All of the sites upstream from Grassy Branch except Beetree Creek including North Fork, Bull Creek, and the Swannanoa River at North Fork, at Bull Creek, and at Beetree Creek, rate good. Beetree Creek would also rate good except for an elevated lead concentration which occurred in the past three years. From Grassy Branch and downstream all sites rate fair or poor. This includes Grassy Branch (poor), the Swannanoa River at Grassy Branch (fair), Haw Creek (poor), the Swannanoa River at Haw Creek (fair), and all four sites on Ross Creek (fair). Zinc concentrations are often elevated at both the Haw Creek and Grassy Branch sites, and the Haw Creek site generally has elevated conductivity levels. Grassy Branch often shows elevated nutrient concentrations as well as significant stream sedimentation.

Trends over time show several of the sites in the upper part of the watershed with increasing conductivity levels, but decreasing concentrations of heavy metals. Trends over time also show the sites at Grassy Branch and the Swannanoa River at Grassy Branch with increasing levels in several parameters. Both sites show increasing nutrient concentrations. The Grassy Branch site also shows increasing sediment and zinc concentrations. The Swannanoa River at Grassy Branch shows pH, alkalinity, and conductivity increasing over time. Analysis at the four sites on Ross Creek began a year ago. Generally, the most upstream site shows the highest concentrations of sediment. Higher sedimentation levels closer to the headwaters occurs in other area streams as well, particularly when land is cleared near the steeper headwaters. The site at Tunnel Road shows the most elevated zinc and conductivity levels, and the two midstream sections at Lower Chunn's Cove and Tunnel Road show the most elevated nutrient concentrations. Levels of most parameters are moderated from the site at Tunnel Road to the most downstream site at the confluence with the Swannanoa River by the influence of Kenilworth Lake. Sediment, heavy metals, and phosphorus concentrations all decrease significantly as Kenilworth Lake acts as a catchment basin settling out pollutants. Conductivity levels also decline, but less significantly as ions are more likely to remain in solution. As Ross Creek flows into the Swannanoa River, conductivity levels are still significantly higher than most area streams.

The higher pollutant levels of the monitored tributaries as well as of others that are not monitored affect water quality of the lower portion of the Swannanoa River. Activities occurring along the Swannanoa River itself, no doubt, also have an effect. Controlling urban storm water will be a major challenge as the urban area expands further into the Swannanoa River watershed.