The Richland Creek watershed includes seven sites. From upstream to downstream they are: Allen Creeks, Richland Creek upstream, Plott Creek, Eaglenest Creek, Hyatt Creek upstream, Hyatt Creek downstream, and Richland Creek at Lake Junaluska. The Jonathan Creek watershed includes one site near the confluence with the Pigeon River. Allen Creek, the upstream site on Richland Creek, the upstream section of Plott Creek, and most of Hyatt Creek are in mainly rural areas. Allens Creek serves as a water source for the Waynesville/Hazelwood area. Eaglenest Creek, lower Plott Creek, and the section of Richland Creek between the upstream site and Lake Junaluska are largely urban or suburban. Jonathan Creek flows through both rural areas and the urbanized area of Maggie Valley. Monitoring at the two sites on Hyatt Creek began in March, 2000.

The importance of Lake Junaluska to the economy of Haywood County as well as the situation of Richland Creek in Waynesville make water quality in Richland Creek and its tributaries a critical issue. Sedimentation is of particular significance because Lake Junaluska iis the effective sedimentation basin for the creek and the lake has been filling with sediment at a rapid rate. Removing the sediment is quite costly, so it is better to locate the sources of sedimentation and reduce the loading.

Three of the sites in the Richland Creek watershed (Richland Creek upstream at West Waynesville, Allens Creek, and Plott Creek) rank as good, one (Eaglenest Creek) ranks average, one (Richland Creek at Lake Junaluska) below average, and two (both sites on Hyatt Creek) are ranked poor. The three streams that rank good have very similar profiles. They all have extensive rural and even forested areas in the upper parts of the watersheds, they all show relatively low concentrations of heavy metals, chemical salts, and nutrients, but they all show some problems with sedimentation during storm flow. All other occasional pollutant problems that have occurred at these sites also appears to relate to runoff during storm flow. However, since February, 2000, siltation of Plott Creek has been occurring on a regular basis. Construction activity in this watershed may be the cause.

Eaglenest Creek ranks slightly lower than the previously mentioned sites largely because of consistently higher conductivity levels, heavy metals concentrations, and nitrogen concentrations. This stream is shorter and somewhat more urbanized, therefore more influenced by urban runoff. Like Plott Creek, Eaglenest Creek has also shown more regular disturbance since February, 2000, probably for the same reasons.

Richland Creek at Lake Junaluska falls below average because it also shows slightly higher conductivity levels, and heavy metals and nutrient concentrations and it is severely impacted by sediment during storm events. The lower part of Richland Creek is much more urbanized than the upper part and receives more runoff from roads and residential and commercial areas. The upper part of Richland Creek, Allens Creek, Plott Creek, and Eaglenest Creek do not appear to be the most significant sources of sedimentation to lower Richland Creek. Because testing in previous years was inconclusive in finding major sedimentation sources, other tributaries were added to the monitoring program in March and September, 2000. The results thus far from Hyatt Creek where monitoring began in March, show that this may be one of the major sources of sediment to Richland Creek. While no sampling has occurred at the Hyatt Creek sites during storms yet, even dry weather conditions show high levels of most pollutants during virtually every monitoring event. The upstream site appears to be even more heavily impacted than the downstream site. This is clearly a stream that will need serious attention to reduce pollutant loading. Monitoring began on another possible source of sediment, Raccoon Creek, in September and information on this watershed will be available soon.

There is only one site on Jonathans Creek and, although it rates average, it show many of the same problems as the downstream site on Richland Creek, but to just a slightly lesser degree.

This stream is also severely impacted during storm events, but remains in generally good condition at most other times.