Connestee Falls
Natural Resources Stewardship Committee
Protecting Water Resources
Lake Management Study
In 2024, the NRSC partnered with the CF Fishing Club to create a Lake Management subcommittee, tasked with ensuring the quality of water in our lakes and streams for recreational use and wildlife habitat. The subcommittee commissioned Dr. Troy Farmer, Associate Professor of Fisheries Ecology in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation at Clemson University, as the lead scientist for the Lake Management Study, beginning in May 2025.
The study is a two and a half year project that will provide:
• a comprehensive watershed survey, addressing run-off, sediments, nutrients, submerged habitats, seasonal water quality, best water release strategies, invasive land and lake species, including parrot feather
• fishery surveys, including fish species composition, predator to prey analyses, and largemouth bass modeling
• a lake management plan with recommendations on how Connestee Falls should manage our lakes and streams for recreational use and long-term sustainability
​
Watersheds
"The Connestee Falls property exists across four 12-digit HUC subwatersheds:
​
• Carson Creek-French Broad River (060101050201): Carson Creek, Aiken Mill Creek, Cantrell Creek
• Upper Little River (060101050204): South Prong Little River
• East Fork French Broad River (060101050103): Bradley Creek, Laurel Branch, Upper Creek, Middle Creek, Lower Creek
• Cherryfield Creek-French Broad River (060101050105): Paxton Creek"
(Equinox NRI Report, page 23)
"The southwestern third of the property containing Upper Creek, Middle Creek and Lower Creek, as well as a small portion in the property’s southeastern extent containing Laurel Branch and its unnamed tributaries, drains to the East Fork French Broad River, while the eastern two-thirds containing Batson Creek and numerous unnamed tributaries drains to Carson Creek. Both of the major receiving streams drain westward to the French Broad River; the water that originates on the Property ultimately ends up in the Gulf of Mexico." (Equinox NRI Report, page 24)
Impoundments
Lake Facts:
-
Lake Atagahi: 80 Acres • 59' Deep • 2890' Above Sea Level
-
Lake Ticoa: 75 Acres • 92' Deep • 2810' Above Sea Level
-
Lake Tiaroga: 31 Acres • 32' Deep • 2950' Above Sea Level
-
Lake Wanteska: 45 Acres • 62' Deep • 2440' Above Sea Level
"The CF property contains four lakes of varying size: Lake Ticoa, Lake Atagahi, Lake Tiaroga, and Lake Wanteska. Ticoa, Atagahi, and Tiaroga are situated on streams draining to the Carson Creek subwatershed, while Wanteska is the only lake that drains to the East Fork. The lakes capture a large amount of the headwater resources that originate on the property. They provide aesthetic value and are used primarily for passive recreation such as fishing, swimming, and boating, although motored boats are not allowed. Lakes are stocked annually, and aquatic habitat and populations are managed by the Connestee Falls Fishing Club. Although artificial, the lakes do provide meaningful habitat for a wide range of aquatic and avian fauna; resident and migratory waterfowl and bald eagle are commonly observed by community residents." (Equinox NRI Report, page 24)
Streams
"CF contains approximately 119,685 linear feet of stream corridor, which includes ephemeral, intermittent, and perennial streams as well as springheads and seeps that sometimes appear more like wetlands. Permanent, forested riparian corridors were delineated and established during the community’s early development to protect water quality, however the buffer width varies widely. Many of the buffers exist as very narrow corridors less than 15 feet in width; these are concentrated along feeder streams to the lakes and in small valleys between developed lots. Other streams occur within the undeveloped Common Natural Areas where the buffer can reach a maximum width of 300 feet and where the streams are largely unconstrained by anthropogenic features such as paved roads, impoundments, culverts, etc.
The property contains many headwater springs, seeps, and streams, some of which are nearby and impacted by roads and houses, but others that are relatively undisturbed and have a diverse and complex structure. These high-quality habitats are important resources for many species of animals including stream-dwelling macroinvertebrates, many of which require clean, cold, sediment-free water to survive. In turn, these insects become food for in-stream animals, or following a hatch, for forest-dwelling songbirds and small mammals." (Equinox NRI Report, page 24)
"Water quality classifications for the property’s streams follow the subwatershed divisions described earlier. All of the streams draining to the East Fork carry a “Class C/Tr/HQW” designation, indicating that they are Class C waters (protected for aquatic life survival and secondary recreation, such as fishing and boating) that support wild trout (Tr) and also are considered High-Quality Waters (HQW) due to their excellent benthic macroinvertebrate community structure. Streams draining to Carson Creek are classified as “Class B/Tr”, indicating that they are protected for primary (direct human contact, such as swimming) and secondary use, and are also supportive of wild trout populations. In tandem, these classifications are indicative of very good water quality across the entirety of the Property and are of major importance for protection and stewardship." (Equinox NRI Report, page 24)
Wetlands
"Numerous, very small wetlands were observed, occurring most often at the origin of or adjacent to the many small tributaries and seeps that are common within valley bottoms across the property. These headwater seepage wetlands are often associated with small streams and are critical to their health and function, providing filtration of overland flow, temporary flood storage and retention, and habitat for flora and fauna. They also provide fresh water, forage, refuge/cover, and breeding areas for a wide variety of wildlife. For example, small, headwater seeps provide bathing areas for songbirds, forage for salamanders, drinking water for all sizes of mammals, cool microclimate for reptiles, and breeding habitat for flying insects like dragonflies, jewelwings, and hatching benthic macroinvertebrates." (Equinox NRI Report page 25)
Southern Appalachian Mountain Bog
"The remnant Southern Appalachian bog (Low Elevation Subtype) is in the far southeastern extent of the Property. This unique and rare wetland type currently exists within the footprint of several Unbuilt Lots, and one of the upstream lots that does not contain wetlands was recently built out. Preservation of the hydrologic integrity of the bog is important, as it is a critically imperiled wetland ecosystem that is known to support at least one rare plant (Erwin’s turtlehead), and changes to or disruption of the bog hydrology can severely degrade or eventually eliminate the habitat." (Equinox NRI Report, page 25)
The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) has identified Southern Appalachian bogs as a community type of higher priority for land conservation action because they are more imperiled.
