There will be a hands-on, in-the-creek experience designed to explore the ancient stone fishing weir located in Webster (Jackson County). A weir is a shallow dam in the form of a “V” designed to capture fish. The Watershed Association of the Tuckasegee River (WATR) will offer this workshop for youth age 8 to 13. The workshop will be held Monday, June 23 from 9am – 2:30pm. The workshop and the weir are located at the home of Jim Allman at 3096 North River Road.
The workshop will consist of a series of learning stations. In some stations, kids will examine the aquatic bugs and fish collected from the Tuckasegee River. At another station, the kids will imagine the Cherokee village located near the weir and dependent on it for food. In mid-morning, the participants will re-enact an ancient fish harvest by assembling upstream from the weir and thrashing the water to move fish downstream and in to a fish trap located at the funnel point of the weir. Before leaving, kids will be challenged to understand the 21st century message that these weirs and the ancient Cherokee who built them offer to us. Beyond that, what must be done to preserve these ancient structures, and who should do it?
WATR is inviting youth groups to register with us soon. Every child must be pre-registered and have a signed permission slip to participate. The role will be limited to 35 children. Kids should dress to get wet and wear closed-toe water shoes. Chaperones may want to join them in the river. WATR will provide a free lunch, and contributions will be appreciated.
Info: Malia Crowe, WATR program coordinator, mlcrowe2@catamount.wcu.edu. In case of high water, the event will be postponed to Monday, June 30.
– WATR
