Exploring the Ellerbe Creek Watershed

Ellerbe Creek Watershed

At Planning Ahead, we are proud to highlight our collaboration with Duke University's Bass Connections program on the project "A City and Its River: Durham's Ellerbe Creek Watershed (2021-2022)." This initiative exemplifies our commitment to interdisciplinary research and community engagement in addressing urban environmental challenges.

Ellerbe Creek, Durham’s primary watershed, spans 37 square miles and is integral to the city's ecological and social fabric. The watershed faces challenges such as pollution, habitat fragmentation, and the impacts of systemic environmental racism and economic inequities. These issues affect both biodiversity and the health of local communities.

The Bass Connections project aimed to understand how ecological benefits and risks are distributed across the watershed, particularly in relation to social and economic factors. By integrating biology, environmental chemistry, urban ecology, and social sciences, the team sought to comprehensively analyze the watershed's health and its impact on residents.

Interdisciplinary Team Efforts

The project was structured around three collaborative subteams:

• Ecological Team: Conducted field surveys and geospatial analyses to assess greenspaces and biodiversity within the watershed.

• Chemical Contaminant Team: Collected and analyzed water and biological samples to identify the presence of new and legacy contaminants.

• Socioeconomic Team: Examined the correlation between ecological conditions and the socioeconomic profiles of Durham neighborhoods.

This collaborative approach provided insights into how environmental risks and amenities are distributed, highlighting areas where interventions could promote equity and sustainability.

Community Engagement and Impact

A key aspect of the project was its partnership with the Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association. This collaboration ensured that research efforts were grounded in community needs and perspectives. The team's findings have informed local strategies for watershed management and have contributed to broader discussions on environmental justice in urban settings.

Learn More

For a detailed overview of the project, including methodologies and findings, please visit the full article on Duke University's Bass Connections website:

🔗 A City and Its River: Durham's Ellerbe Creek Watershed (2021-2022)

This collaboration underscores Planning Ahead's dedication to fostering research that bridges academic inquiry and community action, aiming for a more equitable and sustainable future for Durham and beyond.