The North Toe River Restoration Project has received grants from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as well as contributions from Quartz Corp. and Unimin to begin an intense three year effort to improve the health of the stream. The $1.2 million project will help continue a recent trend of improving the water quality of the river and benefit endangered mussel species which serve as indicators of the waterways health. The North Toe feeds the Nolichucky River and has had a history of polluted water and is currently on North Carolina’s list of impaired waterways. The restoration project is coordinated by the Blue Ridge Resource Conservation and Development Council which will help in identifying sources of water quality problems and work with partners in the community to address those problems.