waterway

Introducing the Park-Mercer wetland.

The short block of Banks Street between Goldsboro and Mercer Streets was once home to Andrew Townsend‘s home and grocery store, as well as the first location of Trinity A.M.E. Zion church. Hominy Swamp across the block from Goldsboro to Mercer, and tiny branch of that waterway, little more than a ditch, meanders off toward Banks.

As sluggish and unimpressive as the Hominy usually appears, it has repeatedly wreaked flooding havoc across southeast Wilson.

I recently spotted these placards along Banks Street:

The City of Wilson’s press release on Park-Mercer Wetland:

In the heart of Wilson, North Carolina, an exciting and innovative stormwater management project is taking shape. The Park-Mercer Wetland, situated as a tributary to Hominy Creek just outside Historic Downtown Wilson, is set to become a shining example of how municipalities can tackle stormwater challenges while fostering environmental sustainability. This project, in partnership with the NC State University Bio and Ag Engineering program, is not only transforming the local landscape but also providing valuable insights into water quality management.

Why Park-Mercer Wetland Matters

Wetlands are nature’s filtration systems, and their importance within municipalities cannot be overstated. They play a pivotal role in mitigating the impacts of urbanization and improving water quality. As our cities grow, managing stormwater runoff becomes increasingly critical to prevent pollution and flooding. This is where wetlands step in.

The Science Behind Park-Mercer Wetland 

What makes the Park-Mercer Wetland project particularly fascinating is its collaboration with the NC State University Bio and Ag Engineering program. Together, they are conducting vital water quality testing to determine the nitrogen concentration in the water flowing out of downtown Wilson. This data is essential for establishing how long the water needs to be in contact with wetland vegetation to effectively reduce nitrogen levels.

Catch and Release Design: A Flow-Based Solution

The Park-Mercer Wetland project is designed with a ‘catch and release’ concept, emphasizing a flow-based approach to stormwater management. In essence, this means that water will be temporarily detained within the wetland, allowing it to interact with the native vegetation. This interaction is a crucial step in removing pollutants like nitrogen from the water.

The Impact on Wilson’s Community

So, why should the residents of Wilson be excited about the Park-Mercer Wetland project? The benefits are manifold:

  1. Improved Water Quality: By naturally filtering and purifying stormwater runoff, the wetland will enhance the quality of water flowing into Hominy Creek and, ultimately, our local waterways.
  2. Flood Mitigation: The wetland will help manage excessive stormwater during heavy rainfall, reducing the risk of flooding in our community.
  3. Biodiversity: Wetlands are home to a diverse range of plants and wildlife. The Park-Mercer Wetland will contribute to biodiversity and offer opportunities for residents to connect with nature.
  4. Educational Opportunities: Through partnerships with educational institutions like N.C. State University, the wetland project becomes a living classroom, fostering research, learning, and engagement with environmental science.

Photos by Lisa Y. Henderson, May 2024; aerial via Google Maps.

Lane Street Project: the environment.

I understand that poking around in cemeteries is not for everyone. Might I interest you, then, in a creek cleanup?

This is Sandy Creek. Yesterday, just past Rountree Cemetery, I shepherded a snapping turtle from the middle of street to the curb, then watched it tip itself headlong into this filth. Like the other waterways of East Wilson — branches of Hominy Swamp and Toisnot Swamp — the pollution in Sandy Creek is atrocious. That any animal, much less one as large and ancient as a dinner-plate-sized turtle, is able to survive in this soup is a miracle, but does life need to be so hard? 

A branch of Toisnot Swamp.

I have a vague childhood memory of playing in a ditch that ran behind the Reid Street Community Center pool. Keith M. Harris and I — ever chasing our explorer fantasies — would dig greasy clumps of red and gray clay from its banks, dipping them in the water to coat our fingers in slip. 

A 1940 aerial image clearly shows that what I remember as a ditch was in fact a narrow branch of Toisnot Swamp. The branch ran behind and west of present-day Eastern North Carolina School for the Deaf and Longleaf Neuro-Medical Center, crossed Lipscomb Road (now Ward Boulevard), and coursed behind Reid Street Center and Vick Elementary. It then crossed Vance Street just beyond Vick Street and forked before seeming to peter out.

A modern aerial, courtesy of Google Maps, reflects the wooded course of the branch across Ward Boulevard and over to Gold Street. There, however, it disappears into underground culverts.

Here’s this waterway on the ground today. Looking west from Gold Street just below Reid, the concrete embankment and corrugated steel culvert pipe that contain the branch. The heavily polluted water of the stream is visible beyond the pipe’s opening.

Below, looking east into the park behind the Community Center. These willow oaks once grew on the banks of the “ditch” that now flows underground.

1940 aerial photo courtesy of “Wilson County Aerial Photographs, 1940,” State Archives of North Carolina Raleigh NC, http://www.flickr.com; other photos by Lisa Y. Henderson, September 2020.