Davidson County residents are fortunate to have the entire length of our western border the Yadkin River. Without water, things develop slowly. Without the Yadkin River, our existence as we know it might very well be elsewhere. We have the use of two major lakes for recreational enjoyment and a private water system servicing 55,000 customers. Even better, the population, including the taxpayer, is able for the most part to benefit from all of the above for free. What a deal! It is almost too good to be true.
Some facts about the river and its basin include: It is approximately 248 miles long; it becomes the Pee Dee River at the confluence of the Yadkin and Uwharrie Rivers in Lake Tillery but remains the same river; the river basin encompasses 18,000 square miles, making it the second-largest river basin on the East Coast (try identifying the first); it starts as a springhead in the parking lot of the Green Park Inn in Blowing Rock and ends in Winyah Bay near Georgetown, S.C.; and it services approximately 3.5 million people.
But let us get back to the river's importance to Davidson County. Much like a farmer with his tractor or a construction worker with his hammer, the Yadkin River remains a working tool held in public trust whose use is granted by the federal government.
North Davidson Water, chartered in 1967, started servicing 2,800 customers with a daily water capacity of two million gallons in 1969. The name changed to Davidson Water in 1973 after merging with dependent county systems to become the largest privately owned water system in the United States. It now services 55,000 customers in Davidson, Randolph and Forsyth counties with a daily capacity of 20 million gallons. The river's influence makes the three counties look a lot different in terms of homes, businesses and tax dollars.
Without boring you with technical issues, all this is done using six pumps extracting water from the river and placing it into three sediment ponds. From there the water goes through a treatment facility before going out to customers.
Long before the existence of Davidson Water, companies in France and the United States developed a light strong metal called aluminum. The product required dams to generate electricity. France led the way locally buying the Whitney Dam holdings along the river in 1907. World War I sent the French back to France allowing Alcoa (Aluminum Company of America) to buy the French holdings in 1916.
Alcoa proceeded in the development and construction of four dams, Narrows (Badin 1917), Falls (1919), High Rock (1927) and Tuckertown (1962), making it the largest landowner in Montgomery, Stanly, Rowan and Davidson counties combined (24,000 acres plus). By federal grant, Alcoa has been the caretaker of a 38-mile stretch of the Yadkin River including its boundary with Davidson County for 80 years.
As the designated caretaker, Alcoa, through various subsidiaries, is responsible for maintaining hydroelectric generation, public access, public recreation facilities, downstream water responsibility and the protection of natural, environmental, cultural and scenic resources. No capable entity has shown an interest in taking on such a large undertaking other than Alcoa.
Of course dams create lakes. High Rock and Tuckertown lakes provide year-round recreation activities for citizens of Davidson County and the entire Piedmont. The desire to live and play on High Rock Lake has pushed real-estate values into some of the highest in North Carolina.
If global warming continues causing extreme drought conditions, one might see these lakes pressed into duty as an additional supplier of much-needed water for an ever-growing thirsty population.
And, by the way, we in Davidson County live on the east side of the river basin, meaning all water in the county eventually travels west-southwest. Have you noticed?
Richard Lloyd lives in Thomasville. He loves North Carolina and writes stories about the state and its people. He can be reached at rlloyd2@triad.rr.com.