Posts Tagged ‘Watauga River’

Vulcan’s Boone Quarry Pollution Problem

Wednesday, April 20th, 2011

Last night I was driving home, and noticed that Laurel Fork (along Hwy 105, just outside of Boone) was running a grayish color. I tracked down the source of the gray water, and it turned out to be the discharge from the Vulcan Boone Quarry (Just south of Boone on 105). Here is a video and some pictures of what I found.

A Gray-Brown Plume of water enters Laurel Fork from the Vulcan Boone Quarry. At the top of the photo you can see clear water in the Laurel Fork and then gray-brown water entering the creek from the right.

Gray-Brown Plume in Laurel Fork, created by Vulcan Boone Quarry

Discharge Pipe

Discharge Pipe

The Vulcan Boone Quarry has had repeated problems in the past with discharging milky white and gray water and they got in trouble for it before. As a result they have some fancy monitoring equipment to watch their discharge. The question remains, why is this still going on if they have they monitor this water, and if they have gotten in trouble for this before?

Monitoring Equipment and Pollution

Monitoring Equipment and Pollution

Check back for updates on what Vulcan and the North Carolina Division of Water Quality are going to do about this.

Vulcans Boone Quarry

Vulcan's Boone Quarry

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Operation Medicine Cabinet May 22, 2010

Friday, May 28th, 2010

The second Operation Medicine Cabinet project has both grown in size and success since the first event in October 2009. Finishing as one of the top drug-take back projects in North Carolina, OMC took place at 8 different locations in Watauga and Avery counties. With ample media coverage and community support, we were able to work together to save our kids and rivers from harmful prescriptions and over-the-counter drugs. The outstanding results include: 188,563.5 pills, 20.2 gallons of liquid medication, 300 sharps-needles, syringes and lancets, and a glucose meter.

Check out the video documenting law enforcement officials, pharmacists, volunteers and citizen participants:

Operation Medicine Cabinet May 22, 2010

Thank you to all of the community partners involved, especially the Watauga and Avery County Sheriff’s Departments and Boone Drug for handling and disposing of the turned in medicines. For more information please visit the High Country Press coverage or the OMC website.

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