2024 Initiatives
January 16, 2024
Join us as we work towards clean, plentiful water for all!
We've got big plans for 2024 to continue our work to preserve, protect, and restore local waterways through education, advocacy, and engagement.
- Mitigate the effects of stormwater runoff by advocating for policy changes at the local and state level.
- Monitor our waterways through the Swim Guide program, autonomous ambient monitoring systems, macroinvertebrate sampling, and fish sampling.
- Restore our waterways through innovative, low-cost projects like live staking, Spider Lily propagation, beaver dam analogs, and shoreline stabilization.
- Limit permitted pollution advocating for enforcement and changes to permits that better protect surface waters.
- Provide on-the-water experiences for youth and adults through outdoor recreation programs.
- Educate basin residents of all ages about their watershed and how to protect it.
- Host impactful volunteer opportunities that produce measurable outcomes for the health of our waterways.
- Remove another 100,000 pounds of trash from our lakes and streams like we’ve done for the past two years.

This month marks the first anniversary of Hurricane Helene, a storm that brought unprecedented flooding, infrastructure damage, and public health challenges across the Southeast, including the Catawba-Wateree River Basin. In the days, weeks, and months following the disaster, the Catawba Riverkeeper mobilized to provide relief and to help communities recover. Today, we reflect on those efforts and recommit to the work of building resilience for the future. Supply Distribution In the immediate aftermath, Catawba Riverkeeper coordinated with local partners to deliver emergency supplies to affected communities. Teams transported bottled water, food staples, hygiene kits, and cleaning materials donated by the public to supply hubs and airports. These efforts ensured that essential resources reached households experiencing prolonged disruptions in basic services.