Upper Clark Creek Watershed
Summary of Impairments and Restoration Efforts
Clark Creek watershed is located in Catawba County. The upper portion of the watershed is predominantly urban/suburban because the municipalities of Hickory and Conover comprise a significant portion of this upper area. As one moves downstream in the watershed, it becomes more rural. The upper portion of the creek is not supporting its uses for biological communities, while the lower portion has had water quality standard violations for copper and turbidity and fecal coliform. It is often easier to address watershed problems by beginning in the headwaters and then working one’s way downstream. In addition, an Upper Clark Creek watershed assessment study was completed in 2002 that contains a lot of good information regarding the causes, stressors and sources of the water quality problems. For these reasons, the local group interested in restoring Clark Creek watershed will concentrate its efforts first in the headwaters portion.