Tellico Accomplishments for 2005

by Stefan Roth, September 2005

We recently received a comprehensive report from Bill Champion, Supervisory Forester, of all the work accomplished at Upper Tellico OHV Area in Fiscal Year 2005 (October 2004 – September 2005).

Southern Four Wheel Drive Association (SFWDA) was the primary volunteer group on all of these projects. The total estimated value of volunteer labor and equipment was an astounding $55,000 !

Summary of accomplishments:

• Hired on-site administrator (“Tellico Ranger”). Started work in May 2005.
• Completion of the Upper Tellico OHV Trail System Assessment.
• Tellico Bridge at “rough crossing” – design was finished, bid packages were sent out, and bids were due August 25, 2005. The bids came in for more money than was available, so the project may need to be revised.
• Allen Gap Parking area and road improvement project – design was completed and bid packages were sent out. Again, the bids came in too high and the project will be revised in the near term.
• A new water monitoring plan was devised by TVA and will be implemented in FY 06.
• A new parking lot near the state line is currently under construction and will be 95% completed by end of September. This parking lot is being constructed with SFWDA providing a significant portion of the cost.
• 8 miles of mowing for safety sight distance was completed on Davis Creek/Tipton Creek roads.
• Approximately 1,800 tons of gravel and surge stone was placed on roads/trails in the area, especially those that are in closest proximity to water.
• 200 new carsonite trail marker posts were purchased for use in FY 06 for re-marking trails/illegal trail closures etc.
• Major portal/entrance/regulation signs were obtained for Allen Gap, State Line, as well as directional signs on Davis Creek Road.
• 34 miles of trail tread work was completed through storm funding from the October 2004 hurricanes.
• 12 miles of trails were cleared of blowdown following the hurricanes last fall
• Fisheries assessment (storm funded) was completed by zone Fisheries Biologist and additional funding will be sought in FY 06 to mitigate/repair areas found in this assessment.
• Fish population monitoring was completed.
• TVA monitoring of suspended solids continued.
• Clean-up day was conducted in the spring (in conjunction with Cherokee N.F., Trout Unlimited, Tenn Wildlife Resources Agency, SFWDA, and others) with the usual very large turnout – estimated 2 to 3 tons of garbage removed from the N.C. side alone.
• Tentative approval of a $100,000 grant from N.C. (Recreational Trails Grant Program) has been received for use in maintaining and improving the area next year.
• Estimated volunteer contributions (mostly from SFWDA) in FY 05 were:
  1. 2,514 hours of labor
  2. 1,260 hours of equipment time and vehicle use.
  3. Total estimated value of contributions was $55,226!
  4. Work accomplished by SFWDA (and other volunteers) includes: Cleaning and rebuilding silt traps and dips on trails 5,2,1,6,8,4 and 10; installing new barriers to illegal trails on trails 2 and 10; hauling and placing surge stone on trails 4,5,6,and 8; repair of “mud bog” on trail 8; removal of blowdown from the trails; and cleanup of debris and litter from all trails throughout the year. Also included is the work by Gunnar Byrd, Griff Shirley and others on construction of the new parking area just north of the state line, which has been a major project.

The following items are the tentative proposed actions for Fiscal Year 2006 (through September 2006):

• Rehab of sites identified in the FY 05 fisheries assessment.
• Construction of bridge at “Rough Crossing”
• Design of bridge at “Fain Ford”
• Routine operations and maintenance – includes monitoring, signing, cleaning and repair of dips, silt traps, and bridges, mowing, culvert replacement, trash removal, maintenance of trailhead facilities, etc.
• Maintenance on approximately 26 miles of trails
• Place approximately 900 tons gravel/surge stone for trail hardening.
• Permanently close rough crossing ford and rehab site upon completion of the bridge.
• Water monitoring
• Fish monitoring
• Develop and implement sign plan, including replacement of approx. 80 trail markers.
• Continue routine closure and rehab of illegal trails
• Work on developing vendor program for daily/season passes.
• Evaluation of items outlined in the Trail System Assessment Plan

New “Tellico Stakeholder” meetings will also be coming up in Murphy. One or two members of all interested parties will hold small meetings to help determine future directions for Tellico. Southern will of course be a major part of these meetings, but so will several groups that have historically been opposed to the Tellico 4-wheeling trails. Some of the new directions may include increasing the daily fees, being able to buy the permits at stores or on-line, closing or rerouting some trails or roads, more parking, closing existing camping and opening other camping opportunities, and more water quality monitoring. We strongly encourage you to attend the Southern quarterly meetings, where we present all these issues to the members and where we can answer your questions and take inputs. Meanwhile, keep on wheelin’ and don’t hibernate too much in winter.