Conservation Project Updates 

Pig Pen Branch Dam Removal: Our partners have acquired the private land and our team is beginning to assess strategies for how to proceed. Engineering of the dam removal is underway, and we hope to have that impoundment drained and removed in 2021. 

North Saluda River Restoration: Table Rock Reservoir is now providing coldwater releases into the North Saluda. This was an important step. MBTU's partners are continuing to acquire river frontage to begin remediation and silt removal. 

Eastatoe River Litigation: This litigation remains active and vital to protecting a sensitive trout supporting river system. As you recall, MBTU is represented by the South Carolina Environmental Law Project ("SCELP") in the Clean Water Act enforcement action, pending here in federal court in Greenville County. Money could be immediately applied to the expert costs from engineers, soils experts, and biologists associated with the remediation efforts (i.e. sedimentation and macroinvertebrate population studies). The work of these experts has been critical to charting a path forward to remediate the damage done by Arabella Farm in failing to obtain proper storm water permits. 

Terry Creek Restoration: This is a new project in development. Another partner organization, Save Our Saluda, has begun a longer-term restoration of Terry Creek, a tributary of the North Saluda in Greenville County. This creek formerly supported a thriving trout population, but development (residential and agricultural) combined with other factors has left the creek lifeless. Save Our Saluda has acquired grant money to begin stream restoration over a significant section of Terry Creek. MBTU, with the support of SCDNR, would like to conduct a viability study for the potential reintroduction of trout to the water system. If that study has positive results, then MBTU and SCDNR would do further trout habitat updates along the creek to supplement Save Our Saluda's watershed and stream restoration work.