Foothills Conservancy: Duke easements will protect land below Lake James

Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina’s efforts to help preserve 130 acres of land below the dams at Lake James in Burke County should be officially complete soon, according to FHC Executive Director Andrew Kota.

Duke Energy is in the process of conveying the easements on the land, which consist of permanent riparian stream buffers, to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC). The transfer is expected to take place before the end of the year.

The process began in spring of 2023, when Foothills agreed to monitor the easements in perpetuity, something Duke Energy does not do. 

The land transfer came about as part of the Comprehensive Relicensing Agreement (CRA) Duke and 68 other stakeholders, including Foothills Conservancy, signed back in 2006. The agreement included initiatives designed to protect the Catawba River and lake system for the next half-century.

“The CRA features initiatives to manage water supply during drought and to protect aquatic species and habitat, to enhance water quality, and to provide for more public recreational opportunities and land for recreational use,” according to the conservancy.

Kota said Duke Energy has been a willing conservation partner over the years.

“Duke has done some great things since the relicensing agreement over the last 15 years or so,” Kota said. “The assignment of those easements to Foothills Conservancy by Duke Energy essentially was the trigger point for Duke to then be able to donate the land to Wildlife Resources.”

The land is located off Powerhouse and Snowhill Church roads and is part of a 1,200-acre parcel owned by Duke, all of which will become NCWRC land. The tracts include future sections of the Fonta Flora State Trail and Overmountain Victory State Trail. 

Foothills was comfortable accepting stewardship of the easements because the NCWRC has proven a good partner in the past. Kota said the goals of the two agencies overlap.

“Another reason we were receptive to holding easements on these lands is because Duke was going to convey fee-simple ownership to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, so we would be holding easements on land that would be owned by the Wildlife Resources Commission,” Kota said. “We felt comfortable because their policy, purpose, and mission is to own land for the public good. We’ve worked with them a lot over the years.”

Duke officials said they’re pleased to partner with Foothills Conservancy.

“Duke Energy appreciates the efforts of the Foothills Conservancy toward conservation and protection of lands in Western North Carolina,” said Tami Styer, Project Manager for Duke Energy's Catawba-Wateree Hydro Project. “We know that these conservation easements will be well cared for, and we are proud to be partnering with this organization to protect our water resources for generations to come.”