Residents support Bynum access on Haw

Chatham residents made positive comments about the Bynum Beach Access at a community meeting held Tuesday evening, Aug. 11, 2020) at the Bynum General Store.

Residents expressed an interest in improving the put-in and increasing river access to disperse a growing number of outdoor enthusiasts.

In addition to paddling, people enjoy using Bynum Beach for birdwatching, wading, swimming, getting close to nature and picnicking.

This is in contrast to complaints from two residents who have told Chatham County Commissioners since 2009 that the site draws excessive drinking, fighting, trespassing, loud music and trash. They also cited traffic problems on Bynum Beach Road when vehicles are parked on both shoulders.

The meeting was called by the county to gather comments about the access from about 30 people in attendance as well as by email.

Comments will be processed by the Recreation Resources Service, which provides technical assistance to parks and recreation departments. Then they will review the information with Chatham officials including Parks and Recreation Director Tracy Burnett.

It was noted that pressure on the Haw has increased since the closure of swim beaches at Jordan Lake and other state parks. As a result, the Bynum area has become a popular destination for swimming, tubing and wading.

Chatham County now must collect trash at Bynum Beach, U.S. 15-501 and U.S. 64 once a day during the week and twice a day during the weekend.

Other issues include:

* Erosion of the shore at the access

* Need for water quality notification

* Bynum Beach Road will be widened at some point in the future because of the Chatham Park development. How will that affect parking at the access?

* With the Lower Haw River State Natural Area open on the north side of the river, a resident asked, why is there an effort attract people to Bynum Beach on the south side.

So how did we get here?

Chatham County acquired the Bynum Beach Access from the Conservation Foundation of North Carolina Inc. on Sept. 26, 2002.

Members of the Carolina Canoe Club had used this access for years. Located on river right downstream of the pedestrian bridge, it was shown on a 1978 river map drawn by William Nealy. And there was no access marked at the mill, because the business was still in operation at the time. (It would close in 1983.)

The club became interested in making the access public after a March 2001 fire burned the mill in Bynum and the property’s entrances were chained shut. Paddlers didn’t know if this was temporary or permanent. The only public access available for low-water runs on the Middle Haw was the Bynum Beach Access.

What is a low-water run? When the hydro plant generates power, it diverts water to the powerhouse and leaves the river too shallow below the dam. Once paddlers reach the tailrace near the Bynum Mill Access, the diverted water is returned to the river.

Paddlers also can use the Bynum Beach Access at low-water levels because the river is relatively calm and deep.

In 2001, former CCC member Cleo Smith worked out a deal with the Triangle Land Conservancy to acquire the property as “Green/Open Space.” This would allow the public to legally walk to the river.

He started an effort to raise $8,000 to serve as an endowment that would be given to TLC to provide maintenance and upkeep, according to The Paddler (July/August 2001). The fund total eventually reached $9,000, the club newsletter said.

Donations came from the CCC, club members, WRAL, Great Outdoor Provision Co. and CP&L. Grants came from REI and the American Canoe Association, The Paddler reported.

By the following year, the deal with TLC had fallen through, but Chatham County was interested in taking over the access, according to The Paddler (September/October 2002).

The donations were given to the county as an access maintenance fund, and the CCC agreed to pick up trash on a monthly basis.

— Bob Brueckner