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Land Planning & Smart Growth
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Land Planning & Smart Growth

Many of our water quality problems are the result of poor development practices which is made possible by outdated zoning regulations and building codes. The solution to many water quality problems is better planning and smarter growth. This section discusses how to protect water quality while continuing to grow and to have a healthy economy.

Information on Stream and Lake Buffers
Buffer zones around streams, rivers, lakes and other water bodies helps protect water quality.
Getting to Smart Growth by EPA
EPA document on smart growth.
2008 Citistates Report - The Dangers of Not Going Green
This report, sponsored by the UNC Charlotte Urban Institute, is a followup to a 1995 report on the region. The report concludes that the Catawba could dry-up, farmland could become scarce, and air quality could worsen if the region continues on its current course. The report also concludes that the region must do more to protect its strained natural resources to become a global player.
1995 Citistates Report
Report commissioned by the UNC Charlotte Urban Institute on the issues facing the Charlotte region.
2007 UNC Charlotte Urban Institute Regional Indicators Project Report
Report summarizing various regional indicators including of growth, land development and environmental health.
Report of the Effects of Land Use on Water Quality
2001 report of the effects of land use in Mecklenburg County between 1994 and 1998 on water quality (primarily the Catawba basin).
Land Development in North Carolina: Losing Our Natural Heritage
2007 report on the impact of land development practices in North Carolina on the environment.
Low Impact Development Handbook
Handbook of techniques and best management practices for low impact development.
What is Smart Growth?
"Nearly half of what will be the built environment in 2030 doesn't even exist today, giving the current generation a vital opportunity to shape future development." By changing the way we design and build communities, we can substantially reduce the impact of our communities on the water.
Watch Cabarrus sprawl! And Catawba too!
Mary Newsom on growth in the Charlotte region
Sprawl on high: Losing N.C. mountain wilderness
Mary Newsom on sprawl in the N.C. Mountains (including the headwaters of the Catawba River).
Document Actions
Covekeeper Meetings

Join us for our monthly Covekeeper Meetings:

Lake James: 2nd Thursday at 6:30 p.m. - 4794 E. Shores Dr., Morganton, NC.

Lake Hickory & Lake Rhodhiss: 3rd Monday at 7 p.m. - 320 Mauney Hall at Lenoir-Rhyne College 

Lake Norman: 4th Thursday - East Lincoln Fire Department on South Pilot Knob Road off Hwy. 16.

Mountain Island Lake: 2nd Monday at 7 p.m. - Cooks Presbyterian Church

Lake Wylie: 2nd Wednesday at 7 p.m. - T-Bones on the Lake 

Lake Wateree: 2nd Thursday at 7 p.m. - Dutchman Creek Fire Dept. 

Please check the calendar section of the website to verify the meeting time and location.

News
Jan 30, 2012 Catawba River One of Top 10 Endangered Places in the South
On January 26, 2012, the Southern Environmental Law Center announced its annual list of the Top 10 Endangered Places in the Solutheastern U.S. The Catawba-Wateree River was back on the list as the 3rd most endangered place in the Southeast because of the threats from coal ash, power plant water use and unnecessary reservoirs.
Jan 26, 2012 Soil runoff from Target project still damaging stream
Catawba Riverkeeper volunteers have been closely monitoring the development of the new Target store near Cox Road and I-85. This project required moving a large portion of a hillside and rerouting a stream. As reported in the article, it is questionable about whether it is feasible to limit sedimentation in the short-term and whether the site will be stable over the long term.
Jan 18, 2012 Catawba Riverkeeper Files Lawsuit Against SCE&G
On January 12, 2012, The Southern Environmental Law Center, on behalf of Catawba Riverkeeper, filed a lawsuit against SCE&G to require a cleanup of coal ash ponds with a long history of leakage.
Jan 07, 2012 Coal Ash Dumping on the Rise
The Environmental Integrity Project reports that toxic coal ash dumping on the rise in the South.
Dec 15, 2011 Concerns Raised Again About Coal Ash Pond on Wateree River
Coal ash pervasive: 2 billion pounds of power plant waste gets in ponds, landfills in SC.
More news…
Alliances

The Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation is a proud member of EarthShare North Carolina, River Network, the North Carolina Conservation Network, and the Waterkeeper Alliance.  EarthShare North Carolina makes it possible for employees to support the environment through workplace giving programs.  River Network’s mission is to empower and unite people and communities to protect and restore rivers and other waters that sustain the health of our country.  The NC Conservation Network supports, trains and coordinates diverse groups and directly advocates to achieve equitable and sustainable solutions for our environment.  The Waterkeeper Alliance is a worldwide network of advocates for protection of our water resources.  For more information about these organizations or to inquire about enrolling your employer in EarthShare NC, please contact CRF@catawbariverkeeper.org.

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Waterkeeper Alliance Logo

 
Make a Donation

Your River needs you as much as you need the River

Donate Here

River maps and Recreational options

Maps

Recreation

Report Pollution in the Catawba River

Help protect your River! 

Tell your Riverkeeper if you see:

  • Sewage Overflows
  • Failure to control sediment from construction sites
  • Illegal clearing of buffer areas
  • Fish kills 
  • Invasive aquatic species
  • Exceeding Pollution Limits
  • Discharges exceeding allowable limits
  • Unpermitted discharges
  • Other issues that concern you

Click here to fill out a pollution report or

Call 1-888-679-9494 or 704-679-9494 (ext. 3)

How to contact your NC Legislator

Sometimes you just can't get the action that is needed to protect our water without contacting your legislator.  To find out who represents you in the North Carolina legislature and how to contact them, click here.

 
421 Minuet Ln Ste 205 . Charlotte, NC 28217-2784 . Phone: 704.679.9494 . Fax: 704.679.9559