Last Updated on June 23, 2025 8:01 pm
Ribbon Cutting for the Lower Hardin Creek Restoration Project behind Watauga High – Monday, June 23, 2025. Video: Kenneth Reece/WataugaOnline
Written by Laney Wise/Town of Boone
On June 23rd, 2025 the Town of Boone held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Lower Hardin Creek Restoration Project.
After many years of planning and grant writing, the Town of Boone, in partnership with NewRiver Conservancy, Watauga County, the Watauga County School System, and the NorthCarolina Land and Water Fund, began construction of the Lower Hardin Creek RestorationProject in June 2024.
The project marked a significant step toward restoring ecological balancein the area. It successfully restored 2,500 feet of Hardin Creek by stabilizing the stream bed,reconnecting the stream to its natural floodway, and enhancing aquatic and terrestrial wildlifehabitats.
More than just an environmental initiative, the project also prioritized community resilience andfuture sustainability. A key feature of the restoration was constructing a new bridge spanning thenewly created floodway, protecting critical infrastructure from potential flood damage. Thisproject helped mitigate further flood damage to the area during Hurricane Helene.
“This project not only survived Helene, it has already positively impacted both the local ecosystem and the Boone community. It is a testimony to how resilient natural systems can be in major stormevents.” George Santucci, Sustainability and Special Projects Manager for the Town of Boone
In addition to managing the project, New River Conservancy recruited approximately 50volunteers to plant more than 6,000 trees and shrubs to ensure a robust and stable habitat.
“Among other problems, unhealthy amounts of sediment from severe erosion brought HardinCreek to an unhealthy state. With help and support from great partners we have restored thistributary of the New River back into a functional stream that is able to mitigate flooding andprovide habitat for fish and wildlife. We look forward to partnering with the Town of Boone andNorth Carolina Land and Water Fund on other stream restoration projects to create a moresustainable and better future for the New River watershed.” – Joe Johnson, Director ofOperations and Programs for the New River Conservancy
Completed in June 2025, with the installation of the bridge, the Town of Boone has opened theGreenway Trail from the entrance at Daniel Boone Drive Extension to the Watauga High SchoolCross-Country field alongside the river.
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