak at our gathering about the flow study report recently completed for Richland Creek. The flow study’s purpose and results will be discussed with time left for your questions. Come, listen and ask your questions. Location TBA.

RCWA still has board vacancies. Contact us with your interest in serving to rcwa@comcast.net.

RCWA CreekVoice publication drop off locations:
Richland Park Library, Green Hills Library, Rhino Bookstore (Charlotte Avenue), Produce Place, Green Wagon, Green Thumb, Creekside Nursery, Belle Meade Starbucks (left with manager), Green Hills Library (left with manager)

Green Cheers~
Monette Rebecca
Richland Creek Watershed Alliance
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October 09 Update -
Greetings Stakeholders~
In the past months RCWA has continued working with the TWRA flow study, conducted the bank stabilization project with TEC, attended a conference- Managing Tennessee Waters:  From State Policy to Local Needs and responded to submitted concerns from stakeholders.  Read about these topics and important Current News below.

Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency (TWRA) Conducting Flow Study on Richland Creek
Early last spring, the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency (TWRA) contacted RCWA to address concerns regarding water withdrawals on Richland Creek.   A discussion with TWRA Inflow biologist, Kim Elkins, followed and a partnership to conduct a flow study on Richland Creek decided as the best next step to maintain healthy stream flow.  The flow study began in May on Richland Creek along the greenway.
The purpose of the flow study is to relate how water withdrawals are affecting the stream.  The TWRA Instream Flow Program states, “it’s important to maintain instream flows because humans and aquatic animals need water to exist and function on a daily basis.”  TWRA is currently working on standards for setting instream flows in Tennessee.  To read more about this TWRA program visit their webpage at http://www.tennessee.gov/twra/instream.html <http://www.tennessee.gov/twra/instream.html> .
The type of Information collected for the flow study includes biology, geomorphology, water quality and hydrologic data.  In August the TWRA team conducted a fish assessment at the flow study area.  Among the species counted were Rock Bass, Greenside Darters, Rainbow Darters and Fantail Darters.  After the study is completed, a full report will be generated and released.
RCWA is grateful to TWRA for their dedicated work and attention to our beloved creek.
( photos on blog here <http://rcwa.blogspot.com/>)

Tennessee Environmental Council and RCWA Partner for Bank Stabilization Project
The Tennessee Environmental Council’s Executive Director, John McFadden contacted RCWA to offer sponsorship for a bank stabilization project to RCWA.  Volunteers Vic Scoggin and Monette Rebecca assessed and found several segments of Richland Creek that were suffering from erosion.  One particular segment was chosen as priority.  This segment indicated undercutting of stream bank by an eddy, “a circular current” which, appeared to augment the erosion and mass wasting of stream bank. (photos on blog)
Eight volunteers installed twelve 30-foot revetments (cedar timbers wrapped in coir matting) onto the streambank to stabilize bank.  Overtime the revetments will accumulate sediment and biota during rain events and create a media for re-vegetation to occur and stabilize stream bank.
RCWA greatly appreciates the time and expertise Tennessee Environmental Council’s (TEC) Director, John McFadden, offered to the project and for revetments that TEC provided.
A big thumbs up to all the hard working volunteers! Without them the work does not get done!
(photos on blog here <http://rcwa.blogspot.com/> )


Managing Tennessee Waters:  From State Policy to Local Needs
TWRA sponsored and asked Cumberland River Compact to host a conference to bring together state agency leaders and scientists to speak to State Senators and members of the House, local Mayors, Water Utility Managers and Watershed groups to discuss State Policy to Local Needs for water sustainability in Tennessee on September 2nd.  "The consensus for the day was that Tennessee is not exempt from serious water supply issues.  But how do we collectively work to overcome these concerns?"
To read more about the conference presenters, agenda and comments you can go to www.cumberlandrivercompact.org/ManagingTennesseeWaters

Stakeholder Concerns:
Forest Hills resident contacts RCWA about expansion of church and its detriment on the headwaters of Richland Creek
On the corner of Tyne Boulevard and Hillsboro Pike west of Green Hills sets a church that has been approved by Forest Hils to double its building footprint.  Also here is a convergence of two streams- Richland Creek and tributary.  One of the spokespersons representing over 850 residents in Forest Hills opposed to the expansion contacted RCWA because they are feeling perplexed that Forest Hills Planning Commission approved the church’s proposal.  The opposition sees the church’s parking pavement crumbling into Richland Creek now and feels more rooftop and pavement to only threaten the stream’s water quality and fragile ecology further.  The site of the dispute is setting at the foothills of a ridge on Tyne; located in Richland Creek headwaters, not far downstream from where Richland Creek originates and where sits a very old log cabin that is proposed to be torn down for the church expansion.  

Stakeholder tells RCWA about pollution concern into Richland Creek by Reostone Nashville quarry.
A stakeholder contacted RCWA about a pollution concern flowing from Rogers Group’s Reostone Nashville Quarry.  He went fishing in August on Richalnd Creek and saw many bass but alarming was the numerous locations of a milky substance spewing into Richland Creek from the quarry.  He knew this was obviously unhealthy for the fish and other aquatic life.  He was so impassioned and concerned that he contacted TDEC and WSMV news and successfully got them both to view the problem from a boat.  The TDEC representative, accompanied by Metro Water staff member, took a water sample for analysis of Total Suspended Solids (TSS) because permit allows for 40 mg/L.  The result was found to be 13,516 mg/L, exceeding permit requirements by over 13,000 mg/L- 338 times higher concentration than permit allowed.  A Notice of Violation was served on the quarry and Reostone had a short period to rectify the violation.   You may remember RCWA wrote about this issue in the Fall 08 newsletter, CreekVoice (page 3), when another stakeholder contacted RCWA with photos about the pollution.  To read the RCWA article, Downstream, click NEWS and then click Fall 2008 CreekVoice at the top right-hand corner from our website <http://www.richlandcreekwatershedalliance.org/> .

Metro Water has told RCWA that Reostone has fixed the issue of pollution.
If you haven’t seen the WSMV Channel 4 News video you can still view it here--> Watch This Story.

Current News:
You may have heard that the old Champion Ford property on Charlotte Pike, just east of Whitebridge and next to Richland Creek, is going to be converted into the Metro Police West Precinct with a new DNA lab.  The announcement mentioned the buffer, also known as the riparian, zone may be restored.  Please tell your council representatives this week that you definitely want the riparian area restored and enhanced.  Now is the time and opportunity to not only improve our water quality and wildlife habitat but also our Nashville heritage.

This parcel also sets where RCWA proposed James Park, you may remember. This intersection between Richland Creek and Charlotte Avenue has much environmental and historical significance and now we have the opportunity to not only improve the water quality and wildlife habitat but showcase a very important intersection for Nashville's beginning.  This past week I gave Scot Potter, director for Metro Water, and his prominent staff, a tour of this intersection, pointing out the concerns I have had since the onset of RCWA. I shared with them also the historical significance for this intersection during Nashville's founding- that Richland Creek was so treasured by our founder, James Robertson, that he built both his log cabin and later his brick home on Richland Creek.  He named the first road of Nashville, Charlotte after his wife, and Richland Creek became the western U.S. boundary then.  Also sitting here is a sign signifying the Battle of Nashville during the Civil War.

The Metro Water staff, like so many people I have shared this story with did not know these facts and were touched by the rich history.  Ironically, over the past years many volunteers and stakeholders I pointed out the creek flowing at this intersection did not even know they were crossing Richland Creek on Charlotte.  We have the opportunity now to make a wrong a right and honor the water resource that attracted the first Americans here.

Green Cheers~
Monette Rebecca
Richland Creek Watershed Alliance
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July 09 Update
Greetings Stakeholders~

This summer we have been working with the TWRA flow study for Richland Creek, planning for the bank stabilization project with TEC and speaking for stream protection during public comment periods. Take a look at the volunteer opportunities and the public participation issues scheduled for next week below.

Volunteer Opportunities- we need volunteers!
To sign-up as a volunteer for either project below email rcwa@comcast.net to let us know.

Tennessee Environmental Council and RCWA are partnering to stabilize an area of stream bank on Richland Creek.
This project will be conducted on Saturday August 15th from 9AM to 1PM.
We will be installing revetments (cedar timbers wrapped in coco mat) on to the eroded stream bank to prevent further deterioration of stream bank.
Help us prevent more erosion of the stream bank!

Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency (TWRA) is working with RCWA to collect instream flow data (biology, geomorphology, water quality, and hydrologic data) from Richland Creek. This is related to water withdrawals along the creek, and how these withdrawals are affecting the stream. This is an ongoing project and we are collecting volunteer names to contact when study dates are scheduled, so send us your contact information if you are interested in participating. We have been conducting field work on Fridays mostly. Volunteers can help in the morning, afternoon or the whole day. Help us collect this important information!

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

1) Metro Council meets July 21st for final/third reading of the Community Gardening bill - BILL NO. BL2009-479 <http://www.nashville.gov/mc/ordinances/term_2007_2011/bl2009_479.htm>

RCWA supports this community gardening bill in theory but submitted language changes to prevent further impacts to our urban streams and the important riparian area surrounding them. We were alerted to do so due to a a community garden which had begun in the riparian area of Richland Creek and objections to this practice (see "Why?" below). We are glad to report that Councilman Holleman has requested the City Attorney to " to draft a substitute to include language about the protection of urban riparian areas."

Remember- our urban streams are on the EPA 303d Impaired list, designated as category 5 streams. This is the worse designation possible and if continues or worsens could be deemed irreversible, "dead." We have very little riparian area left around our urban streams because of development and encroachment that is in violation but has been "grandfathered in."

The language suggested to bill was to: exclude riparian areas as potential community garden sites; add prohibited use of chemicals, herbicides, fungicides, pesticides and any other known harmful pollutant; and replace "food crops and ornamental non-food crops," to "food crops and native non-food crops"

The objectives for these recommendations are to: protect the little riparian area left around streams saved for critical wildlife habitat; to prohibit use of polluting substances that are not regulated and; indicate "food crops and native non-food crops only," so as to prevent more disbursement of exotics and invasive species to stream corridors via the storm drain system, as all water flows to creeks unfiltered and untreated.

"We must not "throw out the baby with the creek water," as we move toward a more sustainable future"- lets preserve our water resources for future generations.

WHY? A Current Community Gardening Story suggests we need protective language.

There is a gardener that started a community garden on private property this spring in the riparian area of Richland Creek and had to be told about the riparian zone's importance, as he was gardening right up to stream. He also had installed a roof top next to creek. To install this structure he had dug many holes for footers but then moved it away from creek, after he was made aware of this impact. Unfortunately he left these holes open and now when the creek leaves it's bank, which it often does during rain events, the holes will fill up with water. This will threaten the integrity of the stream bank. These holes are the size of a five-gallon bucket. Filling with dirt won't really fix the problem but planting a good size native plant appropriate to the area would help.

The gardener also ignored the request of a property owner to not drive vehicles over his flood plain property to access garden site. This is not only a property owner violation but also impacts the riparian area by compaction of soil and pollution from vehicles. This community gardening story suggests that we need protective language in the Community Gardening bill.

2) West Nashville Community Update Plan, the final Public Hearing Draft
The Plan goes to the Metro Planning Commission for consideration on July 23rd- 4 PM at the Metro Southeast Building, 1417 Murfreesboro Pike, in the Green Hills Conference Room. This will be the last chance to add public comments.
Also under consideration at this meeting will be several amendments to the major and collector street plan that are associated with the West Nashville Community Plan: 2009 Update.
If the Planning staff is unaware of any opposition to the proposed plan prior to the July 23rd meeting, on that day the plan may be included on the Metro Planning Commission's Consent Agenda.
You can give community comments at the MPC meeting if, and only, it is not on the Consent Agenda.

You can view the proposed plan at the Richland Park Branch Library, at 4711 Charlotte Avenue or on online at http://www.nashville.gov/mpc/subarea/subarea7.htm.You can also view the Community Character Policy Plan that is referenced in the the Plan at http://www.nashville.gov/mpc/ccm_manual.htm.

Green Cheers~
Monette Rebecca
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RCWA Update Email June 2009
Greetings Stakeholders

The latest CreekVoice is here! You can see it here > > >

Highlights:
1) Commentary- Emerging Contaminants reveals merging opportunities?
2) TN Ornithological Society shares Bird Surveys on Richland Creek
3) Why I joined RCWA?  Reflection by RCWA member.
4) Greenway walker submits concern about plastic mesh
5) Dangerous water bill passes
6) Announcements
7) RCWA is growing- looking for members who want to serve

A Creek Story DVD is still available.  Get them while they last~ send RCWA a request at rcwa@comcast.net or via PayPal on our website to receive your personal copy of our documentary.

Mary Agee teaches photography at University School of Nashville and recently showed A Creek Story to her students in preparation for a student photographic field study activity on Richland Creek Greenway.  The wonderful book that resulted can be found at this link-Field Study of the Richland Creek Greenway. <http://www.mypublisher.com/bookshelf/bookviewer.py?d=tq%253Ey-cppl%2560je%253E3735988&amp;_mp=DHhubCcPqBOetpibj%252ByFmEvGX0XyutCL%250A>

Community Building and Announcements

How-to Build a Rain Garden and Rain Barrel - Making Your Garden Greener
June 15th 6:30- 8:30 at the Cohn Adult Learning Center
To sign-up for the workshop contact Jim Polk at Jim.Polk@mnps.org, <mailto:Jim.Polk@mnps.org> call 298-8050 or register in person- 4805 Park Avenue.

This summer RCWA workshop combines the rain garden and rain barrel workshops as one.
The workshop, Making Your Garden Greener is $20 and includes Patty Ghertner's book- Rain Gardens:  A Do-It-Yourself Guide for Homeowners in Middle Tennessee.

Free Rain Garden Lecture
Mike Berkley, owner of GROWILD in Fairview, will talk about Rain Gardens (Why, How and Where to Build Them) on July 1st, Wednesday, 7 PM at Edwin Warner Nature Center.  

Volunteer Opportunities
To sign-up as a volunteer for either project below email rcwa@comcast.net to let us know.

Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency (TWRA) is assisting RCWA collect instream flow data (biology, geomorphology, water quality, and hydrologic data) from Richland Creek. This is related to water withdrawals along the creek, and how these withdrawals are affecting the stream.  Help us collect this important information!

Tennessee Environmental Council and RCWA are partnering to stabilize an area of stream bank from erosion on Richland Creek.  The project will be conducted on a Saturday later this summer (late July, early August).  We need volunteers to help with this 3 hour project.

Green Cheers~
Monette Rebecca

Please SUBMIT YOUR MEMBERSHIP FEE of $10 on website with PayPal or send it to us by snail mail to RCWA P.O. Box 92016 Nashville, TN 37209  Together~ We Make A Difference.
THANKS AHEAD OF TIME!
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2009 April RCWA Update

Greetings Stakeholders

The Third Annual Spring Creek Clean Up day was a crisp and successful one-  we had 30 hardy volunteers who filled a roll-off bin of trash and brought 3 huge piles of cut brush up from the stream for Metro pick up.  It is unlawful to leave cut brush and trees in stream beds.  This "loads" stream and impairs stream flow.

This was the third year RCWA held a clean up here, which now many people have witnessed, the reoccurring  issues facing the creek- several homeless encampments that leave piles of trash, repeated cutting of brush left in stream, spots where construction debris is dumped into the creek and inflow of trash from littering and upstream flow.  A big thanks to all the volunteers that attended each year of our clean up here and also to those that wanted to come but couldn't make it!

A Creek Story DVD still available.  Get them while they last~ send RCWA a request at rcwa@comcast.net or via PayPal on our website to receive your personal copy of our documentary.

Update on Bottle Bill SB 1404.  The good legislation to resolve the many bottles left as litter was not passed.

Taken from POP website at www.tnbottlebill.org. <http://www.tnbottlebill.org/>
"Latest news: The Tennessee Beverage Container Recycling Act has been put on ice for the remainder of 2009. It will be reintroduced in the Tennessee state legislature in January 2010.  Go to the Legislation <http://www.tnbottlebill.org/legislation.htm>  page for details."

Thanks to all of you that commented to Legislators and/or visited the Legislature!  
At least the legislation bill was not thrown out too!

Community Recommendations- JAMES PARK Update
RCWA had submitted community recommendations and proposed an urban bird watching park, James Park, during the West Nashville Community Plan Update in 2009 and during the Detailed Corridor Design Plan public meetings in 2008, where the creek meets Charlotte Pike.  
Recently we received an email from Metro Planning with their decision not to proceed with establishing the proposed James Park. See below:

I wanted to let you know that the West Nashville Community Plan team has discussed the James Park proposal several times now and that we have also discussed it with [property owner,] who owns much of the undeveloped property that could be part of the proposed park. We have decided that the best way to treat the potential park in the plan is to leave it in the current Conservation policy designation with the proposed Richland Creek Greenway also being designated in the plan along that stream corridor. [The owner] is unwilling to have his land designated under the Potential Open Space policy in the plan, since he is concerned about potential future relatively unrestricted public access to the property. We are reluctant to map that policy designation over the proposed James Park area if the key property owner is opposed to doing so. This is especially given that the lack of a Potential Open Space policy designation does not preclude the development of some form of park there in the future, and that there continues to be a greenway planned along Richland Creek which could potentially vary in its width and the amenities along it.

In any event, we are very appreciative of your efforts and your participation in the process and we do want you to know that we have given this idea serious consideration in terms of its treatment in the community plan update. Thank you again. Metro Planning Staff.


RCWA felt the Charlotte corridor very important because it intersects Richland Creek with outdated development and protections in place and has significant historical significance (Richland Creek was the U.S. boundary during westward expansion, marked for Nashville Founder's, James Robertson, driveway and the Battle of Nashville).  

The creek has been impacted by development in this floodplain for the past many decades.
"Some commercial activities continue as it did before the Clean Water Act was enacted by the "grandfathered" in clause and have no buffer zone protection."
"Repeated purchases of floodplain land by investors, and then protection of investors by issuing of variances for buffer zones, or allowances of "grandfathered" pollution, is not a sustainable solution to our valuable water resources."

The Metro Planning staff have been very attentive to RCWA and we appreciate and thank them for their effort!
 
RCWA also recognizes that the greenway designation is a win for the community and creek and perhaps will in the end be designed to- absorb more storm water run off, attenuate the pollution and enhance wildlife habitat.
The wildlife here, that we all get excited to see, have made this their home for thousands of years but have had their habitat decreased sharply in the last few decades due to development.  

FYI:  On our blog has <http://rcwa.blogspot.com/>  information for the proposal for James Park and other recommendations submitted for redevelopment during these public meetings.  

Community Building
West End Middle School Rain Garden
Work has continued and the garden looks great. Students and volunteers are expanding the garden. Great work from RCWA member and parent Vicky Amann!

RCWA workshop June 15th 6:30- 8:30 at Cohn Adult Learning Center entitled- Making Your Garden Greener. Mark your calendar and register for workshop by contacting Jim Polk at Jim.Polk@mnps.org or call- 298-8050.  You can also register in person at 4805 Park Avenue.
This seasonal RCWA workshop will combine both the rain garden and rain barrel workshop as one.  It will explain why to have and how to build a rain barrel and rain garden while making your garden greener and improving the water quality of our beloved creek.
The workshop will cost $20 but include Patty Ghertner's book- Rain Gardens:  A Do-It-Yourself Guide for Homeowners in Middle Tennessee, free.

Tennessee Ornithological Society (TOS)  
You may remember RCWA sending out the bird survey TOS conducted in 2007.  Two weeks ago they did another bird survey and we have attached the results from both surveys. Enjoy~ there has been a total of 64 species of birds sited on the RIchland Creek Greenway by TOS.  Thanks TOS!

Also- remember RCWA saw at the Creek Clean up on Richland Creek at Charlotte the Great Blue and Yellow-cr. Night Herons, (April 11th 2009).  

Community Announcements
The First Millimeter:  Healing The Earth
Nashville Premiere of the new PBS documentary that tells "the story of our soil and our lives, just beneath our feet."
Wednesday, April 29th at 7 pm at First Unitarian Universalist Church , 1808 Woodmont Boulevard in Green Hills.
Event is free and open to the public at the First Unitarian Universalist Church, www.firstuunashvile.org <http://www.firstuunashvile.org> .

Great American CLEANUP Tennessee Tennessee Bicentennial Mall
Thursday, May 14, 8 AM to 4 PM Volunteers Needed!

"Be one of 1,000 volunteers coming to Nashville from all 95 Tennessee counties, Nashville named the national host venue for the 2009 Great American Clean up, for the nation's largest volunteer coordinated cleanup."
PLEASE LET RCWA KNOW IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO JOIN THE EVENT AS A RCWA attendee, and we will submit a RCWA count and send to Metro Beautification and Environment.  Thanks.


Green Cheers~
Monette Rebecca
Founder and Director


Please SUBMIT YOUR MEMBERSHIP FEE of $10 on website with PayPal or send it to us by snail mail to RCWA P.O. Box 92016 Nashville, TN 37209  Together~ We Make A Difference.
THANKS AHEAD OF TIME!
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2009 April RCWA Update
Greetings Stakeholders~

March brings the spring season and planning for our Third Annual Creek Clean Up on Richland Creek at Charlotte Avenue. Please join us and see our creek first hand. Third-Annual Spring Creek Clean Up, April 11th, 9AM to 1PM
Contact us at rcwa@comcast.net to sign-up and help us get the trash before the creek does.

Thanks to the Jack in the Box on Charlotte Pike, lunch will be provided. Other sponsors include Blinker Lite (Port A Pot), Kroger (water and ice) and Metro Public Works (gloves, bags and trash removal). Together~We Make a Difference. "Over the past two years volunteers have removed 3 tons of trash from this very short segment of Richland Creek!"

COMMUNITY OUTREACH
We still have A Creek Story DVDs and Patty Ghertner's Rain Garden handbooks available from our website. You can purchase via Paypal or send us a check. Great educational tools! Get them while they last.

Please submit your creek story (250 words or less) for our Spring CreekVoice issue to rcwa@comcast.net. The deadline is April 15th.

We want to hear from you~
Tell us what you think about- the water service rate increase, why you joined RCWA, the concept for James Park, the condition of the creek near you, your wildlife sightings or another pertinent topic.

ANNOUNCEMENTS
Third Annual Richland Creek Run/Walk
Saturday, April 4th
8AM Run, 8:15 AM Walk at Cohn School
For information or to register, go towww.richlandcreekrun.com <http://www.richlandcreekrun.com>

West Meade Conservancy
THIS IS IT! Important Meeting for Official Easements
April 13, 7PM-8:30 PM
Gordon Jewish Community Center, 801 Percy Warner Blvd.
"Whether you are a current Registry signer, a potential one or simply interested in preservation of West Meade's woods, wildlife, history and streams, you are invited!"

Green Cheers~
Monette Rebecca
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2009 January RCWA Update
Greetings Stakeholders~
During the onset of winter RCWA has been taking a holiday break; editing and finalizing the RCWA documentary for debut, A Creek Story; planning and collaborating for 2009 outreach and activities; submitting community recommendations and networking with other organizations.

RCWA's website now has free downloads of Rain Gardens: A Do-It-Yourself Guide for Homeowners in Middle Tennessee and Tennessee's Water Blueprint. Our watershed is rich with stakeholders who share their gifts.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

A Creek Story debut February 22nd (save the date)
The production underwritten by Singh Technologies Solutions, LLC, began last October, and wrapped on an energetic shoot, is now ready for debut!

The thirty-minute RCWA story features colorful scenes of our streams, information about the watershed and interviews from stakeholders. RCWA is very grateful for everyone that helped make it happen (Singh, RCWA members and others interviewed, Earth Revolution, B.V. Lawson- aviation enthusiast, and property owners).
Details about our debut celebration for Sunday afternoon, February 22nd Coming Soon.

RCWA will be offering A Creek Story DVD for purchase at a very reasonable price, which can be used for many educational applications (TBA and made available through the RCWA website).

CreekVoice- RCWA's seasonal newsletter
If you missed the most recent issue of CreekVoice, you can now read it on our website's News page.
We want to hear your thoughts, comments or stories for the upcoming Winter issue so send them to rcwa@comcast.net now! We have a mid- February publication goal. We look forward to hearing from you. Thanks to RCWA member and graphic designer, Chris Veit for his contribution to managed our CreekVoice publication in the future.

Stakeholder Business Sponsors
RCWA is seeking donations from businesses in the watershed to offset costs for RCWA projects, events and needed supplies.
Current opportunities are- A Creek Story debut and the Spring Creek Clean Up.
Please contact us if you would like to donate!
As a RCWA sponsor, your business logo will be posted on our website, your business included in associated CreekVoice story and in related media releases or announcements.
You can see previous event partners and sponsors on our website's Partners and News pages.

Tennessee Water Blueprint- tennesseeswaterblueprint.org
RCWA is one of many signatories to this colorfully illustrated "booklet discussing basic information about water quality and supply, and how human activities affect the waters... the importance of headwaters, watersheds and stream buffers in protecting water quality and supply." The booklet was collaboratively prepared by many individuals and funded by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and World Wildlife Fund.

RCWA will be handing out the free color copies we received from project coordinators. They can be used as an educational tool in schoolrooms, community organizations or for your own information. One of the major goals of the Blueprint coordinators is to give them to our State legislators, to emphasize the importance of care-taking for our water resources from a local and State perspective.You can download free or read the Tennessee's Water Blueprint from the RCWA website.

COMMUNITY BUILDING

How-to Workshop Announcements
Both the Rain Barrel and Rain Garden seasonal workshops are being held at the Cohn Adult Learning Center. Pre-registration encouraged- contact the Learning Center's Director Jim Polk at 4805 Park Avenue, email- Jim.Polk@mnps.org or call- 298-8050. Either workshop is $10 each.

Rain Barrel Workshop- February 23rd from 6 PM to 7:30 PM- A Rain Barrel for Your Garden
One lucky participant will go home with an adapted rain barrel as a door prize; all will learn how to make their own.
Multiple adaptations to barrels presented and tips shared to make your barrel useful and efficient.

Rain Garden Workshop - February 25th from 6 PM to 8 PM
Pre-registrants take home Patty Ghertner's rain garden handbook, filled with how-to illustrations and native species photographs.Donated by the author, free-download of Rain Gardens- A Do-It-Yourself Guide for Homeowners in Middle Tennessee available from RCWA website now. Congratulations and thanks to RCWA / West Meade Conservancy member, Patty Ghertner, for her expertise and generosity to our community.

COMMUNITY ADVOCACY

Metro Council's Green Infrastructure Legislation Bill- BL 2008-345 passed second reading January 20th
RCWA supports this Bill which is an important step towards protecting our water resources and "reducing costs of our water and sewer rate payers."The Bill (BL2008-345) requires Metro Water Services to incorporate the use of Green Infrastructure into their capital planning- "Green Streets" are "a way to manage stormwater that uses natural techniques like rain gardens, bio-swales, tree boxes and planters instead of or in addition to conventional engineering that uses concrete pipes and culverts." This ordinance "does not mandate any projects or require that Metro spend any money, only that this approach be included when projects are proposed... and is cheaper for the City."You can support and thank our Council for this important Bill via email at councilmembers@nashville.gov.

James Park- Submitted to West Nashville Community Plan Update
To read and see the maps and vision for James Park go to our Blog.
The vision proposes a urban bird watching connector park to the Greenway Master Plan and objective is to present environmental and community values into the character planning- to preserve and enhance Richland Creek ad it's connection to the larger ecological corridor. Thanks to graphic designer, Chris Veit, for his illustrating contribution to our vision.

RCWA re-submitted the vision for James Park because the study area for community planning was changed from the original Charlotte Avenue corridor study area and rolled into the larger West Nashville Community Plan Update study area. Contacts to support the vision can be found on the blog.

UPCOMING PROJECT ANNOUNCEMENTS

Spring Creek Clean Up
RCWA is planning for the annual creek clean up at Charlotte Avenue and Richland Creek. As you may remember this is a more precarious area to clean up but is prone to huge amounts of trash and neglect. RCWA has removed over 3 tons of trash in this short segment of Richland Creek over the past two spring creek clean ups.
This area has no buffer zone and yet is a portion of the creek that is home to many species, is a common feeding place and has a historic significance.
Please contact us if you want to help plan for this event!

Spring Planting for Rain Gardens
A gardener always looks to winter to plan and spring to plant. So, RCWA is planning to plant in the two collaborative rain gardens they installed last fall, come Spring.
Please contact us if you want to help!
Rain Gardens accomplish many things. Some advantages are they reduce polluting storm water run-off, create habitat for wildlife, lower area air temperature and reduce CO2 while supplying oxygen into our atmosphere.

RCWA welcomes Laura Jumonville to the Board of Directors. Laura currently works for the Girls Scouts of Middle Tennessee.

Green Cheers~
Monette Rebecca

Please SUBMIT YOUR MEMBERSHIP FEE of $10 on website with PayPal or send it to us by snail mail to RCWA P.O. Box 92016 Nashville, TN 37209 Together~ We Make A Difference.
THANKS AHEAD OF TIME!
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November Update
Greetings Stakeholders~

During October RCWA hosted their First Annual Watershed-Wide Clean Up October 25th; planned and collaborated for two Rain Garden installations; conducted Storm Water Stenciling; did dozens of film shoots for the RCWA documentary and continued networking with stakeholders and other organizations.

First Annual Watershed-Wide Clean Up:  October 25th
We had 7 clean-ups locations in our Watershed-Wide Clean Up, which generated over 92 volunteers, 3 with canoes, and dozens of trash-piles, that we guesstimate to be over 1.5 tons of debris, removed from Richland Creek Watershed. The event brought much attention to our streams and was a fun community building event. Thanks to all our volunteers, sponsors and planners.

If you would like to comment about the clean-up event, which will be featured in the upcoming CreekTalk column of our newsletter, CreekVoice, you can email us at rcwa@comcast.net or go to our blog <http://rcwa.blogspot.com/> to let us know. Please submit them soon~
Due to the fact we have been so busy the Fall CreekVoice is behind schedule, but there are no mistakes and so now- an opportunity to contribute your voice to the watershed community!

RCWA Rain Gardens
The RCWA partnership with West End Middle School (WEMS) 7th grade ecology students has continued and the rain garden is now taking shape.  Leaders for the project who attended the recent RCWA rain garden workshop have sketched out their rain garden, check the soil for proper percolation, met with Metro Water Services for approval and a landscape architect for advice, retrieved utility line clearance for digging, picked out their native plant choices and are now moving towards breaking ground for their rain garden installation.  Great job!
Another thanks to RCWA and West Meade Conservancy member, Patty Ghertner, for preparing the rain garden workshop and assisting in the WEMS/RCWA collaboration.

The WEMS rain garden will accomplish many things: capture storm water run off, improve the performance of an inadequate storm water drain, provide a hands-on environmental educational tool for students and establish a garden which enhances the school property and creates a habitat for wildlife.
 
RCWA has also been planning for the first rain garden of their on-going Plant-Share Program.  This rain garden will be the first of many we hope to be installed, that not only will be harvesting rain water to reduce non point source pollution but will be establishing habitat in the flood plain (riparian area) along Richland Creek on 54th Avenue North.  The Plant Share Program plans to support many rain gardens along the riparian area of our watershed, which over time will produce a habitat that attracts migratory birds, bees and butterflies.  As this habitation flourishes RCWA will be thinning out the native plants to be shared all over the watershed community for residential rain gardens.  Thanks to the Swartz family for sharing their property and helping RCWA with this Program.

We would also like to thank the Tennessee Environmental Council for partnering with RCWA towards this groundbreaking Plant Share Program and contributing to help us purchase plants.
Let us know if you would like to also contribute to our Plant Share Program- help us purchase trees, shrubs, plants and supplies or to share in the digging and planting. We are planning for installation in November, as fall is a great time to plant!

The ecological corridor along Richland Creek is part of a larger and national bird migratory pathway, and locally connects Bells Bend to Warner Park. You can see a national map at the Bird Nature's Migration Flyways: Atlantic Flyways and see that the Principal Route passes through Middle Tennessee.  
FYI:  I personally use to go to the EPA website and also see migratory maps and ones specific for Endangered Species, but now it seems all are unavailable. I was planning on including links to them in this update email.

Stay tuned for photos and updates on the progress for both of these rain garden projects.  

RCWA Documentary
As we mentioned last month, recently RCWA was contacted by SINGH Technology Solutions, LLC offering to produce a video about RCWA and our watershed.  This was a gracious and win-win opportunity and we have been working hard and fast over the past month or so.  RCWA and Singh Technology plan on completing the shooting next week and have the film edited for viewing before Christmas.
The film will illustrate our watershed streams, tell the RCWA story, and feature thoughts from those past and present who have worked to protect our valuable water resources.  From the comfort of your home you will be able to see many and most of the streams in our watershed and hear comments from stakeholders about "why these streams are important in our life."

Thanks to all that participated in this project- and my personal and only regret is that we did not have more time to get more of you involved.

Green Cheers~
Monette Rebecca
www.richlandcreekwatershedalliance.org <http://www.richlandcreekwatershedalliance.org/>
http://rcwa.blogspot.com/



ARCHIVED NEWS
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on the blog!

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ARCHIVED NEWS
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We appreciate our Sponsors!

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Thanks to our sponsors of our First
EARTH DAY Celebration Project,
Richland Creek Clean-Up
April 20th 2007!

We thank these Metro-Nashville Departments for their collaboration, which helped make the RCWA EARTH DAY Project, Creek Clean-Up at Charlotte Pike, successful!