Since the column headlined "Young scientists learn lessons in bureaucracy" appeared in the March 30 edition of The Chapel Hill News, staff members at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have gotten questions from people wanting to know why the university won't allow the Sediment Rangers of Smith Middle School to implement their plan to install water bars in the Duke Power corridor west of nearby Seawell School.

The Sediment Rangers received a grant from Lowe's to install water bars across the Duke Power corridor as a way to prevent soil erosion by diverting water from the corridor into adjacent Carolina North woods.

Anyone who spends time on the Carolina North trail system surrounding Bolin Creek has seen the heavy use that the trails receive. People run, hike, bike, bird watch and generally have a good time along the trails because it's a beautiful and fun place.

In October 2007, UNC signed a memorandum of understanding with Triangle Off-Road Cyclists (TORC) to maintain and improve the existing Carolina North trail network. With the trail evaluation expertise that TORC brings, UNC and TORC are evaluating the existing trails to determine which trails need work to prevent soil erosion. The Duke Power easement is one trail we know needs significant improvements to prevent erosion.

Because the trails serve many types of users, whatever improvements are made to prevent erosion must be user-friendly. The International Mountain Bike Association (IMBA), a highly respected organization with which TORC is affiliated, evaluates the effectiveness of various erosion control measures for multiple use trails. They publish the industry standard for sustainable trail building and maintenance. IMBA guidelines strongly discourage the use of water bars on trails. The structures are difficult to ride and hike over and trail users tend to go around them, widening the trails and causing more erosion. An example of trail widening around water bars can be found on Carrboro's Adams Tract.

Water bars are also considered to be a liability since they are often slippery and steep, leading to bike crashes and twisted ankles. They collect silt and debris and require frequent maintenance to keep them from deteriorating.

UNC is seeking solutions for trail problems that prevent erosion and that are easy to negotiate and to maintain. The topography of the Duke Power corridor makes it an especially challenging trail alignment. Our ultimate goal is to re-establish sheet flow of water throughout the trail system. One solution we are considering is the "rolling grade dip." To find out more, check out IMBA's Web site (www.imba.com/resources/trail_building/gradedips.html.) This won't be the only solution we implement, but it's one that we're considering as we strive to prevent erosion and maintain user-friendly trails.

Installing water bars in the Duke Power corridor is a short-term "Band-aid" fix. The better solution is to reduce runoff from Seawell School. The main source of water on the corridor is stormwater from Seawell School. Seawell was built before there were requirements for managing water runoff from roofs, asphalt playgrounds and parking lots. The Sediment Rangers could make a huge positive impact on reducing erosion in the easement by investigating and implementing use of rain barrels, cisterns, water retentive landscaping and other stormwater management techniques at Seawell School. UNC has lots of expertise in stormwater management and would be more than happy to assist students with this project.

We are working hard to be good stewards of Carolina North and already have several community partners working with us, including TORC, See Jane Run and Friends of Bolin Creek. We hope that the students will become our partners, and we look forward to working with them on future environmental projects.