The Caldwell County Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Supervisors and staff held a ribbon cutting Tuesday to officially reopen a restored section of the Yadkin River along the Happy Valley Greenway.
The $500,000 project, funded through the state’s Streamflow Rehabilitation Assistance Program (StRAP), stabilized 430 feet of eroded riverbank that had been washing away for several years. Crews placed boulders to create two natural ripples and installed rock, matting, and other reinforcements to secure the bank.
Work began July 7 after Hurricane Helene caused additional damage to an already failing section of the river. To complete the work, the Happy Valley Greenway and parking area beside the Filling Station were closed for about 45 days to allow heavy equipment access.
Jack Adams, a 30-year Caldwell County Soil and Water supervisor, first identified the need for restoration in 2023. “The washout kept getting worse, and we knew something had to be done,” Adams said.
Immediately, Soil and Water Conservationist Aaron Franks began working to secure funding for the project. “Once we secured StRAP funding, we started working with engineers to find a long-term solution to the bank erosion. Then Hurricane
Helene hit and washed away a portion of the greenway, making this restoration project a top priority,” Franks said.
The restored section is about 0.4 miles down the greenway from the parking lot. Visitors are encouraged to take a walk down the greenway to see improvements made to the riverbank as well as the walking path.
StRAP funds projects across North Carolina to reduce flooding, restore streams, and protect waterways through efforts such as streambank stabilization, sediment removal, and debris clearance.
