News

Pamlico-Tar Riverkeeper Katey Zimmerman took to the air this week to get an aerial view of sediment issues in the upper Tar and Neuse river basins.

“I had 14 total waypoints to look at in the upper Neuse and upper Tar,” she said. “They were all known or expected sediment-issue sites, largely from new developments and construction.”

It was a bumpy ride from the Washington-Warren Airport where SouthWings pilot Rolf Wallin picked her up. From there, they flew to the upper watersheds.

“We saw a whole lot of dirt; a whole lot of uncovered land,” she said. “There were a few sediment basins at one development — its baffles or silt fences looked collapsed or buried. That’s a sign that there’s a repair that needs to be made.”

Katey said the biggest takeaway of the flight is “there’s a whole lot of new development and sprawl in the upper parts of both watersheds.”

Katey and Neuse Riverkeeper Samantha Krop continue to track rezoning cases in the upper Neuse and Tar, keeping track of more development and potentially more sediment pollution in the region.

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