{"id":29477,"date":"2018-06-05T13:12:05","date_gmt":"2018-06-05T17:12:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fondriest.com\/news\/?p=29477"},"modified":"2025-10-28T11:14:12","modified_gmt":"2025-10-28T15:14:12","slug":"eastern-band-cherokee-uses-environmental-monitoring-preserve-reservation-waters-uphold-culture-dating-back-thousands-years","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fondriest.com\/news\/eastern-band-cherokee-uses-environmental-monitoring-preserve-reservation-waters-uphold-culture-dating-back-thousands-years.htm","title":{"rendered":"Eastern Band of Cherokee Uses Environmental Monitoring To Preserve Reservation Waters and Uphold Culture Dating Back Thousands of Years"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mike Bolt has served the <\/span>Eastern Band of Cherokee<\/span><\/a> for 18 years. He is currently the Water Quality Section Supervisor, overseeing water quality over Tribal Trust Land, totaling around 58,000 acres. \u201cThis was original territory of the Cherokee. They have been here for thousands of years,\u201d says Bolt. Unlike many native peoples who were forced off their land by the U.S. government, such as during the Trail of Tears, the Eastern Band of Cherokee have been able to remain in their original North Carolina settlements. \u201cThere are about 14,000 Cherokee that are enrolled members here. It\u2019s a beautiful place, with great wild game and fishing. I enjoy fishing here myself,\u201d Bolt enthuses.<\/span><\/p>\n

Having previous experience as a water treatment operator, in his role for the Cherokee as Water Quality Section Supervisor, Bolt helps the tribe monitor permitted point source discharges and surface water quality. \u201cThe Tribal Trust Land is not one contiguous piece of land. In some places, tribal lands adjoin state lands. In those cases, they also do their own monitoring,\u201d Bolt explains.<\/span><\/p>\n

To keep track of water quality for the tribe, Bolt and his colleagues use ambient water quality monitoring equipment for field measurements such as dissolved oxygen and temperature (<\/span>YSI ProSolo<\/span><\/a>) and pH (Hach). Laboratory analysis is performed for <\/span>E. coli<\/span><\/i> and fecal coliform bacteria (<\/span>Idexx<\/span><\/a>), nutrients (<\/span>Hach<\/span><\/a>), turbidity (<\/span>Hach<\/span><\/a>), carbonaceous biochemical oxygen demand (CBOD) and solids. Additionally, he does continuous field monitoring of water flows and temperature (Hobo).<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Ancient

Heather Gregory, Environmental Laboratory Technician at Cherokee (far right of picture), and class at site in Cashiers. (Photo credit: Heather Gregory)<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

In addition to the water quality parameters mentioned above, Bolt and his colleagues also do some environmental monitoring that not every nature reserve performs. \u201cWe have cold water streams which are havens for cold water insects,\u201d Bolt explains. \u201cWe perform macroinvertebrate monitoring focused on mayfly, stonefly and caddisfly. These flies are great indicators for the health of the rivers. They live in the streams for a long time, due to their life cycles, and so they are good indicators of overall health.\u201d Samples are collected by kicking up rocks in stream beds and gathering the resulting samples in a tray. \u201cWe look at the taxa richness,\u201d Bolt continues. \u201cThe more diversity we see, the better the stream health. In the samples of flies there are some species that are relatively sensitive to pollution and some that are less sensitive, so we hope to see all of them well-represented.\u201d Good representation of both the less sensitive and more pollution sensitive species suggests that pollution levels are relatively low. Insect samplings are done annually, though if there is a catastrophic event they may be done more frequently.<\/span><\/p>\n

The<\/span> caddisfly<\/span><\/a> deserves special mention. \u201cThe larvae are stick bait, grubs that are good trout bait. They create elaborate homes for themselves,\u201d says Bolt. Gathering many materials around them to make a mobile shelter, caddisfly larvae have even been given valuable pieces to use for construction, such as gold and semi-precious stones, resulting in the creation of some unique jewelry. Caddisfly-made jewelry sometimes sells for hundreds of dollars apiece.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Ancient

Heather Gregory looking for macroinvertebrates at a stream site. (Photo credit: Heather Gregory)<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

Bolt is not the only one performing water quality monitoring. Four full-time staff do environmental monitoring for the Cherokee reservation. One staff member focuses on stream level monitoring, one focuses on National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) and EPA permit monitoring, one does<\/span> Clean Water Act 106<\/span><\/a> Grant issues and one primarily focuses on fulfilling a wetlands monitoring grant. Staff members share research facilities and equipment. The four staff members also do community outreach.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWater samples give you a split second picture,\u201d says Bolt. \u201cTo really develop an understanding you need to take a lot of samples regularly over time. Minimum sampling is monthly, our waters are divided into six sub-basins rotated annually and we have three continuous stations and are adding three more this year.\u201d The Cherokee land has a number of little watersheds that flow into larger watersheds. Raven Fork, Soco Creek, Snowbird Creek, Hiwassee, Valley and Oconaluftee Rivers are the headwaters where most of the tribal lands are. These are in the Cheoah, Hiwassee and Little Tennessee River Watersheds and together they are all in the <\/span>Tennessee River Watershed<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere are more people here impacting the waters now than there were 20 years ago,\u201d says Bolt. \u201cCherokee has become more of a popular tourist destination. There are also more employment opportunities here for Cherokee than in the past.\u201d Bolt attributes some of the popularity of the area to the casinos. But nature\u2019s bounty is also a big draw. \u201cThe cold water trout fishing is great. We have healthy trout populations that are popular, like rainbow trout. The rivers are also stocked, so visitors are likely to catch a few. We don\u2019t want the tourists to be disappointed,\u201d Bolt adds.<\/span><\/p>\n

Wading out to get fish is popular. Sections are marked for fly fishing, fishing for consumption and catch and release. Fishing is often done using red worms as bait. \u201cWhen you get your fishing license, there\u2019s a guide you get which explains which areas are to be used for which type of fishing. Typically you can take ten fish per day for eating if you fish in the designated fishing for consumption areas,\u201d Bolt says.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Ancient

Heather Gregory (black shirt, right of picture), looking at macroinvertebrates under a microscope. (Photo credit: Heather Gregory)<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

The Cherokee streams have in the past been affected by acid deposition. \u201cTwenty years or so ago the state felt there was too much pollution coming from the industrialized Tennessee Valley. The state sued. There\u2019s been improvement since then,\u201d Bolt explains. \u201cIn the time I\u2019ve been here, I\u2019ve been surprised by the resilience of these streams that I\u2019ve seen, such as the pH of the headwaters getting better.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The future of the Cherokee in the area is built on an ancient past. Not all of the stories of the past are pleasant. \u201cI don\u2019t know if you were aware of this, but it\u2019s important to mention the story of why the Eastern Band of Cherokee was allowed to remain on their native lands, but many other tribes were not. When the U.S. government sent troops to move the Native Americans, the Cherokee resisted. A very brave man named Tsali was their leader. Fighting ensued. But the U.S. troops made the Cherokee a deal to resolve the conflict: Tsali was to hand himself over to be executed. In return, the Cherokee could stay on the tribal land they had occupied for centuries. Tsali accepted the deal. He made the ultimate sacrifice so that the Cherokee could stay. That is why they are still here today,\u201d Bolt explains. \u201cHe was executed by a firing squad in Bryson City, North Carolina. There\u2019s a historical marker there to commemorate the event.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Almost two hundred years later, the future of the Cherokee is bright. Employment is up. Tourism is up. The streams are clear. \u201cLater this year we will be submitting our application for federal approval of our tribal water quality standards. Only about 45 tribes, about 10 percent, have been granted approval. Getting approval will make it easier to deal with external polluters, if we have issues, as they will have to meet the federal standards as their water flows onto our land,\u201d Bolt explains. \u201cThat would be a big step in the right direction for us.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Like the thousands of tribal members and the many tourists, Bolt appreciates the natural beauty and the history of the Cherokee lands. \u00a0\u201cThe reservation is truly unique, being part of North Carolina but at the same time being a Sovereign Nation with a culture that goes back thousands of years,\u201d Bolt reflects. \u201cWe have many pristine cold water streams that are a joy to work in. I really enjoy what I do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Top image: Rainee Tetreault looking at the temperature of the Oconaluftee River.
\n(Photo credit: Heather Gregory)
\n<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Eastern Band of Cherokee have lived in North Carolina for generations. As more and more tourists visit and industry grows, monitoring tribal water quality becomes ever more important.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":29481,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,79,6,8,49,510],"tags":[20,673,60,674,109,65,675,503],"class_list":["post-29477","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured-articles","category-monitoring-gear-2","category-monitoring_tech-htm","category-newsfeed","category-rivers-streams","category-water-quality","tag-dissolved-oxygen","tag-eastern-band-of-cherokee","tag-featured","tag-macroinvertebrate-monitoring","tag-news-ticker","tag-ph","tag-tennessee-river-watershed","tag-water-quality"],"remote_post_permalink":false,"remote_post_featured_image":false,"yoast_head":"\nEastern Band of Cherokee Uses Environmental Monitoring To Preserve Reservation Waters and Uphold Culture Dating Back Thousands of Years<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The Eastern Band of Cherokee have lived in North Carolina for generations. 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