Bent Creek is a tributary of the French Broad River in Buncombe County, North Carolina.[1][2] It was dammed to create Lake Powhatan, a reservoir for recreation just south of Asheville.[3] The headwaters of Bent Creek rise near the Bent Creek Gap in southern Buncombe County.[4] The Bent Creek watershed is about 5 miles long and 2 miles wide, and is surrounded by Appalachian hardwood forests.[5]
| Bent Creek | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | North Carolina |
| County | Buncombe County |
| Basin features | |
| Waterbodies | Lake Powhatan |
History
editThe Bent Creek area was formerly occupied by the Cherokee, before the arrival of European settlers in the late 1700s. Intensive farming and deforestation in the late 1800s caused erosion and the loss of tree stocks in the area. After being purchased by George Washington Vanderbilt III and added to the Biltmore estate, it became part of one of the earliest mountain reforestation efforts. In 1921, Bent Creek became the first Experimental Forest managed by the Appalachian Forest Experiment Station. It is currently an important area for forestry and conservation sciences.[5] The creek is stocked with trout for fishermen.[2]
Lake Powhatan
editOne side of Lake Powhatan has a fishing pier, while the other side has a public beach.[3] The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission stocks the lake with brook trout, brown trout and rainbow trout.[6] The lake is a popular site for camping and other recreation. It is a part of the Bent Creek Experimental Forest, in the Pisgah National Forest.[7][8]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Bent Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
- ^ a b Harshbarger, Thomas J.; Porter, Pamela E. (June 1982). "Effects of a Dam and Sewage Outflow on a Small Oligotrophic Stream in the Southern Appalachians". USDA Forest Service Research Notes SE (Report). Southeastern Forest Experiment Station, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. p. 1.
- ^ a b Molloy, Johnny (2010-07-13). The Best in Tent Camping: The Carolinas: A Guide for Car Campers Who Hate RVs, Concrete Slabs, and Loud Portable Stereos. Menasha Ridge Press. pp. 32–33. ISBN 978-0-89732-798-5.
- ^ Powell, William S.; Hill, Michael (2010-06-15). The North Carolina Gazetteer, 2nd Ed: A Dictionary of Tar Heel Places and Their History. Univ of North Carolina Press. p. 42. ISBN 978-0-8078-9829-1.
- ^ a b Bent Creek Research and Demonstration Forest: Scientific Forestry for Informed Choices. Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. 1995. pp. 2–6.
- ^ "NC Wildlife will stock 67,000 trout in December: Where to fish, what to know". The Asheville Citizen Times. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
- ^ Seaton, Iris. "Answer Woman: How popular is Lake Powhatan campground? How many campsites?". The Asheville Citizen Times. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
- ^ Bent Creek Research and Demonstration Forest: Scientific Forestry for Informed Choices. Southern Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. 1995. p. 5.