Volunteers have planted over 2500 trees in the past two years in the McDowell Creek watershed. 

The McDowell Creek Watershed drains to Mountain Island Lake at McDowell Creek Cove, which is directly upstream of the main drinking water intake for Charlotte Mecklenburg Utilities that provides drinking water to Charlotte and the surrounding area.

In recent years water quality in the McDowell Creek and Cove have steadily declined from development, deforestation and cumulative impacts from historical farming operations.  A critical part of the watershed restoration plan to restore the Creek to a more natural state is the replanting of trees in the floodplain. 

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services coordinates volunteer efforts that replant of areas of floodplain that have been deforested by historical practices.

For more information on these types of projects, email Erin Oliverio. Tree planting projects take time to plan and coordinate, usually happening once a year in the fall/winter months and are limited to public land areas.