OnTheWatauga

News, life and adventure along the Watauga River, from North Carolina to Tennessee by @Jesse__Wood

FB and Instagram: onthewatauga

[App State Basketball @AppStateMBB]

📍 Watauga Lake

Thanks to Bryan and Michaele Haas for an incredible day!

Love where you live!

#TakeTheStairs

[John Downs❄️❎ @gradyryan1]

The @OnTheWatauga river up from the recent rains in Valle Crucis, NC. It’s good to see after the recent river restoration project that it looks like everything is “working” as intended. 👏 @ForkBrushy
#ncwx
River is about 1.5’ from drought lows.

https://t.co/sfniLFPSLB

[John Downs❄️❎ @gradyryan1]

Check out these little blue flowers, Myosotis sylvatica, wood forget-me-not. Lots of buttercups too. I try and leave areas of my property along @OnTheWatauga uncut to encourage wild flowers and pollinators. 🐝
High 71 low 41, Nice spring day. #ncwx

[John Downs❄️❎ @gradyryan1]

I hear the sounds of chainsaws. Winds overnight were wild — gusting past 60 mph at my weather station and there was a tree down across the @OnTheWatauga River from us on Broadstone road. Still 1800 without power in Watauga last checked at 10:00 #ncwx

https://t.co/cpjznZeCYf

[John Downs❄️❎ @gradyryan1]

The sun has come out after more than an inch of rain overnight and wind gusts over 60 mph. The @OnTheWatauga river was close to getting out of its banks, but things are calming down for the time being here in Valle Crucis NC. Snow showers expected here tonight. ❄️ #ncwx

[John Downs❄️❎ @gradyryan1]

It was so good to see the sun after a what felt like a weeks worth of rain and ice. We had close to 2” of rain here in Valle Crucis with lots of sitting water along the @OnTheWatauga river. Luckily, the river has stayed in its banks as the rain was spread out. #ncwx

[John Downs❄️❎ @gradyryan1]

Where is @TimBuckleyWX when you need him!? Someone who is staying at my house got on this ice @OnTheWatauga river last night despite my warnings 😬
I even quoted Tim about the tragedies on local waterways & people falling through ice. People learn the hard way I guess 🤷‍♂️ #ncwx

[John Downs❄️❎ @gradyryan1]

It has been a “cold mountain” week and we sit at 120 continuous hours below freezing. This has led to many problems with frozen wells and pipes in the area. But w/ a gentle snow falling covering the ice on the @OnTheWatauga river, there’s still beauty to be found. ❄️❤️ #ncwx

[John Downs❄️❎ @gradyryan1]

Back in Valle Crucis, and with the help of a small space heater that I put in my well, I’m glad to report I have running water after two days without 👏🧊
It’s up to 28 degrees at 2:00 PM—The “warmest” since Sunday. The @OnTheWatauga river has lots of ice ! #ncwx

[John Downs❄️❎ @gradyryan1]

Today marks 7 days with snow on the ground from the same storm. Normally here in the valleys, snow doesn’t last this long. I’ve heard some rental properties who had to cancel because of steep snow covered driveways that are not accessible. #ncwx❄️
@OnTheWatauga @WataugaOnline

[John Downs❄️❎ @gradyryan1]

Moment of zen @OnTheWatauga river in Valle Crucis, NC —calm before the storm today. #ncwx

[John Downs❄️❎ @gradyryan1]

I haven’t gone down to @OnTheWatauga river
as much since #helene (other than those weeks of cleanup).
Even tho I can rationalize it’s not the river, the hurt is still there and relics of the damage remain. Nevertheless, there is beauty and healing ❤️‍🩹 with the snow and ice #ncwx

[John Downs❄️❎ @gradyryan1]

Feeling a little #hurricanehelene PTSD this morning with this severe weather moving in from the SW. Looking down to the @OnTheWatauga seeing the ponding water reminds me how high Helene got (well above those picnic tables in the video) Over an inch of rain since midnight #ncwx

[Watauga Democrat @WataugaDemocrat]

The Watauga County Commissioners expressed their support for naming the Hwy 105 bridge over the Watauga River near Broadstone Road in memory of Watauga County Sheriff's Office Deputy Logan Fox.

https://t.co/m7v786P4ZF

[JB @Bennett33Jeff]

@ARounseville @GardensR4Health I live near where the Watauga River and Brush Creek merge it’s changed the river beds on both and not for the good.

[John Downs❄️❎ @gradyryan1]

Hard to believe this beautiful & calm @OnTheWatauga river was the site of such devastation just three weeks ago. We spent another day cleaning up with the help of family from Roanoke & friend f/Raleigh
Who made so much progress since #helene2024 left behind such a mess. #ncwx

[OnTheWatauga @OnTheWatauga]

@gradyryan1 Went kayaking with my family last weekend on a beautiful day and it was serene. Crazy how bi-polar the river can be.

[John Downs❄️❎ @gradyryan1]

It’s the first time I’ve been able to look at the @OnTheWatauga
river without feeling a sense of ominous danger since #helene
We are at the late peak color phase (oak and late maples) and they are gorgeous along with the weather 😍. #ncwx

[John Downs❄️❎ @gradyryan1]

This is sad. When the flood was raging in front of our house @OnTheWatauga river in Valle Crucis, we saw a large oil slick gather on the edges of our hill and we thought about all the pollutants that washed into the river. 🤯

[John Downs❄️❎ @gradyryan1]

I finally was able to safely get down to our bottom along @OnTheWatauga river. We found a lot of items from the Valle Crucis park including a bridge & bench. I also found a sign from the ice cream shop @MastStore that I will return. ❤️‍🩹💔 #Helene #ncwx