the-catawba-riverkeeper

Helene Cleanups Continue 18 Months Later

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 14:54:54 GMT

Greg Nance has had his boots on the ground since the storm subsided.

When Greg Nance headed into work on September 27, 2024, he wasn't expecting to be met with roadblocks and familiar creeks spilling onto roads with water levels higher than he'd ever seen. That morning, when he left his house in Lincoln County, North Carolina, the lights were still working — the loss of Wi-Fi was his only indicator that something was not quite right. As he headed toward the Catawba Riverkeeper office in McAdenville, his normal commute was rerouted to skirt the flooded intersection by Dutchman's Creek. Pulling into his office parking lot, Greg was met with the sight of an engorged South Fork of the Catawba encroaching on the parking lot where he sat.

Throughout the day, news reports cascaded in with update after update of the storm that would become the deadliest hurricane the mainland US had seen since Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Even with constant reporting, it was almost impossible to know the extent of the damage caused by Hurricane Helene. The next day, Greg saw an online update from his friend Chris Wing, owner of H2O Dreams, a paddling school located on the Green River in Saluda, NC. Chris shared that he and Erica Shanks, the Green Riverkeeper , were getting some supplies together to distribute to their community.

Within 24 hours, Greg was at the Green Riverkeeper office. Cans of food and boxes of personal hygiene items lined the floor and tables of the building. Greg joined Chris, Erica, and many other volunteers to load vehicles with supplies, and then set out to deliver critical goods to neighbors whose homes had not fared well in the storm.

Day after day, this group continued to provide relief to neighbors in need. Their numbers grew as people realized the magnitude of the damage and searched for ways to help. After almost a week of delivering primarily food and personal items, the group saw the needs of their community shift. Though basic items were still needed, now tools and fuel were in great demand as the community began the process of cleaning up and rebuilding.

Two weeks later, Greg returned to his role with Catawba Riverkeeper and began surveying storm impacts across the Catawba River basin. Traveling from Old Fort through the Linville River, Wilson’s Creek, and Lake James, the team documented severe damage—eroded streambanks, lost vegetation, and heavy debris blockages. These assessments guided cleanup priorities, and since Helene, Catawba Riverkeeper staff and volunteers have removed over 80,000 pounds of debris from the basin.

A year after Helene, Greg shifted gears once again. Thanks to the 10 million dollars of state funding through the NC Department of Environmental Quality that was awarded to our friends at MountainTrue , their organization was able to deploy paid cleanup crews across Western North Carolina to remove debris from rivers and streams throughout Western North Carolina. From October 2025 – March 2026, Greg worked part-time on MountainTrue's 9-person Old Fort Cleanup Crew, which is dedicated to cleaning up the main stem of the Catawba, the Linville River, the North Fork, as well as smaller tributaries along the way.

Two or three days a week, Greg joined the team in cleaning up as much trash and debris left by the storm as could be removed with hand tools and hard work. After five months of work, the team has steadily and thoroughly worked its way from where development starts near Catawba Falls (just above Old Fort) through Mill Creek and all the way down the main stem of the Catawba to the mouth of Lake James. The work is slow, as much of the debris is further buried by sediment with each rainstorm. The team relies on tools like shovels, crowbars, rocker bars, sawzalls, webbing, pulleys, and come-alongs to free items from the ground and surrounding vegetation, making an effort all the while to disturb habitats as little as possible with their presence.

According to Greg, the team uses different boats for different floats. On days that carry them through shallow segments, canoes are the way to go. In deeper parts, the Old Fort Crew inflates their rafts and inflatable kayaks. In cold weather or in extremely shallow sections, they stick to the land and pick up debris from there. Some days, the crew makes their way along several tenths of a mile; other days, the buildup of debris is so great that they hardly move beyond the place they started.

One cleanup uncovered a Catawba Falls sign miles downstream of the falls, while other efforts have turned up large items like oil tanks and furniture. Crews often find personal belongings that were swept away by the floodwaters and bring them to Mandy Wallace, MountainTrue’s Artifact Recovery Technician. Mandy takes the items--things like fine china, jewelry boxes, photo albums, and more—from cleanup crews throughout the region and works to track down their owners. You can follow along with Mandy's work to reunite people with treasured belongings by visiting the Facebook page " MountainTrue - Found After the Flood . " 

This month, March of 2026, Catawba Riverkeeper entered into a contract with MountainTrue to spearhead a new Helene debris cleanup crew dedicated to the Catawba River Basin. Greg is shifting from his role on the Old Fort Cleanup Crew to lead the Catawba Cleanup Crew, along with 3-4 newly hired team members. During this calendar year, the Catawba Cleanup Crew is committed to completing 40 debris cleanups. They will begin their work on the Henry Fork.

The dedication of all the Hurricane Helene Debris Cleanup Crews is inspiring to see. Their approach is steady and thorough as they make their way, bit by bit, through the watershed. With miles and miles of tributaries remaining, the teams take comfort in the fact that each day makes a tangible impact in improving the health and safety of our rivers for all who depend on them--plants, animals, and humans alike.

If you would like to follow along with the work of the Old Fort Cleanup Crew and the Catawba Cleanup Crew, be sure to follow @MountainTrue, @CatawbaRiverkeeper, and @GNance_OnTheRiver on Instagram. 

All About Live Stakes

Thu, 19 Feb 2026 21:07:19 GMT

Live staking is a streambank restoration approach that reduces erosion and sediment pollution. This is the practice of planting dormant branch cuttings of native plants along streambanks (also known as riparian zones) to help hold soil in place along the waters' edge. Live stakes are planted along with native plant seeds and shrubs to create riparian buffers, which help prevent sediment from becoming a stream pollutant by securing the soil in place with good root systems. Riparian buffers also filter out other pollutants, such as chemicals, oils, fertilizers, and trash, before they enter our waterways.

Why is it important to reduce the amount of sediment entering our waterways? Sediment pollution is a big threat to watersheds throughout North America, including in the Catawba-Wateree River basin. When too much sediment enters a river, the turbidity (or cloudiness) of the water increases. High turbidity means low light penetration and visibility in the water, making it difficult for aquatic plants to photosynthesize and aquatic animals to locate food. When sediment settles, it can blanket the streambed and make crucial habitat uninhabitable for many aquatic species. Sediment pollution can also decrease the recreational value of area, and nutrients attached to sediment can increase the growth of bacteria (such as E. coli).

What kind of live stakes do we use in the Catawba-Wateree River basin? There are five native species of water-loving shrubs that we like to plant for our live staking projects. These include Silky Willow, Silky Dogwood, Buttonbush, Ninebark, and Elderberry.

We're Moving Our Headquarters!

Thu, 05 Feb 2026 18:50:02 GMT

We're excited to announce that we are relocating Catawba Riverkeeper's headquarters to Confluence South Fork, our community center taproom in downtown Cramerton , NC . Th is move follows four years of operating out of The River Room in McAdenville and reflects an organizational transition focused on aligning our facilities with Catawba Riverkeeper's mission and long-term sustainability .

“Our two taprooms have served as creative and welcoming spaces for engaging the community and inviting more people into the work of protecting our local waterways,” said Wendy Cauthen, Retail Manager. “We are grateful for all the opportunities we’ve had to connect with people over a beer brewed with water from the Catawba-Wateree River basin while enjoying a view of McAdenville Lake at The River Room. While we’ll miss that space, we’re excited to be just a few minutes down the road at Confluence, where we can more fully integrate our mission into a single, dynamic community hub.”

Confluence, known affectionately as a “taproom with a purpose,” reminds all visitors who step through the door that “good beer needs good water.” Visitors are greeted by the phrase prominently displayed next to a striking mural by local artist Heidi Nisbett, which illustrates both the beauty and geography of the Catawba–Wateree River basin.

“With staff now working on-site at Confluence, we can more intentionally connect the art, music, and recreation people already love with mission-driven programming that highlights education and conversation surrounding water conservation,” said Executive Director Dr. Mo Drinkard. “Our mission has always been to preserve, protect, and restore the waters that millions of Carolinians depend on every day. This move allows us to streamline our efforts, deepen public engagement, and continue serving as a trusted, science-based voice for the river.”

We are deeply grateful for our time at The River Room and for the support of the Town of McAdenville, Pharr Corporation, and the surrounding community. Now headquartered just minutes away in Cramerton, we look forward to continuing these and other partnerships across the entire 5,610-square-mile Catawba–Wateree River basin.

We invite longtime supporters, Confluence regulars, and new visitors alike to stop by and say hello to staff following our February move.

2025 Year in Review

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 14:15:41 GMT

Reflecting on a year of growth and impact.

As 2025 drew to a close, Dr. Mo Drinkard stepped aboard to lead the Catawba Riverkeeper team into the new year! Our new Executive Director is excited to get to work in the Catawba-Wateree River basin and help the team navigate the challenges and successes ahead. Click on the video below to hear a short message from Mo.

In 2025, the Policy Team gained traction in the NC House and Senate with the Parking Lot Reform and Modernization Bill (HB369*) and with the South Fork River State Passage Bill (SB329). It isn't often that a bill passes unanimously through both the House and the Senate, but SB329 did just that, giving a 120-mile stretch of the South Fork added protections, unlocking funding, and clearing a path for greater recreational access in the future. Click the video below to hear from Ryan and Ellie!

Our volunteers reached new heights for the river in 2025, including helping Catawba Riverkeeper pick up it's MILLIONTH pound of trash as an organization! With over 2,400 volunteers lending a hand over the past 12 months, the river is now 105,877 pounds of trash cleaner, and has 1,400 linear feet of shoreline now stabilized with live stakes. Click the video below to hear from Kaity about the hard work YOU put in over the last year.

In each sub-basin of the Catawba, our Protect Team members have been busy monitoring water quality, improving aquatic habitats, removing harmful invasive species, responding to pollution reports, reducing erosion and stormwater pollution, and so much more. Click on the videos below to hear from Grant and Jenn about the highlights of their work from 2025. View this email to learn more about what we accomplished in the Southern basin this year.

Our Education Team made a splash in the lives of many youth in 2025 through a variety of program opportunities. From gaining skills and confidence on the water at Paddling Camp, to learning about aquatic ecology on the Floating Classroom, and from assessing streambanks and learning about salamanders during the Wilderness Watershed Adventure, to macroinvertebrate sampling at Conservation Field Day, many young lives have benefited from experiencing our watershed first-hand. Click the video below to hear from Morgan & Sophie.

Thank you to the Catawba Riverkeeper community for joining us in the important work of safeguarding the water we all depend on over the past year. We look forward to continuing this work with you in 2026!

Catawba Riverkeeper Welcomes Dr. Mo Drinkard as New Executive Director

Wed, 17 Dec 2025 22:13:18 GMT

Catawba Riverkeeper is pleased to announce that Dr. Mo Drinkard has been hired as their new Executive Director. A standout among over 100 applicants, Mo was offered the position by the Catawba Riverkeeper Board of Directors search committee on Thursday, November 20th, and she assumed her role as leader of the organization on Monday, December 1st, 2025.

Catawba Riverkeeper Brandon Jones, who participated on the search committee, shared that “Mo’s education, experience, and passion are directly aligned with the organization’s mission and needs. We are excited for her perspective and leadership in continuing the critical work of protecting our waters.”

Mo is a mission-driven non-profit leader, professor, and scholar with a passion for building strong organizations, nurturing future leaders, and tackling big challenges in conservation, equity, and education. With over 20 years of experience spanning academia (Kent State University, Brevard College, Miami University), community partnerships, and environmental science, she's worn many hats: executive director, grant writer, program architect, DEIB strategist, faculty and student mentor, and not often enough, field biologist in muddy boots.

Mo's work lives at the intersection of applied research and social change. She specializes in transforming great ideas into funded, functional, and impactful programs, whether that’s designing experiential learning curricula, guiding strategic organizational turnarounds, or helping community-based groups access the resources they need to thrive.

From leading national workforce development initiatives to restoring urban watersheds (Doan Brook Watershed Partnership) and mentoring the next generation of environmental scientists, Mo brings an entrepreneurial spirit and deep subject matter expertise in biology, ecology, sustainability, and inclusion. Mo believes that science is for everyone, and that real change happens when we build spaces where all voices can lead.

“I am honored and excited to offer leadership for the next chapter of Catawba Riverkeeper’s work. I believe deeply in the mission and am fully invested in the health and future of this watershed. I look forward to getting to work supporting the waterways, communities, and people that make up this expansive and impactful basin,” Dr. Drinkard said.

Catawba Riverkeeper, currently one of the ten largest riverkeeper organizations in the United States, boasts over 8,000 members across the 26 counties of North and South Carolina where the waters of the Catawba flow. As the fifth Executive Director of the organization, Mo will bring new and innovative ways to advance the work of her predecessors and the mission of the organization in this new chapter of Catawba Riverkeeper’s leadership. Mo will be supported by 11 full-time staff and 22 volunteer board members to preserve, protect, and restore the Catawba River so that it sustains plentiful, clean water for generations to come.

Working Together for a Healthier River

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 17:18:27 GMT

Thank you to our 2025 Catawba Riversweep volunteers!

In a time when the news often feels so overwhelming, days like Riversweep give us so much hope.

On October 4th, over 1,000 children and adults, folks of all backgrounds, worked together at 53 cleanup sites across the Carolinas to pull pollution out of our lakes, rivers, and streams.

We are excited to share that, thanks to the help of all of these volunteers, 57,115 pounds of trash are no longer threatening vital aquatic habitats, no longer posing safety hazards to river recreators, and no longer leeching toxins into the water source that millions of Carolinians drink from every single day.

It's amazing what is possible when many hands work together! Thank you to everyone who gave their time and energy to The Catawba Riversweep and helped make our part of the planet a better place.

If we can do this much in one day, imagine what we can do in one year! Catawba Riverkeeper and its members are the voice of the river. We work 365 days a year to speak up for the preservation, protection, and restoration of our vital water resources. As a non-profit organization, we depend on the generous support of donors to help make mission-critical programs and initiatives like The Catawba Riversweep possible.

Find out how you can get involved in our mission beyond Riversweep by clicking here to visit the "Get Involved" page of our website. One simple thing you can do is sign up for our e-newsletter list —that way you’ll stay in the know for all our future volunteer opportunities. From donating your time to giving a financial gift this holiday season, every action makes a difference.

Thank you to the Catawba-Wateree Water Management Group for being our Riversweep presenting sponsor! We are also incredibly grateful for all of our other sponsors, shown below.

Leadership Transitions at Catawba Riverkeeper

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 12:45:00 GMT

John Searby Steps Down as Executive Director After 6 Years of Leadership

On Friday, our Board of Directors announced the resignation of our Executive Director, John Searby, and outlined the leadership transition plan to fill his role.

John has served as the joint Executive Director for both Catawba Riverkeeper and Daniel Stowe Conservancy over the past two years and will remain with Catawba Riverkeeper throughout the search process. Once our new leader is onboarded, John will transition to serve exclusively as Executive Director of Daniel Stowe Conservancy.

We are grateful for John's leadership and for the organizational growth that he has fostered over the last 6 years. As we begin our search for a new executive director, we look forward to finding a leader who will champion Catawba Riverkeeper's mission, as John has done so well during his time with us.

In 2023, Catawba Riverkeeper began a partnership with Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden to develop synergies in programming and create new opportunities for both organizations. Over the past 2 ½ years, the staffs have worked together on various initiatives, shared resources, and frequently partnered on joint programs. Both organizations intend to continue their collaborative relationship moving forward, while each retains its own Executive Director. Although John will be transitioning to his new role as Executive Director at Daniel Stowe Conservancy, he will remain actively engaged with Catawba Riverkeeper.

Catawba Riverkeeper is currently one of the ten largest riverkeeper organizations in the United States, boasting over 8,000 members across the 26 counties of North and South Carolina where the waters of the Catawba flow. Supported by a staff of 12 and a volunteer board of 22, the new Executive Director will be charged with advancing the organization’s mission to preserve, protect, and restore the waters of the Catawba-Wateree River Basin for all through education, advocacy, and engagement.

Adam Ackerman, the Chair of our Board of Directors, shared that “We are confident that the opportunity to lead Catawba Riverkeeper is going to be attractive to many outstanding candidates. We are looking for someone to come in and not only continue the good work and growth that John and his team have accomplished over the past several years, but to expand our impact on clean water across the Catawba River basin.” Adam also expressed his gratitude to John for his vision, dedication, and service to Catawba Riverkeeper.

Individuals interested in applying for the Executive Director position should click here and complete the online application. A search committee made up of board and staff members will review applicants on a rolling basis and conduct interviews of selected candidates.

One Year Later: Catawba Riverkeeper’s Response to Hurricane Helene

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 23:50:50 GMT

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.

Well Testing and Water Safety

Flooding potentially contaminated thousands of private wells, putting residents at risk of exposure to harmful bacteria and chemicals. Our staff and volunteers conducted well water testing across multiple counties, providing families with accurate results and guidance on safe water use. This work supported county health departments and helped protect public health during a critical time.

Partnership on Well Sanitization Training

For wells that tested positive for bacteria, were obviously flooded, or were too remote to test, Riverkeepers partnered with NCDHHS, Northeastern University, and the North Carolina Groundwater Association to build disinfection kits and instructional materials. These were distributed to county health departments as both practical resources and educational tools, highlighting how affordable interventions can strengthen community resilience in the face of extreme weather.

Debris Removal and Waterway Restoration

Hurricane Helene left behind widespread debris that clogged rivers, creeks, and shorelines. Catawba Riverkeeper organized cleanup operations to remove downed trees, trash, and hazardous materials that impeded natural flow and threatened aquatic ecosystems. Volunteers played a key role in restoring waterways, improving water quality, and reducing long-term risks for downstream communities. Together, we have removed over 85,000 lbs. of trash since Hurricane Helene swept through, with our largest cleanup effort scheduled for next weekend.

Continuing the Mission

Our response to Hurricane Helene highlights the importance of swift action and strong partnerships. We are continually impressed by the generosity of nonprofits, businesses, academic institutions, and local governments that go above and beyond to help. One year later, recovery continues, and we remain committed to protecting the Catawba-Wateree River Basin for all who depend on it. Thank you to all the volunteers and sponsors who stepped up during this unprecedented disaster.

What You Can Do

As we reflect on the lessons of Hurricane Helene, CRF invites community members to take part in building a stronger, more resilient future:

Donate: Contributions directly support Catawba Riverkeeper’s programs that protect clean water, strengthen preparedness, and provide critical assistance when disasters strike. C lick here to give a gift today!
Volunteer: Join Catawba Riverkeeper for Riversweep on Saturday, October 4th, the annual basin-wide cleanup event. This is an opportunity to make a tangible impact by removing trash and debris from local waterways while connecting with neighbors who share a commitment to clean water. While signups closed yesterday, many sites have walk-up spots available. Click here to see which sites are accepting walk-up volunteers.
Stay Aware and Be Prepared: As I’m writing this, there is another threatening hurricane in the Atlantic. Many organizations, including FEMA and your county's office of emergency management, provide critical guidance on how to prepare and what to do in the face of natural disasters. Know the risks in your area and have a plan for your family.

Together, we can honor the progress made since Hurricane Helene and continue the work of ensuring safe, clean water for generations to come.

Henry Fork Barrier Brought Down to Improve Aquatic Habitat

Tue, 17 Jun 2025 17:49:22 GMT

Restoration win in the South Fork Watershed!

If you've ever visited the Henry Fork, a tributary that merges with the Jacob Fork to create the South Fork River of the Catawba, you know what a hidden gem it is. With some locations designated as outstanding water resources (OWR) by the state of NC, the Henry Fork has some of the most pristine habitats of the entire South Fork Watershed. However, an old logging bridge located on the Henry Fork in Morganton, NC has, over the years, collapsed and filled in with sediment and debris, consequently becoming an obstruction detrimental to the health of the river.

As time and incorrect usage turned the low bridge into a blockage, the river's flow was directed into the riverbank, causing extreme erosion that cut almost 15 feet into the bank. The erosion increased the sedimentation in the water, which, in turn, decreased water quality and made the habitat much less hospitable for aquatic critters (including four state-threatened fish species) that rely on clear water to find food and shelter. Additionally, the segmentation of the river caused by this blockage has hindered the passage of a variety of creatures, from native fish to recreational kayakers wanting to paddle through this gorgeous stretch of water.

Identified as a potential restoration site in our South Fork Watershed Restoration and Protection Plan , Catawba Riverkeeper is excited to announce that the old logging bridge barrier on the Henry Fork has now been removed! Thanks to the hard work of our South Fork Watershed Manager, Jenn Dunn, collaborative efforts with local landowners, generous funding from the Rostan Family Foundation, and in partnership with Foothills Conservancy of NC , we have been able to take a big step toward a healthier habitat by restoring the natural flow of this segment of the river.

Though the barrier has been removed, our restoration efforts do not end there. Concrete pieces from the barrier will be used as armoring on the bank to help reduce future erosion. Later this month, our staff will also plant live stakes and native seeds along the bank to stabilize the shoreline further.

Through this project, water quality will improve as less sediment is eroded into the water. Native aquatic animals, including threatened species such as the Seagreen Darter, Thick Lip Chub, Santee Chub, and the South Mountains Crayfish (found only in the Henry and Jacob Forks), will have greater mobility to seek conditions needed for survival. Residents of the area will no longer need to worry about erosion encroaching on the nearby road, and recreational paddlers will flow easily from Foothills Conservancy's Corbitt River Access down this beautiful free-flowing stretch of the Henry Fork.

Join us in celebrating this restoration win in the South Fork Watershed, and consider exploring the Henry Fork for yourself this summer! You can support the ongoing monitoring and improvement of this site and other projects like this by donating today .

Summer Intern Interview: David Anderson

Tue, 03 Jun 2025 13:52:36 GMT

A look into the first week of a Catawba Riverkeeper Summer Internship

Every summer, Catawba Riverkeeper welcomes a new group of interns to the team, each dedicated to preserving, protecting, and restoring the Catawba–Wateree River Basin. Here's a fun look into the first week of David Anderson, a Davidson College student, as he gets settled into his role as the Marketing & Communications Intern, from exploring facilities to learning about our mission and programs.

Why did you apply to Catawba Riverkeeper?

It was really important to me to make an impact in my local community this summer. Growing up in the Hickory area and now continuing my education by Lake Norman at Davidson has meant I’ve been around the Catawba–Wateree River Basin my entire life. So, when I was searching for internships this past school year, stumbling upon a nonprofit organization like Catawba Riverkeeper felt like the holy grail. It gives me the chance to give back to both of my homes by supporting an organization that works to maintain the beauty and quality of the lakes that run through them.

What are you doing this summer?

My internship, along with the other interns, is centered around a program Catawba Riverkeeper runs called Swim Guide, which monitors fecal contamination at over 60 popular swimming sites throughout the Catawba-Wateree River Basin. Each week, this program involves collecting samples from multiple sites along the river, bringing them back to the lab in McAdenville, and testing them for E. coli levels. We then help share the results to inform the public about how safe these locations are for swimming.

As the Marketing and Communications Intern, I’ll be working alongside our Marketing and Communications Manager, Susannah Bryant, to create better engagement around our findings. Through a variety of projects, I hope to help spread awareness and provide the broader Catawba–Wateree River basins community with the information they need to enjoy the river safely and responsibly.

What have you learned in your first week?

My first few days have been a whirlwind of learning about Catawba Riverkeeper’s mission and resources. From hearing about our founding in 1997 to current projects like advocating for Senate Bill 329: Recognizing the South Fork Passage State Trail, which would authorize a 60-mile paddling, hiking, and cycling state trail along the South Fork. I’ve been soaking in all the details of how the organization operates.

I’ve also had the chance to explore the key facilities that help us reach our goals from our headquarters to Confluence, our taproom with the motto “taproom with a purpose.” It’s been fascinating to see how all these different spaces contribute to one shared mission.

What are you most excited about this summer?

One thing I’m really looking forward to is the Floating Concert happening later this summer on August 2. It was originally postponed due to the weather during RiverFest, but the delay means that now the interns will actually be able to attend!

Beyond that, I’m just excited to be part of a team that truly does it “for the water.”

Guidelines for Responsible Debris Removal from Waterways

Thu, 17 Apr 2025 16:15:37 GMT

USACE Debris Removal Monitoring

Hurricane Helene has already caused so much destruction–let’s work together to ensure that our restoration efforts don’t further destroy our natural spaces. As communities that were impacted by the storm continue to rebuild, it is critical that the protection of our natural resources remains a priority in these recovery efforts.

Much work is being done to remove trash and debris from our waterways, which is a necessary task that will improve the health of our lakes, rivers, and streams. Additionally, the removal woody debris from around infrastructure is necessary to protect structures from future damage during a flood event.

However, excessive clearing of living vegetation and woody debris that poses no threat to infrastructure can lead to detrimental impacts on our rivers and on the animals who live there. To help preserve the vegetative buffers that provide crucial habitat and prevent erosion and sedimentation, FEMA has created these guidelines to help our region rebuild responsibly.

The following is not permitted :

Removal of live and standing trees, even in cases where the leaning angle exceeds 15 degrees
Demolition of structures that are displaced or located in the waterway
Removal of sediment, soil, rocks, gravel, and boulders
Dredging of waterways
Relocating of waterways or moving existing channels (including moving the waterway back to its original path)
Rebuilding, regrading, or sloping of riverbanks
Placement of tire walls and/or tire bails for erosion and slope stability systems

If you think these guidelines are not being followed, please email the FEMA Waterway Debris Taskforce ( debris@ncdps.gov ) and FEMA/USACE ( fema-dr4827-nc@fema.dhs.gov ) to report violations. In your email, please include the location, date/time, company contractor and any photos or videos you may have of your concern.

To see what debris is eligible for removal, click here .

Let’s work together to protect our natural resources as we rebuild our communities!

Supporting the South Fork Passage State Trail (NC Senate Bill 329)

Tue, 25 Mar 2025 18:34:07 GMT

Help Expand NC's State Trail System!

Last week, because of our advocacy efforts, North Carolina lawmakers introduced Senate Bill 329 to recognize the South Fork Passage State Trail. As the bill moves through the legislative process, now is your chance to use your voice to speak out for the river!

What is a state trail?

A state trail is a linear land or water corridor with statewide natural, cultural, scenic, and recreational significance. North Carolina’s 14 state trails, spanning nearly 4,000 miles, are part of the state park system and authorized by the General Assembly. These trails support the state’s $16.2 billion outdoor recreation industry by attracting visitors, creating jobs, and boosting local economies. State trails also promote healthy lifestyles, provide recreational and educational experiences, and help protect North Carolina’s land, air, and water.

Why Is SB329 Important?

SB329 will authorize the South Fork Passage Trail, expanding North Carolina’s state trail system through Catawba, Lincoln, and Gaston Counties. The proposed trail will follow the South Fork River, a historically significant waterway that connects the region’s ties to the Catawba and Cherokee Nations, Revolutionary and Civil War battles, and the19th and 20th century textile industry. The South Fork River also supports an array of plant and animal species and important habitat. The South Fork Passage Trail is a key step in both conserving the region’s character, history, and natural resources and enhancing its recreational offerings for 20% of North Carolinians who live within an hour drive.

What’s in SB329?

SB329 proposes a 60-mile paddling, hiking, and cycling trail will connect Jacob Fork Park in Catawba County to Beatty G. Ross Park in Lincoln County and Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden in Gaston County.

You can read the full bill text here . Read our bill overview here .

What’s Next?

The bill must pass through the House and the Senate before it becomes law.

Learn more about how a bill becomes a law here .

Why Your Voice Matters

Remember, legislators are driven by the concerns of people they represent. As a constituent, your voice can directly influence SB329 and other legislation affecting your community. We hope you’ll choose to make a difference today by finding your lawmakers and emailing them to urge support for the South Fork Passage State Trail. To make the process as simple as possible, we’ve created this email template that you can use to contact your legislators. You can also show your support by signing our petition !

Visit www.catawbariverkeeper.org/advocacy to learn more.

Supporting NC House Bill 369: The Parking Lot Reform and Modernization Act

Thu, 13 Mar 2025 19:21:15 GMT

Protect our waterways, businesses, and communities from runoff and flooding!

Our Policy Team has been advocating for the protection of the Catawba-Wateree River Basin—and we need your help!

This week, because of our advocacy efforts, North Carolina lawmakers introduced House Bill 369 , the Parking Lot Reform and Modernization Act, to address critical water quality, public health, and business concerns across the state. As the bill moves through the legislative process, now is your chance to make your voice heard!

What’s Next?

The bill must pass through the House and the Senate before it becomes law. Learn more about how a bill becomes a law here .

Why Your Voice Matters

Remember, legislators are driven by the concerns of people they represent. As a constituent, your voice can directly influence HB369 and other legislation affecting your community. Make a difference today by finding your lawmakers and emailing them to urge support for the Parking Lot Reform and Modernization Act. To make the process as simple as possible, we've created these email templates that you can use to contact your legislators. You can also show your support by signing our petition !

We appreciate everyone who joins us in advocating for the Catawba-Wateree River Basin!

Visit catawbariverkeeper.org/advocacy to learn more.

Brewing Up Sustainable Solutions: Award-Winning Charlotte Beer Crafted with Recycled Water

Sat, 22 Feb 2025 19:53:40 GMT

Town Brewing's "Renew Brew" makes waves in local sustainability efforts

If you’ve ever visited a Catawba Riverkeeper Taproom or participated in River Week, you’ve probably heard us use the phrase, “Good Beer Needs Good Water.” The words are emblazoned above the bar at Confluence as we try to drive home the fact that many of our favorite things, like beer, only exist because of good clean water, and lots of it. Beer is made up of 95% water, and it takes somewhere from 4 to 8 gallons of water to make just 1 gallon of beer.

With over 50 breweries in the city of Charlotte alone, there is a substantial amount of water being drawn from the Catawba River for the production of beer. Though water is not currently scarce in the Catawba-Wateree River Basin, the growing population of the region will continue to put stress on our waterways as demand for water increases and development paves the way for more pollution in our drinking water resources.

So, when Town Brewing’s “Renew Brew” was released in February of 2024, we were excited to see the first beer in the Carolinas to be brewed with ultra-sustainable recycled water. Though all water is technically recycled—water is drawn from the Catawba River, treated, used, treated again, put back in the river, and drawn out again downstream—this collaborative brewing project removes a step in the process, allowing the water to go twice as far in one place.

Instead of returning the treated wastewater effluent to the river, project partner and global water technology company Xylem “super treats” the water until it is ready to be used in the brewing process. Following normal treatment at the McDowell Creek Water Resource Recovery Facility, the water goes through many additional purification steps: carbon filtration, reverse osmosis, ozone oxidation, ultraviolet disinfection, and another round of carbon filtration. It is then tested to ensure that it exceeds the EPA’s highest water quality standards for human consumption. Once approved, the water is then crafted into the now award-winning Renew Brew, which was awarded 1st Place in the 2024 Queen City Brewer’s Festival Best in Show.

This collaborative effort between Town Brewing, Xylem, and Charlotte Water is helping to redefine how the Charlotte region thinks about recycling water, crafting beer, and stewarding our environmental resources.

Many thanks to Town Brewing for joining us at Confluence in Cramerton, NC last week to give out samples of their Renew Brew and share about the making of this groundbreaking beer. Want to try the beer for yourself? Head over to Confluence and grab a can from the beverage cooler!

Announcing our NC State Lab Certification in Benthic Macroinvertebrate Sampling!

Wed, 05 Feb 2025 15:30:00 GMT

Northern basin lab becomes first state-certified non-profit macroinvertebrate sampling lab in North Carolina

Great news from our Northern Catawba Basin! The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) Division of Water Resources has recently certified Catawba Riverkeeper’s Northern Basin lab for benthic macroinvertebrate sampling, a common method of water quality assessment. This method examines the presence of aquatic insects in streams—the presence of diverse, stable, and pollution-sensitive populations of these macroinvertebrates indicates good water quality. In other words, when water quality deteriorates, certain animals serve as indicators of the change in water health.

To support the work being done across the state of North Carolina to monitor water quality in this way, our Northern Basin Director, Grant Buckner, spent the last two years completing requirements to become a state-certified laboratory for the use of macroinvertebrates to monitor water quality. After countless hours of training in the lab and the field, and after completing multiple bioclassification assessments, we have successfully demonstrated our capability and proficiency in performing biological analyses for certified parameters. This means that Catawba Riverkeeper is now qualified to report biological monitoring data to the Division of Water Resources for compliance with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System regulations. Catawba Riverkeeper is now one of only eight labs in the state of North Carolina to receive this certification, and the only non-profit lab to do so.

With this certification, we will be able to conduct assessments of streams that have been overlooked or where new concerns have arisen. Not only will these assessments better inform our restoration work (and the work of our partners), but data from this lab will also influence the NC Department of Environmental Quality’s 303(d) list of degraded water quality in streams across the state.

This newly state-certified lab is located in the Foothills Conservancy of NC’s building in downtown Morganton, NC, where Grant Buckner is based, along with our Lake James Program Manager, Sophie McCarthy. Foothills Conservancy and the Lake James Environmental Association have been important partners in our shared work to protect water quality in the region.

This state laboratory certification has been made possible by generous contributions from Chip & Martha Whitfield, the Rostan Family Foundation, the Community Foundation of Burke County, and the Attorney General Environmental Enhancement Grant.

Navigating the Legislative Process: How You Can Help Shape Laws to Protect the Catawba-Wateree River

Fri, 17 Jan 2025 20:54:10 GMT

On January 8th, the Policy Team traveled to Raleigh to kick off the 2025-2026 Legislative Session and celebrate the swearing-in of North Carolina’s 170 new lawmakers. Just a week later, South Carolina’s 126th General Assembly convened in Columbia. Congratulations to all the new legislators! We are excited to work with you to protect the waters of the Catawba-Wateree River.

Before we dive into the details of our advocacy work this year, let’s take a step back to your middle school civics class. What exactly is a General Assembly? What is a legislative session? And how does an idea become a law?

In both North and South Carolina, the General Assembly is the government body responsible for making state laws. It’s divided into two chambers: the House of Representatives and the Senate. Each member of the General Assembly is elected for a two-year term to represent the constituents from their district—including you!

In January of each odd-numbered year, the new NC and SC General Assemblies convene for the first time in Raleigh and Columbia to begin their legislative sessions. During this time, legislators meet with constituents, lobbyists, government staff, and each other to discuss issues and solutions, introduce bills (drafted proposals for new laws), and vote on legislation. The goal of a legislative session is to create and pass laws that address state needs and shape the future of our communities. In NC, the General Assembly meets on a biennial schedule, with a “Long Session” from January to August of odd-numbered years and a “Short Session” in May of even-numbered years to adjust the budget. SC’s General Assembly convenes annually from January to May.

So, how does a bill become a law? The process begins when a concerned citizen or advocacy group, like Catawba Riverkeeper, presents an idea to a legislator. If the idea gains support, it’s drafted into a bill and introduced into one chamber, where it’s debated and refined by a committee. If the bill passes the first chamber (in NC, this must happen before May 9th of the Long Session), the process repeats in the second. Once both chambers approve the bill, the governor can sign it into law.

However, it’s rarely as simple as the Schoolhouse Rock “I’m Just a Bill” song suggests. Proposing a bill requires a tremendous amount of work, including extensive background research, numerous meetings with legislators, and meticulous conversations and email exchanges to fine-tune the text. Even after this, the bill can face delays, revisions in committee, or a veto from the governor. No wonder “Bill” from “I’m Just a Bill” looks so worn out!

There is still one crucial step in the process that Schoolhouse Rock left out, and it involves YOU! As a constituent, your voice can directly influence laws that impact your life. Legislators derive their power from the people they represent, and their decisions are shaped by your concerns. Urging your Senator and Representative to support bills that matter to you is a powerful way to help pass legislation. It’s easy to do! Visit ncleg.gov or scstatehouse.gov to find your lawmakers’ contact information. You can email them to express your support for bills you care about. These websites also let you track the progress of bills as they move through the legislative process.

Despite the challenges and complexity of the legislative process, advocating for our river is a central part of Catawba Riverkeeper. Every piece of our 2025-2026 Legislative Agenda and every bill we support has the potential to make meaningful impact on the health of our streams, rivers, lakes, and communities. Advocacy is also a team effort. While the Policy Team is brainstorming new ways to address stormwater runoff, meeting with legislators to discuss the importance of outdoor recreation, and drafting legislation to support disaster recovery, the work of advocating for our waterways requires all our voices coming together to create positive change. We hope that you will join us in being a voice for our waters this legislative session! Visit our Advocacy Page to learn more.

Highlights from 2024

Fri, 20 Dec 2024 20:18:50 GMT

Another busy year is in the books!

Here's a snapshot of what Catawba Riverkeeper has been working on throughout 2024! We're grateful to the many members, volunteers, and partners who have made our work of preserving, protecting, and restoring the Catawba-Wateree River Basin possible this year.

Protecting our river

Collected water samples from 60 popular swimming sites weekly throughout the summer. 3,472 water sample tests were completed and Swim Guide results were viewed 166,586 times !
Hosted 3 community science volunteer events to plant 2,700 live stake trees (+ many more seeds) to help stabilize 900 ft. of Lake Wateree's shoreline.
Propagated 3,000 Rocky Shoals Spider Lily seeds in the Great Falls Long Bypass Reach.
Made progress at our Outdoor Classroom property in Fort Lawn, SC, including a prescribed burn , clearing the building of debris, installing bat boxed, and securing funding for bathrooms.
Partnered with conservation nonprofits in the Northern Basin to propose a Conservation Site Plan for the Great Meadows Megasite in Burke County.
Secured funding for restoration projects along Canoe Creek and for the removal of the Old Fort Finishing Dam .
Submitted official comments suggesting sustainable solutions for Charlotte Water's Interbasin Transfer Request .
Investigated 85 pollution reports throughout the Catawba-Wateree River Basin.
Paddled more than 1,000 miles to investigate pollution reports and complete surveys of sections of the basin.
Published the State of the River Report and the South Fork Catawba Sub-Basin Protection and Restoration Plan .
Welcomed Jenn Dunn as our new South Fork Watershed Manager to carry out projects proposed in the South Fork Protection & Restoration Plan.
Paddled 101 miles on scouting trip in the months after Hurricane Helene touched down in the Carolinas to gather full scope of the hurricane's impact on the Catawba-Wateree River Basin.
Worked with a variety of partners to create mock wellheads for County Health Departments in Western NC to demonstrate to people impacted by Hurricane Helene how to disinfect and test their private wells .

Advocating for our river

Welcomed Ellie Riggs to the Policy Team as the Field Organizer and Analyst .
Partnered with local conservation nonprofits to host Pig Pickin' & Politicin' , an event in which constituents heard from 17 local candidates for office about their plans for conservation.
Saw conservation success with the SC Recreational Trail Easement bill (H.3121) and Chester County's new zoning ordinance requiring 100-foot vegetative buffers on industrial sites.

Engaging with our community and the river

Hosted numerous guided paddling experiences that gave 383 people the opportunity to confidently explore Catawba-Wateree waterways.
Two major Catawba Riverkeeper engagement events, RiverFest and Fork Fest , introduced hundreds of community members to our work while celebrating the river with live music, vendor markets, kids' activities, art shows, and a floating concert.
Provided meaningful volunteer experiences to 1,945 volunteers who served a total of 5,214 hours to support healthy waterways.

Learning about our river

Provided 3,423 K-12 students the opportunity to learn about the Catawba River Basin through educational programming
Hosted 308 adults in educational workshops through programs like the Riverkeeper Learning Series (sponsored by Xylem Watermark)
Provided environmental education and kayaking programs to 264 students through the summer CREEK program (sponsored by Crescent Communities)

Cleaning up our river

Removed 661 tires and 126,106 pounds of trash from the Catawba River Basin's waterways and shorelines - a new record for us!
Hosted 80 cleanup events to provide over a thousand volunteers the opportunity to better their environment.
Organized 12 cleanups beyond our normal cleanup season to help restore our basin in the wake of Hurricane Helene.

Growth in the Catawba Riverkeeper community

Over 8,000 members supported our work throughout 26 counties across North Carolina and South Carolina.
Had 16,040 unique transactions at our retail locations (The River Room, Confluence, and The Boathouse) and online storefront.
More than 2,000 people attended one of our community events such as Jam at the Dam, Pig Pickin' & Politicin', RiverFest, Fork Fest, and the Christmas Market .
Saw growth in our social media follower base and email newsletter list.

Look back on 2024 with Catawba Riverkeeper staff

Progress continues this fall at the Outdoor Classroom

Mon, 18 Nov 2024 19:49:56 GMT

Though the direct impacts from Hurricane Helene were not as severe throughout the Lower Catawba and Wateree watersheds within our basin, there was still significant flooding and ensuing damage. When our Southern Basin Watershed Manager, Rachael Rosenstein, visited our Outdoor Classroom property in Fort Lawn, SC a few days after the Hurricane passed through, it was evident that the property had essentially become a part of the Catawba River as the water flowed through the fields. The local mallard population was thankful to have somewhere to shelter, but the storm left us with some downed trees and carried benches, picnic tables, and other loose items to different spots on the property. Since then, we have been able to collect all those items and return them to where they belong.

Prior to Hurricane Helene, a different storm caused a tree to fall on top of the building at the property. Thanks to the help of Catawba Nation and Metcon, a general contracting company, we were able to get the house debris cleared out before the end of September. After the Hurricane, these partners were also were able to repair the damage the tree caused. Thanks to their help, the building is now sealed up, and we can use it as-needed.

We have more fun projects in the works, as well! We are excited to share that we were able to put up one bat box in November (pictured above), and we will be installing another one soon. We are still working hard on the prairie restoration which we received a Duke HEP grant for in 2023 and hope to be making more progress on that this fall.

Thanks to funding from the Catawba Nation Foundation and the Arras Foundation, we will be installing a park-style restroom on the property within the next year. This will allow for increased programming at the property. We also received a grant from Athletic Brewing’s Two for the Trails program that will help partially fund a boardwalk trail! We are grateful to be making headway on this project, but we are still working to raise the remain funds needed to move forward with building the boardwalk.

All-in-all, we have a lot to be thankful for and a lot to look forward to at the Outdoor Classroom!

Diving Deeper into IBTs

Fri, 20 Sep 2024 17:47:18 GMT

What is an IBT?

If you follow us online, you’ve probably seen the letters “IBT” tossed around over the last few months. But what is an IBT and why do we keep mentioning it?

IBT stands for “Interbasin Transfer,” or a process in which surface water is taken from a “donor” or “source” river basin and transferred to a “receiving” basin. Typically, IBTs are created because of a public water system’s need to increase the amount of water available to meet demand, or because a water system lies within two different river basins and draws water from one and discharges into the other. In 1993, North Carolina passed an “Act to Regulate Interbasin Transfers” that required a certificate from the North Carolina Environmental Management Commission (EMC) to permit any surface water transfers between river basins that were greater than 2 million gallons per day (MGD).

How many IBTs exist in North Carolina?

Currently, there are nine IBT certificates effectively regulating 11 water systems throughout the state. Additionally, 10 water systems are permitted to transfer more than two MGD through grandfathered allowances. Smaller surface water transfers between basins also exist, with six systems transferring between 1 and 2 MGD, and 106 systems transferring less than 1 MGD.

What's happening in Charlotte?

Charlotte Water draws water for the region from intakes on Lake Norman and Mountain Island Lake, both of which are in the Catawba-Wateree River Basin. However, with the city of Charlotte being situated partially in the Catawba-Wateree River Basin and partially in the Yadkin-Pee Dee River Basin, Charlotte Water currently uses an interbasin transfer certificate to discharge a portion of the region’s wastewater into the Yadkin-Pee Dee River Basin. As Charlotte regions located in the Yadkin-Pee Dee River Basin continue to grow (areas such as Mint Hill and Huntersville), Charlotte Water is predicting that the current IBT certificate that allows the transfer of 33 MGD will not be sufficient in the coming years. Because of this, they are requesting an increase to the certificate as they look towards the future. Click here to learn more about Charlotte Water’s IBT request.

Looking back and looking ahead.

In North Carolina, IBT requests must include water demand projections in 10-year increments for at least 30-years. Requests in this state must also meet the most extensive requirements in the Southeast, and the process can take anywhere from 3-5 years. Though this might seem like long-term planning, we don’t think this planning is long-term enough. Catawba Riverkeeper has been raising concerns about overallocation ever since Charlotte requested to expand its legacy IBT of 16.9 MGD to the current 33 MGD 23 years ago. We spoke out again in 2006 during the 2006 IBT request of Concord & Kannapolis, again in 2010 during the SC vs. NC Supreme Court case, and once again in 2013 on Charlotte’s permit to include the Goose Creek Watershed. The population is continuing to grow, correlating with the increased demand for water, and continuing to increase IBT certificates for decades to come has the possibility to adversely affect the receiving basin, donor basin, and downstream communities. We believe that it is critical to focus on long-term conservation and mitigation solutions instead of continuing to request these increases as short-term fixes.

What’s Catawba Riverkeeper doing?

Since Charlotte announced their increase request, we have been following developments and attending the public scoping meetings. Catawba Riverkeeper Brandon Jones shared preliminary comments at the final meeting in Rock Hill, SC, and on August 30, our official comments and recommendations for this interbasin transfer request were submitted to Charlotte’s IBT Project.

In these comments, Jones stated that “We are advocating that Charlotte take this opportunity to lead the region into the next phase of water conservation and mitigation. We need a new system that better captures the value of our surface waters for current and future generations. There are many ways to decrease the demand for transfers per capita and increase the available supply, all of which should be fully vetted.”

Click here to read the rest of our comments and recommendations.

What’s next?

Now that the public scoping meetings have concluded and comments from stakeholders have been submitted, NC DEQ will create an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). This statement will examine potential impacts to both the source and receiving basins, including drought and conservation impacts. The EIS will also evaluate the possible alternatives to the proposed transfer as well as methods to mitigate negative impacts of it. Once drafted, the North Carolina Environmental Management Commission (EMC) will hold a public hearing and open another comment period to evaluate the draft. If approved, Charlotte Water will then be able to submit the IBT modification request to NC DEQ. The EMC will issue a draft decision of whether to grant the request, and another public hearing and comment period will commence. A final decision will then be made by the Environmental Management Commission.

We will be following every step of this process, so stay tuned for more updates in the months and years to come.

Sources

Charlotte Water Interbasin Transfer . Charlotte Water. (n.d.).

https://www.charlottenc.gov/water/DevelopmentBusiness/Charlotte-Water-IBT

NC DEQ. (2022, March 10). Regulatory Impact Analysis: Interbasin Surface Water Transfers.

https://www.deq.nc.gov/emc-attach-10mar22-6/open

River Network. (2019). Protecting and Restoring Flows in Our Southeastern Rivers: A Synthesis of State Policies for Water Security and Sustainability.

http://www.rivernetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/River-Network-Protecting-Restoring-Flows-in-SE-Rivers-2019.pdf

Great work, Summer Interns!

Fri, 20 Sep 2024 17:18:37 GMT

Every summer, the arrival of interns brings a flurry of activity and excitement to the Catawba Riverkeeper office. This year, we were fortunate enough to have 6 summer interns contribute their own unique skills to furthering the work of preserving, protecting, and restoring the Catawba-Wateree River Basin.

Read on to learn more about our interns’ experiences!

Will Garrett | South Fork Watershed Intern | Tufts University

As the South Fork Watershed Intern, Will was able to work on a variety of projects, including the Swim Guide program, environmental justice mapping, fish cataloging, and permit reviewing. At the end of the summer, Will shared that “this internship enabled me to explore the scientific aspects of environmental and conservation work, helping me develop a new skill set that I can apply to future endeavors.” Click here to watch Will’s final presentation on Lithium!

Greta Hopf | Southern Watershed Intern | University of Alabama in Huntsville

During her internship, Greta gained experience in all aspects of the Swim Guide program, from collecting water samples in the Southern watershed, transporting water samples to the Riverkeeper Lab, and testing the samples for E. Coli. When she wasn’t working on Swim Guide, Greta conducted research on culturing algae samples and using microscopy to identify algae blooms. You can view the slides for her final presentation here. Greta also spent some of her summer researching diversity, equity, and inclusion in the conservation sphere and researching the Carolina creekshell mussel.

Katie Brockland | Northern Watershed Intern | University of North Carolina Chapel Hill

Based in our Morganton office, Katie also worked hard all summer to ensure that Swim Guide samples were collected, transported, and tested in the Northern Watershed. Katie's keen interest in exploring the intricate relationships between environmental dynamics, local communities, and human behavior led her to this internship, and she was glad for the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in water-quality monitoring along the waters of Burke County, NC. Her final project shared her research on 6PPD-quinone, a chemical used to strengthen tires that, according to emerging research, is negatively impacting steelhead, rainbow, and brook trout populations.

Mercedes Carrillo | Marketing Intern | University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Marketing Intern Mercedes also contributed greatly to the success of our Swim Guide Program. Every Friday, she took the data collected for Swim Guide and made it easily accessible for the public in the form of social media posts. During her internship, she focused on a variety of design, content creation, and event planning tasks, including creating flyers, social media posts, and promotional materials for various events like Jam at the Dam, Pig Pickin’ and Politicin,’ and RiverFest. Mercedes shared that ”the opportunity to work on a variety of projects has helped me develop a versatile skill set, and the experience of working within a non-profit organization has given me a deeper understanding of how design and communication can support important conservation causes.”

Parker Kabel | Outdoor Recreation Intern | University of Kentucky

Though perhaps a bit obvious to say, Parker, our Outdoor Recreation Intern, spent much of his time outside and on the water this summer. Supporting Eco-Tours, Full Moon Paddles, private paddles, and CREEK Program paddles gave Parker the opportunity to work with a wide range of people with a variety of backgrounds and paddling skills. When he wasn’t slinging kayaks or paddling with groups, Parker contributed greatly to the planning and preparation of numerous summer events, such as Jam at the Dam and RiverFest.

Nathan Young | Community Outreach Intern | University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Participating in the Catawba Riversweep last fall led Nathan to apply for the Community Outreach Intern position in the spring. In this role, Nathan met people from all over the river basin as he supported numerous public and private volunteer cleanups. While he was working with us this summer, Nathan also collected and organized data from our Trash Traps, and he completed the North Carolina fishing line recycling project. With his help, 8 new bins have been installed around the Central Basin! Nathan also spent time researching volunteer retention, primarily in an environmental conservation setting.

Southern Environmental Law Center Files Petition with the Environmental Protection Agency

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 21:05:41 GMT

Today the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) filed a petition with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to remove North Carolina’s authority to enforce the Clean Water Act (CWA). SELC filed the petition on behalf of Cape Fear River Watch, Environmental Justice Community Action Network, Haw River Assembly, and MountainTrue.

The petition argues that North Carolina’s General Assembly has systematically undermined the State’s ability to adequately enforce the CWA. They document the underfunding of agencies tasked with enforcement and the creation of new bureaucratic hurdles to block protective standards for toxins including PFAS. If successful, the petition would either require the General Assembly to correct the deficiencies or cede regulatory authority back to the federal government.

The EPA has 90 days to respond.

Find the full press release and petition here .

Comments on Charlotte Water's Interbasin Transfer Request

Fri, 02 Aug 2024 16:11:23 GMT

Sustainable Solutions: Water Conservation, Mitigation, & Assessing Impacts on Endangered Species

Catawba Riverkeeper works to preserve, protect, and restore the Catawba-Wateree watershed for all. We are currently working with over 6,000 active members who are concerned about the proposed expansion of Charlotte Water’s Interbasin Transfer (IBT) and the similar future requests from municipalities across the basin.

Twenty-three years ago, the first Catawba Riverkeeper, Donna Lisenby, spoke in a similar forum as Charlotte requested to expand its legacy IBT of 16.9 to the current 33 million gallons per day (MGD). She also spoke out during the 2006 IBT request of Concord and Kannapolis. In 2010, our organization advocated during the South Carolina vs. North Carolina Supreme Court case. Eleven years ago, we commented on the proposed amendment to Charlotte Water’s permit. It is my lofty goal to be the last Catawba Riverkeeper who must address this challenge.

Our position is this: it is irresponsible and not sustainable to simply allocate more Catawba River water to other basins. While we have an abundance most years, it is a finite resource in a rapidly developing area that must not be over allocated. We are advocating that Charlotte Water take this opportunity to lead the region into the next phase of water conservation and mitigation. We need a new system that better captures the value of our surface waters for current and future generations. While we are still meeting with experts and stakeholders to develop our full recommendations for the August 30th deadline, there are many ways to decrease the demand for transfers and increase the available supply.

The alternatives analysis should include requiring and incentivizing water conservation , such as high efficiency fixtures, greywater systems, and non-potable reuse. A condition of Charlotte Water’s 2002 IBT was the formation of a stakeholder group that created a Post Construction Stormwater Ordinance. A similar group could be created to develop effective water conservation measures.

While it might not be feasible (or desirable) to create a new reservoir on the Rocky River, Charlotte Water could offset their use through mitigation . One solution is to establish a fund that all future IBT’s would pay into. This could be used for funding source water protection, groundwater recharge, loss prevention, restoration, etc. Such a fund already exists in the Catawba Wateree Management Group.

Finally, we recommend reassessing the impacts to the federally endangered Carolina Heelsplitter. Many of the recommendations from federal and state biologists were not adopted during the last permit and should be reconsidered with the latest decade of data.

As demand for water continues to grow in the Charlotte region, we are looking forward to being part of a sustainable solution.

My View from the River

Wed, 24 Jul 2024 14:00:01 GMT

A July Update from Executive Director John Searby.

As has become common in the Catawba River Basin and across the Southeast, it has been a dry summer, leading us into drought conditions again this year. Droughts are one end of spectrum of reality we now face in the Charlotte region as our rain patterns become less and less predictable. While our annual rainfalls have been fairly consistent over the past 20 years and predictions are that they will continue to be consistent on an annual basis over the next couple of decades, these extended periods of drought that are followed by major rain events create a challenging scenario for our river. These flashy rain events often lead to flooding, wreaking havoc on transportation and infrastructure, and causing property damage across the region. For this reason, flood resiliency has become a key area of focus for many of our communities in the Piedmont. Catawba Riverkeeper is working closely with both municipal and non-profit partners to lobby our state legislatures to not only appropriate funds to support flood resiliency infrastructure in our region, but also for stronger regulations around stormwater management. Stay tuned to our e-newsletter and social media channels for updates on these and other legislative priorities for the upcoming 2025 sessions!

This summer has been busy for our entire Catawba Riverkeeper staff, but in particular for our program teams. This summer, we’ve educated more kids and put more people on the water than ever before! We’ve also been in the creeks, streams, and lakes of the river basin cleaning up trash and removing tires at an unprecedented level. And we’ve been hosting folks from all across the basin at events and at our retail spaces-- Confluence , The River Room , and The Boathouse . All of our community engagement programs are funded by generous support from our corporate partners – Nucor, Wildlands Engineering, Crescent Communities, The River District, Recover Brands, Xylem, Pharr, Ally, TIAA, Avid Xchange, Bartels Construction, and Clancy & Theys. If you are interested in becoming a corporate partner of Catawba Riverkeeper, we have several more events this year, including our Second Annual Fork Fest on Labor Day weekend featuring the Floating Concert! Contact me at john@catawbariverkeeper.org for more information on becoming a corporate partner.

Finally, I’d like to give a special thank you to our Board of Directors at Catawba Riverkeeper for their tireless work, leadership, and support. This all-volunteer board represents the geographic, socio-economic, racial, and professional diversity of our river basin. They bring a wealth of experience and connections that enhance and support our work across all of the varied types of disciplines that make up Catawba Riverkeeper. To me, a non-profit board is a very special group because nowhere else do accountants, sales people, scientists, attorneys, educators, authors, financial planners, construction managers, contractors, marketers, data scientists, and small business owners come together to support a common cause. Catawba Riverkeeper boasts all of those professionals and more! We currently have open board positions for passionate water advocates who live in South Carolina or in the Lake James watershed. It is important to us to have strong representation across our entire river basin, so if you live in either of those areas and would be interested in learning more about board service, please shoot me an email.

I hope you get an opportunity to have your own view of the river soon!

John Searby

CEO/Executive Director

How's Swim Guide Going?

Thu, 18 Jul 2024 15:34:37 GMT

A Mid-Season Update

It’s hard to believe that we are already over halfway through the 2024 Swim Guide season. So far, we are proud to say that with we have collected around 500 water samples from 67 popular swimming and recreation sites throughout our Catawba-Wateree River Basin. This ongoing work would not be possible without the support from our corporate sponsors, Nucor and Catawba-Wateree Water Management Group, the generosity of individuals who are site sponsors, as well as all of the time that our volunteers, interns, and staff have dedicated to make this program possible. At this time, our results have been viewed over 30,000 times on our app alone, with Geitner Park on Lake Hickory is our most frequently checked site this summer.

Unfortunately, 15 times this summer, we have found elevated levels of fecal bacteria unsafe for swimming. Rocky Creek in Chester County, SC has failed 5 of the 8 weeks. We are currently working on a sampling plan to investigate why this issue continues to occur in this location.

As you can imagine, the amount of lab equipment, personnel, and gas that it takes to continue Swim Guide requires a significant financial commitment, but we know this program is worthwhile and is something that so many people across the Carolinas utilize when making their summertime plans with family and friends.

If you are able to, please consider giving a gift or even becoming a Swim Guide site sponsor by clicking here . We are also always in need volunteers. If you have questions or are interested in supporting our mission through volunteering, contact Volunteer & Community Science Manager Kaity D’Angelo at Kaity.d@catawbariverkeeper.org .

In addition to testing, we are also proposing several pieces of legislative for the 2025 session to reduce the sources of fecal contamination in our waters. You can find out more by viewing our 2024-2025 legislative agenda here .

Thank you again to everyone who has helped me and my Protect team continue to do this work, along with so much more, to protect the Catawba River and to keep everyone who relies on it safe during their summer recreation!

Brandon Jones

Catawba Riverkeeper

Mid-Year Advocacy Updates

Mon, 10 Jun 2024 17:27:13 GMT

A Note from Columbia

Early in May in the SC State House, the Recreational Trail Easement bill passed the state legislature and became law! This bill, H.3121, creates a trails tax credit to incentivize private landowners to agree to a perpetual recreational trail easement and right of way. Landowners who participate will receive a 10 cent credit per square foot included in the easement, which must connect to a preexisting public trails network.

This tax credit will not only promote the growth of recreational opportunities in South Carolina, but it will also work to protect more land in the state, too. This is big win for South Carolina conservation efforts!

We strongly supported this bill because we see this as a way to have trails along our waterways. These trails will provide recreational access, but they will also help prevent future land disturbing activities along the banks. We are encouraging 100 ft. buffers across our basin, targeting new development. We see this as a great tool to encourage buffers on existing properties.

This bill passed UNANIMOUSLY so be sure to thank your legislators for voting for it!

Click here to read the bill text about H. 3121.

A Note from Raleigh

The North Carolina Legislature reconvened on Wednesday, April 24. There are several bills that we are tracking, but one of particular interest and importance is S. 613. This bill would mandate 25 ft. buffer minimums on state designated trout streams. We know buffers are critical to the health of our waters and trout populations. Trout alone generates more than $1.1 billion a year in North Carolina's economy, and these buffers would protect them as well as the headwaters of our river!

Find your State House member here and send them a note expressing your support of protecting the headwaters of our river!

This Election Season

This election year, it is critical that our candidates for office hear from you about the importance of conservation. Most candidates, regardless of political affiliation are not talking about conservation. Not sure where to find your candidates? You're in luck!

Join us on July 14 for Pig Pickin' and Politicin' at The River Room! We're hosting an old school fair event where you'll be able to learn about your candidates' thoughts on conservation and ask them your questions too!

Candidates & constituents from Gaston, Lincoln, Iredell, Mecklenburg, Cabarrus, Union, Cleveland, York, & Lancaster counties will be there to connect with you in a relaxed environment. You'll be able to enjoy local BBQ, engage with legislators, and ask questions about their conservation plans during a moderated Q & A with local conservation professionals.

My View From the River

Tue, 28 May 2024 14:53:36 GMT

A Message from Executive Director John Searby.

The end of spring and beginning of summer is always a time of transition both personally and professionally. With a high school senior graduating this year and closing one chapter of his life while another one opens, I am especially reminded this year that this time of transition is natural and necessary for us to grow and mature as humans. Nature is experiencing a similar transition. Spring blooms are fully open now and adapting to warmer temperatures. Spring showers that have been severe in some parts of our river basin and caused flooding and sedimentation are calming, reminding us that a dry, hot summer could be right around the corner. Our programs are shifting from spring to summer activities, as well. And I am looking forward to some long summer days providing an opportunity for evening paddles on the South Fork where I live.

Summer brings Swim Guide at Catawba Riverkeeper, and Swim Guide brings a flurry of activity to our offices. This year, our summer work will be bolstered by 6 interns generously supported by the Borman Family Foundation. At over 60 sites around the basin, volunteers will grab water quality samples at popular swimming spots and bring them to our labs in McAdenville and Morganton for processing. Our staff and interns will test them for E. coli bacteria, an indicator of whether it is safe to swim or not. Each Friday afternoon we’ll post the results on our social media sites and text message platforms so that you know if you’re favorite spot is safe for the upcoming weekend. Swim Guide is sponsored by Nucor and individuals all across the basin, so I hope you’ll download our app and check it out each week!

The other big shift for our staff that summer brings is an increase in our recreational programing. The summer weather makes it the perfect time to get out on the water for one of our Eco-Tours or to rent a kayak from us at The Boathouse in McAdenville or Confluence in Cramerton. We’ve also got spots left in our Summer Camps that we are doing in partnership with Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden. If your family is looking for a fun way to give back this summer, I hope you'll consider joining in our "Cleanup Champion Challenge" during the month of June and see how many pounds of trash you can cleanup from our waterways. To learn more, head over to our website to learn more and challenge your neighbors to participate!

The final big area of focus for our team this summer is engaging with and getting you engaged with our elected officials across the river basin. For legislators in both North and South Carolina, their spring sessions are wrapping up and they are heading into their summer break. We are going to take this opportunity to connect you with them when we host our Pig Pickin’ and Politicin' Event on July 13 ^th in McAdenville. You’ll get the chance to hear from your legislators about their conservation priorities and we’ll be sharing our 2025 legislative agenda with you so that you know what we’re going to be working on going into next year’s legislative session. Please join us and several other conservation non-profits in the region for this fun event.

As you make your transition from spring to summer, I hope you will have the opportunity to get outside on or near the water. If the summer provides you an opportunity to spend time on the water, I hope you’ll also consider supporting our work at Catawba Riverkeeper. As the only independent, non-profit, on-the-water advocate for the nearly 4 million people who live in our river basin, we rely on your support to ensure that we can continue our work in ALL SEASONS. I hope your summer view of the river is great!

John Searby

CEO/Executive Director

Celebrate Earth Month With Us!

Fri, 05 Apr 2024 16:10:29 GMT

Happy Earth Month! While every month is Earth Month here at Catawba Riverkeeper, we’re excited about the extra attention and enthusiasm for protecting our local environment that comes every April! Throughout this month, we're amplifying our efforts to spread awareness and provide a variety of options for you to get out and learn from, engage in, or advocate for the preservation, protection, and restoration of our shared waterways. Because of that, our calendar is jam-packed with public and private cleanups, guided tours, education programing, outreach events, and fun activities at Confluence & The River Room all month long. Just take a look at some of the events we have going on!

In honor of Earth Month, we hope that you engage with us in some of these events by volunteering your time to clean up our water, learning more about issues affecting our water, and sharing our work and mission with other people as ambassadors.

If you'd like to make an Earth Month contribution to Catawba Riverkeeper, you can give to our Spring Education Appeal, help us purchase a new Catawba Riverkeeper vehicle, or attend our Ambassador Training and represent us at events throughout the year. Our work is not possible without the support of people like you.

We are only a drop in the bucket of worldwide water conservation efforts, but with the support of people like you, we can make mighty waves of change!

Thank you in advance for your support, and happy Earth Month!

April Events

1. April 3 – UNC Charlotte Earth Day Festival

2. April 3 – Ambassador Training

3. April 10 – Private Girl Scout Program

4. April 11 – Earth Share Annual Earth Day Program

5. April 11 – Private Land Cleanup

6. April 12 – UNCC Education Career Fair

7. April 13 – Land Cleanup: Catawba River - Charlotte

8. April 13 – Lake James Watershed Fundraiser

9. April 13 – Private Cleanup

10. April 13 – Gaston Community Run

11. April 13 – HAWK Earth Day

12. April 13 – Earth Jam

13. April 18 – Leadership Charlotte Sustainability Day

14. April 19-21 –Tuck Fest

15. April 20 – Charlotte Earth Day

16. April 21 – Scout Troop Cleanup & Program

17. April 23 – Full Moon Paddle: Pink Moon

18. April 25 – Outdoor Classroom Site Visit w/ Arras Foundation

19. April 26 – Private Cleanup

20. April 26 – Private Cleanup

21. April 26-28 – Southfork Sampler

22. April 27 – Private Cleanup

23. April 27 – Eco Tour: Muddy Waters

Mural Unveiled at Confluence

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 19:58:53 GMT

Local artist completes mural and map of Catawba-Wateree River Basin

Local artist and avid hiker, Heidi Nisbett (@sketchingsummits), has captured the beauty of the Carolinas along the Catawba-Wateree River Basin with her awe-inspiring 20x8 ft wall mural connected by a to scale floor map of the major waterways within the basin at our community engagement space located in Cramerton, NC called Confluence.

The wall mural depicts iconic locations within our 5,610 square mile river basin, including the Black Mountains and Table Rock of Linville Gorge, Catawba Falls and more, while the floor mural highlights major waterways within our 5-basin footprint.

Throughout both the wall and the floor portions of this mural, 22 native species can be detected. These include the Rocky Shoals Spider Lilies at Landsford Canal (located in our Southern Basin and one of our most popular stops within our guided eco-tour series ), Bigleaf Magnolias, Brook Trout and more. Most of these species are plants and wildlife that Heidi has encountered while hiking in locations around the basin’s boundaries. If you look closely, you may even be able to spot the artist herself within the wall mural.

If you have not seen this mural up close and in person yet, what are you waiting for? A photo of these pieces does not do it justice!

Come out to Confluence to enjoy live music, drink a local draft beer, and admire other remarkable artwork from local talents. To see upcoming events, visit https://www.confluencesouthfork.org/calendar .

Thanks to our friends at Sticker Mule and their custom stickers , you can also take this artwork home with you with our limited-edition mural sticker. All proceeds go back to preserve, protect, and restore the waters of the Catawba-Wateree River basin for all through education, advocacy, and engagement.

How You Can Support Conservation in SC this Week

Mon, 11 Mar 2024 18:39:11 GMT

3 bills in the SC Senate that would protect water quality

All eyes are on the South Carolina Senate right now and we need all our South Carolina Riverkeepers’ help! There's a lot of other legislation outside of the conservation world and we need your help keeping our Senators focused on our water.

Below are a few updates on key legislation and how you can help advance these important bills.

Bill #1: S. 999 (Signage on NDPES Wastewater Discharge Pipes)

Bill #2: H. 3121 (Trails Tax Credit)

Bill #3: S. 1020 (Criminalizing Tire Dumping)

Staff Updates

Fri, 08 Mar 2024 15:10:43 GMT

Meet the new employees and leaders of Catawba Riverkeeper!

Executive Director John Searby recently announced that Catawba Riverkeeper has promoted two employees to leadership positions and added three new employees to the team that works to preserve, protect, and restore the waters of the Catawba-Wateree River Basin for all.

Promotions

The organization’s longest tenured employee, Diana (Daniels) Knudsen , was promoted to Vice President of Advancement. In this role, Diana will lead the organization’s fundraising, marketing, and community engagement efforts. In her nearly 12 years at Catawba Riverkeeper, Diana has held every role in the marketing and development areas. Executive Director John Searby added, “Diana is not only a constant for our members and donors at Catawba Riverkeeper, she has also ensured consistency across our organization’s messaging and communications throughout her tenure across several different Executive Directors and Riverkeepers. This promotion is a recognition of her importance as a senior leader at Catawba Riverkeeper and well deserved.”

Along with Knudsen, Searby also announced that Grant Buckner has been promoted to Northern Basin Director, providing overall leadership to the organization’s efforts in the Northern Basin (above Lake Norman). On Buckner, Searby commented, “Grant came on nearly three years ago as our first Watershed Manager and this model of focusing our scientific staff on a geographical area has proven to be a great model for us. We are proud of the way Grant has grown our work in the Northern Basin and we look forward to continuing to expand our impact in that section of the basin under his leadership.”

New Hires

Additionally, Catawba Riverkeeper announced the addition of three new staff members, two reporting to Knudsen and one reporting to Buckner. Jenny Moore was added to the team as Director of Development and will lead the traditional fundraising efforts for Catawba Riverkeeper. In this role, Moore will oversee the organization’s membership and annual giving programs as well as taking a lead role in fundraising events and campaigns. Prior to joining Catawba Riverkeeper, Moore was a Development Manager for Catawba Lands Conservancy following multiple years in development at the Ruth Bancroft Garden and UC Botanical Garden at Berkley, both in California. Susannah Bryant was recently hired as the Marketing and Communications Manager. Bryant's unique background in environmental science and communications makes her a great fit for sharing our messages to members, volunteers, and the general public. Expanding the Northern Basin team at Catawba Riverkeeper’s office in Morganton, NC is Sophie McCarthy , who joins as the Lake James Program Manager. In this role, Sophie will design, plan, and execute educational, volunteer, and community engagement programs for both Catawba Riverkeeper and Lake James Environmental Association in the Northern Catawba River basin. McCarthy was previously the Executive Director of Lake James Environmental Association and also worked at the Sassafras River Association.

Searby summarized these changes by saying, “It is a testament to the commitment of our members, corporate partners, and supporters all across the basin that Catawba Riverkeeper has continued to grow consistently over the past five years. Our work only expands with additional talented professionals coming on board and existing team members growing into leadership positions. I am very excited to see how these new roles will help us to continue to expand our impact across the entire river basin.”

For more detailed information on all staff, please visit our STAFF PAGE.

Tires: What's the problem and what can you do about it?

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 14:58:46 GMT

Tires in our lakes, rivers, and streams

The Problem

What was once believed to be good for fish habitat, tires are now known to leach toxins and cancer causing chemicals, such as 6PPD-Quinone, zinc, and other heavy metals, into our waters and are absorbed by fish and humans. Last year, we removed 1,000 tires from local waterways and we know there's a lot more out there.

Two Things You Can Do About it TODAY!

If you live in SC, tell your state senator to support S. 1020, which formally criminalizes the dumping of tires on land and in waters of SC when permission is not given. If found guilty, the offending party will be charged with a misdemeanor.
Sign up to volunteer to remove tires from Lake Wateree while the water levels are down on Saturday, March 30th. Thanks to financial support from PalmettoPride, we'll have the equipment to get a lot of tires out in one day. But, we need volunteers to help with this special project. We'll meet at Molly Creek Landing at 10 AM.

Lake Wateree Shoreline Stablization

Fri, 01 Mar 2024 19:15:56 GMT

Live staking with volunteers to improve Lake Wateree!

We had a successful first ever live-staking event on Saturday, February 24th! Over 35 volunteers showed up along with the super State Park employees.

This project is helping to stabilize the shoreline on Lake Wateree to prevent future erosion and pollution from sedimentation in the lake. In addition to the 300 tree stakes we planted, we were also able to provide some stakes and seeds for residents to take home.

Because of the awesome volunteer turnout, we were also were able to remove 50 tires and about 1,500 pounds of trash from the area!

Thanks to all who helped, and if you weren't able to come for that event, we have two more scheduled on March 9 and March 16.

Conservation Recommendations for the Great Meadows Megasite

Thu, 22 Feb 2024 21:34:48 GMT

Read the plan here.

Catawba Riverkeeper, Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina , and Lake James Environmental Association have been closely following the Great Meadows Megasite Project in Burke and McDowell counties and have created a site conservation plan to offer guidance for the protection of the environment and the local community.

Proposed industrial development of the site in close proximity to Lake James, Muddy Creek, and the City of Morganton’s drinking water supply raises legitimate concerns. Lake James is a major economic driver for the region due to its excellent water quality, limitless recreational opportunities, and substantial tax base for Burke and McDowell counties.

This proposal contains a variety of guidelines and standards including, but not limited to, stream buffers, permanent land conservation, setbacks for the community and viewshed, and public recreation access all designed to protect the environment and local community. This plan was developed using a combination of publicly available GIS data and multi-disciplinary expertise from staff members of three respected environmental organizations.

Our goal is to present a plan that focuses on protecting the human and natural environments around the site while accommodating development.

Please read the full conservation proposal in its entirety here:

https://bit.ly/conservation-plan.

Flooding in the Catawba-Wateree River Basin

Thu, 18 Jan 2024 16:06:49 GMT

Heavy rains led to polluted water in our basin

Heavy rain on top of saturated soils has led to extensive flooding across the southeast including the Catawba Basin this January. In addition to inundating structures and property, flood waters are usually heavily polluted. In developed areas rising creeks can damage and overwhelm sewage structures leading to hundreds of thousands of gallons of spilled sewage. Rain this month led to over 500,000 gallons of reported spills in our watershed alone. Our sampling in the South Fork and Great Falls found fecal bacteria levels greater than 10 times the recommended swimming standard.

Unfortunately, flooding and the associated pollution are likely to increase. National and state climatologists predict that our area will receive roughly the same amount of precipitation but in fewer, larger storms. Also, population growth in the basin has led to the rapid development of fields and forests. This change in land use increases the quantity and intensity of stormwater.

To mitigate these impacts and reduce stormwater pollution we need updated ordinances and more resilient infrastructure. Individuals can help by volunteering to replant eroded banks and by supporting legislative initiatives that prevent building in floodplains and protect the riparian buffer. Homeowners can reduce runoff from their property by disconnecting downspouts and installing rain barrels or rain gardens. We ask all concerned citizens to express to their elected officials that we need more proactive policies to address stormwater and flood resiliency.

2024 Initiatives

Tue, 16 Jan 2024 16:14:45 GMT

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.

Highlights from 2023

Tue, 12 Dec 2023 15:37:08 GMT

What a year it has been at Catawba Riverkeeper!

Catawba Riverkeeper celebrated 25 years in 2023. Watch the video below for a inspiring reflection on Catawba Riverkeeper's past and look towards our future.

Protecting our river

Sampled 55 different swimming areas this summer each week to test for bacteria. Swim Guide results were viewed 117,000 times!
Piloted a Spider Lily restoration program in Great Falls, SC.
Constructed beaver dam analogs on a tributary of Canoe Creek near Marion as a pilot restoration project with promising early results.
Investigated 75 pollution reports.
Paddled more than 1100 miles to investigate pollution reports and complete surveys of sections of the basin.
Filed to join the clean water citizen suit against New-Indy papermill.
Successfully advocated for a bipartisan stormwater mitigation bill to be introduce in the NC General Assembly.
Published the State of the River Report and the Southern Catawba and Wateree River Basins Protection and Restoration Plans .
Hired a South Fork Watershed Manager who is focused on improving the health of the largest tributary of the Catawba River.
Established a new office and lab in the Northern Basin in Morganton, NC.

Education Programing

Taught 1,817 K-12 students about their watershed through field trips and presentations .
Provided environmental education and kayaking programs to 237 students through the summer CREEK program (sponsored by Crescent Communities ).
Hosted more than 100 adults in educational workshops through the Riverkeeper Learning Series (sponsored by Xylem Watermark ).

Engagement Programing

Hosted 25 on-the-water programs and countless kayak rental opportunities providing 720 people the opportunity to experience the river firsthand
Provided meaningful volunteer experiences to 2,213 volunteers who served a total of 5,922 hours. Their time is valued at $177,358!
Confluence hosted the first annual Fork Fest music festival , featuring a one-of-a-kind floating concert!

Taking out the trash!

Removed 1,001 tires and 100,570 pounds of trash from our basin's water and shores!
1,670 volunteers participated in cleanups (THANK YOU!!).
Organized 94 cleanup events, including Riversweep which took place at 51 locations across the basin.

Organizational Growth

Grew to 8,414 members and volunteers (38% increase from 2022).
Had 16,873 unique transactions at our retail locations (The Boathouse, The River Room, and Confluence) and online storefront.
More than 2,000 people attended one of our community events like RiverFest, Jam at the Dam, Fork Fest, and the Christmas Market.
Continued to grow our social media follower base and email newsletter list.

Diving into the 2024 Election Season

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 22:07:01 GMT

Your Role in Protecting Our Waters

The day has come. The official start of the 2024 election is here. In North Carolina, candidate filing (the first day candidates can fill out the paperwork to run for office) is Monday, December 4. 

For the primaries, South Carolina will be up first with the Democratic Presidential Preference Primary (PPP) on February 3, followed by the Republican PPP on February 24. Then, North Carolina has its general Primary on March 5. Back to South Carolina, candidate filing for Congress, State Legislature, County Council, and a host of other positions starts on March 16, and the actual primary will be in June. This all leads up to the general election on November 5, 2024.  

I don’t know about you, but I am already exhausted just thinking about this!  

There is much work to be done before the November election. Before the Catawba Riverkeeper legislative agenda priorities can even be considered “legislation,” they must be campaign priorities. This is where we need your help.  

Over the course of this election cycle, we will be rolling out content of all sorts to help our community better understand how our advocacy priorities directly impact everyone and how to engage our candidates for office in these critical issues.  

To give you a preview of what we’ll be talking about, below is a list of our priorities in both North and South Carolina. 

North Carolina  

Legislation that empowers local communities to address stormwater from preexisting paved surfaces that have out of date stormwater controls. 
Additional funding for state staff to help farmers with waste management plans. 
A state definition of what a wetland is and what protections it has. 
Funds for public access to navigable waters. 
Funds for communities to quickly access to remove failing dams.

South Carolina  

Publicly accessible information on pollution discharges. 
Funding for the preservation of State Scenic Rivers. 
Further legislative efforts to deter tire dumping.

This is a big election year. We will have many new faces in newly elected positions. We have a chance to make new connections and new friends. We have a chance to really make a difference for our river. Let’s make this year count. 

We hope you will join us on Facebook live on December 5 at 6 p.m. for a more in-depth discussion and have a chance to ask our Policy Manager, Ryan Carter, your questions.

New Collaboration with Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden!

Thu, 16 Nov 2023 13:30:00 GMT

Reducing administrative costs and expanding impact!

Catawba Riverkeeper has adopted a new strategy to create operational efficiencies, reduce administrative overhead, and find opportunities to scale our programming! This new strategy takes the form of a shared services collaboration with the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden.

Background

Over the last year, Catawba Riverkeeper has been exploring opportunities to become a more efficient, impactful organization. Our move to our new headquarters in McAdenville, NC gave us an on-the-water location where we could more efficiently access the water for monitoring and use recreation programs to engage the public in our mission. The new headquarters also allowed us to host field trips, camps, and workshops in our on-site classroom. Perhaps most impactful of all, the new headquarters includes an in-house lab, which exponentially increased our water testing capabilities. While we were seeing an increase in impact, we continued to look for ways to reduce administrative costs and become more efficient as we carry out our mission to preserve, protect, and restore our waterways.

In the last few years, we’ve also prioritized collaboration with other environmental and conservation-focused organizations in our region. We know that the issues that affect the health of our water are connected to land use, wildlife, energy, and air quality. We can’t solve water quality without working collaboratively on these interconnected environmental issues.

Meanwhile, Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden embarked on a similar journey to become a more impactful and efficient organization as they crafted their long-range strategic plan. Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden serves as a place for conservation, education, research, and nature-based public engagement. The garden contributes to our understanding of ecosystems and promotes environmental awareness while offering valuable recreational and therapeutic spaces for people to connect with nature. Through their long-range planning process, it became clear that Catawba Riverkeeper and Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden had a lot in common. The two organizations had similar needs and complementary strengths. Both Boards of Directors felt a formal collaboration was worth exploring.

So, in March of 2023, John Searby became the Executive Director of both Catawba Riverkeeper and Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden. Over the next several months, John and the senior staff of each organization explored areas of opportunity and different structural models that would help both organizations be the best they can be.

The result was a shared services collaboration designed to increase organizational capacity, make both organizations more efficient in their operations, reduce the burdens of administrative overhead, and find opportunities for programmatic synergies all while keeping the organizations independent entities. The Boards approved this strategy and made it official with a protective Memorandum of Understanding in early October 2023.

How It Works

Catawba Riverkeeper and Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden share a senior management team, which includes John Searby as Chief Executive Officer, Jeff Shelton as Chief Financial Officer, and Tracy Smith as Chief Administrative Officer. The senior management team supports both organizations and helps identify operational efficiencies in financial management, human resources, facilities and technology support, retail operations, outdoor recreation programming, and education programming. Under this collaboration model, the day-to-day business operations and related management and funding activities of each organization can be conducted more efficiently and effectively, and with certain cost savings, than would be the case if each organization retained its own executives on a separate basis. The staff remain focused on their individual missions and use Functional Teams to work on mutually beneficial projects and programs.

The Boards of Directors are grateful to Duke Energy Foundation, Gaston Community Foundation, and the Akers Foundation for supporting the shared services collaboration in its early days.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this a merger?
No. Catawba Riverkeeper and Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden remain two separate nonprofits with specific missions. They have separate Boards of Directors, bylaws, and bank accounts. Through the shared services collaboration, both organizations share a senior management team (CEO, CFO, CAO) which reduces overhead, creates efficiencies, and provides opportunities for scale.
How can John be the Executive Director of both organizations at the same time?
The support that John receives from the CFO, CAO, and senior staff of both organizations allows him to serve as a leader to both Catawba Riverkeeper and Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden. With more administrative support, John will tell you that his to-do list has actually gotten shorter, leaving him more time to ensure sound fiscal, operational, administrative, programmatic, and mission strategies are effectively implemented across all segments of both organizations.
Do my donations or membership contributions go only to Catawba Riverkeeper?
Yes. All donations to either organization are kept separately. Both organizations take your gifts very seriously and will only use them how intended. There are guardrails in place to ensure that all legal and ethical fundraising guidelines are followed.
What if you find out 1 year, 5 years, or 10 years from now that this model doesn’t work?
While we expect things to work out, the MOU that defines the shared services collaboration is set up so that either organization can easily remove themselves without undue complications. Both organizations are protected.

Chimney Swift Tower Built at Outdoor Classroom

Mon, 13 Nov 2023 17:11:36 GMT

Chimney swift tower joins other shelters for birds to reside on campus

You may be wondering why there is now a new structure (pictured above), that looks like a stand-alone chimney, on our outdoor classroom campus? This is a chimney swift tower, a safe spot for the chimney swift bird to shelter! The chimney swift tower joins several other shelters on the outdoor classroom campus for birds and bats to reside.

Chimney swifts are small, quick birds that spend a lot of their time flying in the air. Due to deforestation, and the increase in buildings, these birds began living inside actual chimneys (which look and feel a lot like hollow trees). The chimney swift needs a habitat where they can cling to vertical walls, as they don't perch on tree branches and limbs. Chimney swift towers are dedicated homes for the bird to find shelter.

The swifts migrate between the eastern half of North America and the western half of South America. They eat many bugs that thrive in watery habitats, just like our Outdoor Classroom.

You can learn more about the chimney swift here: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Chimney_Swift/overview . 

Building the chimney swift tour took a collaborative effort, and we are so thankful for those who helped to make it happen! Myers and Chapman volunteered their expertise and materials to construct the tower itself. The outdoor classroom’s own property maintenance volunteers, Larry and Butch, helped dig the post-holes, which is not an easy task to do by hand! Big thank you to Charlotte ToolBank for renting us the tools we needed to complete this project. Lifting up such a heavy, tall structure posed a challenge; our partners at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden connected us with, Dixie Forestry and Grading , that had the equipment to get the job done safely. We are so very grateful for Jackie Bagley, Chad Fields, Lance Canty, and Connie Wade from Catawba Nation who contributed their time and talents to help put the metal flashing on top of the chimney swift and get the structure on its feet, even after the sun went down.

We hope to see birds enjoying their new home soon! 

2023 Wateree River Survey

Wed, 08 Nov 2023 19:38:43 GMT

3 days. 2 nights. 76.25 miles paddled. 31 alligators.

The Wateree River runs 80 miles through Kershaw, Sumter, and Richland counties in South Carolina. Currently, this is the least developed part of our basin, though that could change due to continued development and the expansion of cities in the area. It is difficult to assess many parts of the river due to limited public access points and its remote location.

Rachael, our Southern Basin Watershed Manager, Brandon, our Riverkeeper, and Ryan, our Policy Manager, recently embarked on a 3-day, 2-night paddle survey of the Wateree River. Each year, we do a survey of this section of the river to gather more information and discover new issues we may need to address.

Summary of the paddle

Day 1: They began their journey with a 24.75-mile paddle.

Day 2: Day two brought overcast skies and winds. They paddled 32 miles, taking advantage of having a break from the sun.

Day 3: They covered 19.5 miles. The final day was challenging, with a strong sun, dozens of gators, and a low current down the Wateree River. The last two miles were spent paddling up the Congaree River.

Observations and takeaways

A frequent observation during the survey was that the Wateree River is actively meandering ( click here for more information about what causes streams to meander). Despite the upstream dams and mostly regulated flows, there are many areas with steep riverbanks and active cuts. The Wateree River has constantly eroding banks, depositing sand bars, and even creating new oxbow lakes. These findings highlight the need for buffers, among other preservation and restoration work, to protect both water quality and infrastructure. Our team observed agricultural fields, logging roads, and homes precariously close to actively eroding cut banks. While some property owners have attempted to slow this process via armoring the river channel with concrete and rock, this is a temporary solution which is both expensive and not sustainable.

They also encountered over 30 alligators during the three days.

The Wateree River is a designated Blue Trail. Unfortunately, due to its dynamic nature and general remoteness, much of the online information is outdated or incomplete. We are working with partners to help make it an easier trip for others who are interested in exploring this beautiful part of the river.

Announcing a new collaboration with Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden!

Mon, 06 Nov 2023 16:00:00 GMT

Catawba Riverkeeper has adopted a new strategy to create operational efficiencies, reduce administrative overhead, and find opportunities to scale our programming!

This new strategy takes the form of a shared services collaboration with the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden.

Background

How It Works

The Boards of Directors are grateful to Duke Energy Foundation, Gaston Community Foundation, and the Akers Foundation for supporting the shared services collaboration in its early days.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this a merger?
No. Catawba Riverkeeper and Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden remain two separate nonprofits with specific missions. They have separate Boards of Directors, bylaws, and bank accounts. Through the shared services collaboration, both organizations share a senior management team (CEO, CFO, CAO) which reduces overhead, creates efficiencies, and provides opportunities for scale.
How can John be the Executive Director of both organizations at the same time?
The support that John receives from the CFO, CAO, and senior staff of both organizations allows him to serve as a leader to both Catawba Riverkeeper and Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden. With more administrative support, John will tell you that his to-do list has actually gotten shorter, leaving him more time to ensure sound fiscal, operational, administrative, programmatic, and mission strategies are effectively implemented across all segments of both organizations.
Do my donations or membership contributions go to Catawba Riverkeeper?
No. All donations to either organization are kept separately. Both organizations take your gifts very seriously and will only use them how intended. There are guardrails in place to ensure that all legal and ethical fundraising guidelines are followed.
What if you find out 1 year, 5 years, or 10 years from now that this model doesn’t work?
While we expect things to work out, the MOU that defines the shared services collaboration is set up so that either organization can easily remove themselves without undue complications. Both organizations are protected.

Rumination Arts Festival

Tue, 24 Oct 2023 20:11:17 GMT

Celebrate creativity and community on Saturday, November 4 in Cramerton, NC

On Saturday, November 4, the community is invited to Rumination Arts Festival in downtown Cramerton.

Rumination Arts Festival is a vibrant celebration of creativity and community set amidst the picturesque backdrop of Cramerton, NC, along the scenic South Fork River. Community members are invited to immerse themselves in a world of artistic wonders as they explore the power of art to inspire, connect, and transform, while paying homage to the stunning South Fork River.

The festival is hosted by Confluence, a unique partnership between Catawba Riverkeeper and the Town of Cramerton that brings together art, music, recreation and the river.

Event features include a chalk art contest, community art panels, art workshops, and local art vendors. All art supplies are provided. Arts and craft vendors will be selling their handmade goods in Centennial Center from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Workshops include kindness rocks painting, tiny art making, nature prints with ink and clay, and plastic bottle flower making. Tiny art will be displayed in the Free Little Art Gallery, which will have its grand opening at 4 p.m.

The festival will conclude with live music by Paleface, a local duo that brings energy and creativity to the stage and through their artwork, at 7 p.m. inside on the Confluence stage.

For a complete schedule, see confluencesouthfork.org/ruminationarts .

Rumination Arts Festival is all about nurturing the artist within and celebrating the arts that flourish along the banks of the South Fork River. The festival is a free event sponsored by the Town of Cramerton, Gaston County Travel & Tourism, and Pharr. Proceeds from the event go towards improving water quality, flood resiliency, and recreation access on the South Fork River, the Catawba River’s largest tributary.

About Confluence
Confluence is a place where art, music, and recreation come together alongside the river to create that place of convergence for the community. Confluence is a place where neighbors and friends can meet to learn, grow, create, move, and find joy, together. It is located at 117 Center St, Cramerton, NC. Partners include Catawba Riverkeeper, Town of Cramerton, the South Fork Collective, and Human Powered Movement. Proceeds from Confluence go towards improving the health of the South Fork River.

Introducing Baby Duck

Thu, 19 Oct 2023 19:27:39 GMT

Our Southern Basin Watershed Manager, Rachael Rosenstein, and Riverkeeper, Brandon Jones, recently had the pleasure of meeting “Baby Duck,” a beautiful young wood duck under the care of Ann, a Lake Wateree shoreline resident.

Ann placed wood duck boxes near her home to provide a house for these stunning waterfowl to live in and enjoy her property. Last season, females abandoned their nest, leaving eggs behind on Ann’s property. Ann tried to save them, caring for the eggs in an incubator, and one survived: Baby Duck.

Wood ducks are unique because unlike most waterfowl, they perch and nest in trees and are comfortable flying through woods. They live in wooded swamps, where they nest in holes in trees or in nest boxes, like Ann’s, put up around lakes.

Ann has dedicated considerable time to her property, ensuring there is ample habitat so that wildlife can thrive. Being on the shoreline, it is important to have native vegetation to prevent erosion, and provide habitat, food, and shelter for all of the critters, including ducks.

Wood Ducks, like Baby Duck, once faced an uncertain future as the population of the species was in decline in the late 19th and early 20th century due to habitat loss and hunting. Thankfully, the wood duck population has increased in recent years. While they are no longer a species of concern, they still face threats in the wild including wetland loss, habitat loss, and deforestation.

We look forward to watching Baby Duck grow and seeing other wood ducks thrive on Ann’s property!

Are you interested in adding vegetation to your own Lake Wateree property? Be on the lookout for registration links this fall to sign up for the shoreline restoration projects on the Lake in the Spring. Spread the word to those who may be interested!

Want to see more birds from around the basin? The 2024 Birds of the Basin calendar is in production! Keep an eye out for it in the coming months.

2023 Riversweep Recap

Tue, 17 Oct 2023 17:34:53 GMT

47,000 lbs of Trash Removed from Catawba-Wateree River Basin at Riversweep Cleanup

On Saturday, Oct. 7, 1,200 dedicated volunteers removed a remarkable 47,000 pounds of trash and debris from the Catawba River during Catawba Riversweep. This one-day cleanup effort organized by Catawba Riverkeeper, which took place at 51 locations across the basin, highlights the profound impact that can be had when our community comes together for the health of our river.

The annual Riversweep cleanup removes litter and trash that has accumulated in the waters and on the shores. Litter has detrimental effects on wildlife habitat, as well as the safety and recreational potential of the waterways. The cleanup also removes items from our waterways that could potentially contaminate the 19 active drinking water intakes which supply water to over 2 million people.  

During the cleanup, volunteers put on their gloves, grabbed supplies and worked together to remove all trash and debris in sight, resulting in the gathering of thousands of pounds of plastic bottles, Styrofoam, and tires. They didn't stop there. Countless items were removed from the river, ranging from the expected to the unusual and unwieldy, including household appliances, mattresses, parts of a dock, a satellite dish, and even an electric scooter. More than 200 tires were removed during the cleanup, further highlighting the need for an event like this.

The roots of Riversweep can be traced back to 2002 when a group of volunteers, along with the Lake Wylie Marine Commission, initiated an annual cleanup on Lake Wylie. Their dedicated efforts inspired other volunteer groups and organizations across the basin to follow suit, hosting their own community cleanup days. Fast forward to 2020, and Catawba Riverkeeper led the first basin-wide, single-day cleanup of trash and debris. The success of Riversweep is a testament to the unwavering commitment of hundreds of volunteers, many of whom have dedicated years to this cause.

Riversweep would not be a possibility without the invaluable contributions of our partners. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to ToolBank CLT, Palmetto Pride, Char-Meck Stormwater, Keep Charlotte Beautiful, Catawba Nuclear Station, Allen Plant Steam Station, Just Dump It, Mecklenburg County, Gaston County, York County, and City of Hickory for their support of the basin-wide cleanup effort. For more details about these partners, please visit our partner page . Special thanks to the Riversweep’s presenting sponsor, Catawba-Wateree Water Management Group .

Each year, the Catawba Riversweep is an inspiring event to witness, as it brings the community together in a united effort to support the health of the Catawba River. The sight of hundreds of people joining forces to clean up the river and its surrounding areas is a powerful testament to the shared commitment to support the health of our river. It is heartening to see the dedication and passion of volunteers who selflessly contribute their time and energy to make this event a success. However, Riversweep is also a reminder that the work is far from complete and the continued need for cleanup efforts in addition to other initiatives that protect, preserve and advocate for our river.

Be sure to mark Oct. 5, 2024 on your calendar and join us at Catawba Riversweep next year!

Deep Dive Into Swim Guide 2023

Fri, 01 Sep 2023 13:56:45 GMT

A closer look into our summer-long program that helps the community make smart swimming decisions!

Swim Guide is a program conducted throughout the United States and beyond that tests the water at popular swimming for E. coli, a type of fecal bacteria. Our staff and volunteers collect water samples every Thursday, and testing results are ready to go by Friday afternoon, allowing the public to make more informed decisions about weekend swim plans.

Below, you’ll find answers to some commonly asked questions and other interesting facts about what goes on behind the scenes to make Swim Guide possible!

Why did you start doing Swim Guide?

Swim guide was requested by the public. People wanted information about the water that they are swimming in. We were happy to take on this role and find a new niche where we could utilize our resources to inform and protect the residents and visitors who enjoy swimming in our basin.

How many sites do you test?

We test 64 different swim sites within the Catawba-Wateree River Basin, from Lake James, North Carolina down to Lake Wateree, South Carolina.

How do you choose which sites to test?

There are three main criteria when assessing a potential site:

Is the site public? The site must be somewhere that is accessible to the general public, either by boat or by foot/vehicle.
Do people actually swim there? Even though a site may be marked as a swimming spot, it may not be utilized as such very often. We want to make sure our efforts go towards places where we know the water will be used for recreation regularly!
Is there a reasonable chance of pollution? Swim sites located near busy roads or downstream from factories and other pollutant contributors are more likely to face contamination. Heavily monitored areas like state parks and national forests are less likely to have contaminants since they have greater protection; therefore, we do not test in those areas.

Does the government play any part in testing?

While there is a federal law requiring all oceanside beaches and the Great Lakes to keep track of water quality, no such law exists for inland freshwater bodies. North and South Carolina have some laws directed towards their freshwater, but neither state requires consistent water testing. South Carolina requires beaches partitioned on a lake to be tested regularly. North Carolina’s only requirement is testing state lakes once every five years. This test does not track fecal bacteria, elevating the importance of our efforts to track E. Coli.

Why do you collect samples on Thursday instead of Friday?

When we prep our water samples for testing, we use a specific enzyme that detects E. Coli which requires at least 23 hours to culture. Because of this, we have to have the samples prepped and set aside by Thursday afternoon so the results are ready to go by Friday at 5 pm.

You can view the full testing process by checking out our Instagram and Facebook reels where we’ve created videos demonstrating the behind-the-scenes Swim Guide research!

What are the biggest hurdles you have to manage?

.One of the drawbacks currently affecting us is the delay between gathering samples and receiving results. Because of the 23-hour delay in finalizing results, the water we sample on Thursday morning may not always reflect the water quality at a later time. If stormwater runoff, pollution, or any other outside contaminant enters the water system after the sample is collected, the results may no longer be accurate.

What has been the most surprising thing that you’ve encountered this summer?

We did not anticipate McGalliard Creek Falls having such high levels of E. Coli. This is our first summer testing the Falls, and it has been our only area with consistently high levels of bacteria throughout the summer. Our team is working with local authorities and wastewater management to accurately trace and eliminate the contaminant, but until then, we will keep reminding folks to steer clear of the McGalliard Creek Falls’ water.

How can I be more involved in the Swim Guide process?

To test 64 different sites, Swim Guide takes a team effort. We are so very thankful for our volunteers. Swim Guide would not be possible without their help.

If you’re willing to donate some time on Thursday mornings in the summer months to help collect and/or transport samples back to our headquarters, we would be immensely grateful for the support.

If you are interested in helping but do not have availability on Thursdays, you can also consider becoming a sponsor of a swim site! Having a sponsored site means that we can continue to test that site’s water quality and have sufficient funds for equipment. We hope to maintain our current sites and take on more in the summers to come, but this is only possible with our amazing sponsors, donors, and volunteers!

Advocating For Our River

Mon, 28 Aug 2023 15:56:34 GMT

“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are” – Theodore Roosevelt

"Hey Ryan, how's it going in Raleigh and Columbia this year?” While I get asked this frequently, nailing down a satisfying answer can be a little bit of head-scratcher. In fact, sometimes I even feel the blank stare on my face get a little duller while I think through where to begin.

As of July 5, the NC House had introduced 895 bills and voted on 486 bills. The NC Senate has had 754 bills introduced with 420 bills voted on. That means NC has had over 1,600 bills filed this year alone. SC saw 103 bills signed into law. In short, there’s a lot going on. I wish I could say that all of these bills were about improving water quality. I’d even be happy if I could say that more bills were good for our waters than not. Unfortunately, that’s not true on the whole.

With everything that has happened, is happening, and will happen in the halls of our governing institutions, I wanted to pause and explain a bit about how we go about deciding on when to engage on different legislative items, and what you can do to help us.

Lets create the game plan

To go with a football metaphor, I think like an offensive coordinator. I like to create a game plan (which ideally culminates with a bill becoming law) and use that as the mechanism to achieve our goal of legislative change.

Advocating for our river has always been and will continue to be a central part of our organization. Doing that is far more complicated than saying it. There’s a host of variables to take into consideration. Is what we want to happen actually possible? Who might be isolated by us acting on this topic? The list goes on.

Our approach involves being as proactive as possible. Once a piece of legislation is introduced and starts making its way through the legislature, it’s very hard to alter its course. A tremendous amount of work goes into drafting and introducing legislation. It takes even more effort to change it. This is particularly true in the NC General Assembly. For instance, this year’s Regulatory Reform Bill ( HB 600 ). When it passed the House, the bill was 20 pages long. When it was introduced in the Senate, it was 34 pages long. HB 600 passed the senate with 36 pages. In short, once the bill was formally introduced in the Senate, not a lot of substantial change occurred so getting items into the bill prior to it being introduced was key for interested parties.

A critical objective for our strategy is to find balance. We have to find the balance between what policies would have the greatest impact with what is most feasible. For the health of the river, it would be ideal to have every dam on the river safely removed and to have 200 ft buffers on all creeks. However, we realize this is not likely to happen any time soon, if ever, so we want to push forward while being realistic.

The realities of being a nonprofit organization are also an aspect of the game plan we have to acknowledge. We do not employ hundreds of people. We do not add to the local economy in the way that large for-profit entities do. We do not give campaign contributions. We also have a wide array of supporters with varying political ideologies. Taking this all into account, we are cautious and selective about what legislation we weigh in on. As time goes by and we continue to gain momentum in this space, we will be able to weigh in on more topics. For now, however, we have to pick and choose our battles carefully. Take the story of our stormwater bill (HB 511). This bill made minor tweaks to state statutes that in the grand scheme of things, would have made minimal changes. While the bill did not ultimately end up passing, it secured bipartisan support from across the state and showed that environmental policy can happen. It also earned us a spot at the table. Read more about HB 511 and Catwba Riverkeeper’s involvement here .

If you’ve ever been by my desk, you’ll see a prominent framed quote by Theodore Roosevelt...

“The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the area, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timing souls who knew neither victory nor defeat” - Theodore Roosevelt

This quote is on my desk as a reminder of our work. Catawba Riverkeeper must be in the arena. We are fighting for our river. We will always act in the best interest of our river and waters.

What you can do to help execute the game plan:

Follow the news! This includes signing up for your elected officials’ newsletters if they have them.
Be a voice for our waters! Write to your elected officials about what you are seeing on your waters.
If you hear about legislation and have questions, reach out to Ryan.
Talk about legislation with your friends. You can talk about policy without being political.

Spider Lily Restoration In Great Falls

Tue, 01 Aug 2023 16:38:13 GMT

Catawba Riverkeeper and partners work to restore the Spider Lily population

The Rocky Shoals Spider Lily is known for its beautiful blooms and the many ecological benefits it provides for its environment. Damming waterways and other human-created threats, such as pollution, alter the environment the spider lily needs to flourish. As a result, there has been a significant reduction in the amount of adequate habitat for the lilies to grow, even impacting the overall population enough for the plant to receive consideration for protection under the Endangered Species Act.

The largest known concentration of Rocky Shoals Spider Lilies can be found on the Catawba River at Landsford Canal State Park. Duke Energy’s recent modification to dams in this area created more than just new recreational opportunities. The restored water flow throughout the Great Falls bypasses provides the perfect environment for the lilies; an area that, without the dam, the seeds may have traveled to and taken hold.

In July, with the proper agencies notified and permissions granted, Clemson University’s Dr. Althea Hagan and her students joined Catawba Riverkeeper to gather seeds at Landsford Canal State Park. As a result of a small dam maintenance project, Catawba Riverkeeper nurtured the seeds for a few weeks ( check out a video of their temporary home ). In early August, the seeds were planted along the Long Reach Bypass.

This project is a test for a potential larger-scale future project. We hope to be able to show off new growth in the coming season!

This effort was documented by South Carolina Educational Television. Click here to watch the video .

Summer activities and events!

Fri, 30 Jun 2023 20:47:51 GMT

Play, learn, and volunteer on and off the water with Catawba Riverkeeper this summer!

Can you believe it’s already July?! Don’t let the rest of your summer slip away. Make plans to get out and do something fun! Catawba Riverkeeper has 20+ programs, activities, and events for you and your family.

An Ambassador for the River, An Example for All

Fri, 23 Jun 2023 18:13:44 GMT

2022 Volunteer of the Year, Alvin Ellison, leads by example. Policy Manager, Ryan Carter, reflects on Alvin's efforts.

The wide world of advocacy can be hard and at times downright depressing. It sometimes seems like everything is a forgone conclusion and there’s nothing we can do about it. I’m often asked, "What can I possibly do to make a difference?" The exasperation is usually more intense after I give an update on what I'm working on. Change is difficult to achieve and often takes a long time.

The key in every advocacy effort is having dedicated and tenacious citizens.

Meet Alvin. He's a long-time volunteer of Catawba Riverkeeper and seemingly every other organization in Gaston County.

When we first started our stormwater legislative push, Alvin happened to swing by the office and casually asked me about the effort. This initiative had moved faster than we had anticipated and we were in desperate need of data and narrative documentation of creeks draining central business districts. Alvin told me that his backyard backed up to one such creek. Alvin offered to take some pictures and send them over.

Then it rained.

It wasn’t the first time it had rained at Alvin’s house, but he now noticed it in a different way. Alvin showed me how just a little rain absolutely wreaked havoc on his back yard. We took a look at a map to see where all that water was coming from. The headwaters of Alvin’s backyard creek was nearly all paved over by commercial development without adequate stormwater controls. Alvin had discovered a new mission: to document the impact of stormwater on creeks in his area.

Alvin took photos of creeks before and after it rained. He recorded rain and creek levels that had monitors on them. He even adapted a tool we use to get samples from bridges for his own use. The first time Alvin sent me his findings, the file was so large it nearly crashed my computer. True story.

Alvin’s effort was monumental and helped our organization get a solid grasp on what was happening in Alvin’s part of the basin. There was one thing that Alvin did that made the biggest impact for our legislative effort.

He emailed his state legislators pictures of his yard every time it rained. You may recall we had a wet winter, so Alvin sent many emails. When I went to Raleigh early this session, Alvin’s legislators were always eager to meet with me to learn more about our effort. They didn’t just do it because I’m fun to talk to. Both Alvin’s State Senator and State Representative told me, “I have this constituent, Alvin, who keeps sending me emails about his backyard flooding when it rains. Do you know him? I’m troubled by what’s happening in my district.”

Oh, I do know Alvin!

Alvin has gone above and beyond the call of duty for our organization more than once. But he did the one thing we can all do. He spoke up. He contacted his elected officials and stayed in touch. Alvin didn’t just send an email. He sent multiple emails. His persistence was a key factor in having the Gaston County Delegation leading the charge on stormwater. While the bill didn’t pass this year, Alvin’s efforts helped set a strong foundation for our organization's legislative efforts in the future and set a great example for all of us!

Water Wins in Chester County, SC

Fri, 23 Jun 2023 17:35:59 GMT

At zoning meeting, Catawba Riverkeeper secured 100 foot vegetated buffers along 2 miles of stream!

Catawba Riverkeeper is your watchdog for our waterways! We pay attention to our whole surroundings and how water quality may be affected by activities and land uses, either positively or negatively.

In June, Southern Basin Watershed Manager Rachael Rosenstein and Policy Manager Ryan Carter were driving around the Fishing Creek area in South Carolina and came across a lawn sign advertising a Chester County Zoning public hearing meeting.

With less than a week before the meeting was to be held, Rachael got to work researching the properties that were applying for the special exception permits, namely what activities were currently happening and being proposed on the parcels, where they were located, and if any streams ran through them. She found out that two of the properties are connected in Fort Lawn, SC and are home to part of Dairy Branch and an unnamed tributary that flowed into it currently being used for logging, and the third is in Chester, appears to be forested, with Bull Skin Creek running through. The proposed activity was to turn these into solar fields.

You may be asking, “What can Catawba Riverkeeper propose at this meeting to help water quality?” The answer: buffers! Vegetated buffers along streams are vital to ensuring the health of water. The plants that exist in those areas help slow down rain as it falls and provide a natural filter to stormwater runoff that can contain pollutants, bacteria, and sediment that all reduce the quality of our water. More specifically, 100-foot buffers are the most effective and economical stormwater controls to ensure that water heath.

Geared up with the information she gained from her research and a short, prepared speech about the benefits of buffers to present, Rachael went to Chester to attend the public hearing. The solar company gave their presentation to the Zoning Board, and then Rachael was able to speak about buffers and request that the company maintain 100-foot vegetated buffers on all streams within the properties. With no resistance, the company and Board agreed! All in all, 100 feet on each side of the water for over 2 miles of streams will be protected. This just proves that with a little bit of work and a willing developer, we were able to create a big impact for our waters.

What can you do? Well, we cannot be everywhere all the time nor always checking the websites to see when these types of meetings are being held. If you ever come across this type of lawn sign in our basins, usually with a big “Z” on them, let us know and we can look into it, and/or attend the meetings yourself to advocate for clean water!

Community Power in Action: Southern Basin Clean-Up Efforts

Wed, 31 May 2023 15:39:43 GMT

Back-to-back weekend cleanups prove there is power in community.

Community partnerships and collective action can create a powerful force for positive change! A few weekends ago, the Southern Basin of the Catawba River witnessed two remarkable clean-up events that brought together dedicated volunteers from various backgrounds. From tire removals to a river cleanup, these efforts showcased the strength of collaboration and a commitment to environmental stewardship. Let's delve into the details of these inspiring initiatives and the impact they had on the community.

Saturday Clean-Up: Tackling Legacy Trash

At a cove off of Bird Island Road in the Lake Wateree area, a tactical clean-up operation took place to address the longstanding issue of discarded tires. These tires, likely remnants from the 70s or 80s, were initially intended as fish habitats or catfish traps. With previous attempts to remove them deemed unfeasible due to water levels, the current low water levels, caused by current Lake Wateree Dam repairs and updates, presented a unique opportunity for a more thorough clean-up.

A team of seven dedicated volunteers, including six members of the newly formed Tactical Tire Brigade, along with two staff members, came together to address the issue. Despite the challenging task, the group succeeded in removing a staggering total of 303 tires, weighing in at 9,605 lbs. Additionally, they collected 675 lbs of additional trash, resulting in a remarkable total of 10,280 pounds of waste cleared from the cove. This clean-up effort was crucial, as water levels are expected to return to normal next year after the dam repairs and updates are completed.

Sunday Clean-Up: Unity and Cultural Appreciation

The following day, a diverse group assembled for a clean-up initiative led by the Catawba Nation and Synchrony, as part of Synchrony's Diversity Networks+ program. Remote workers from different locations, some traveling up to two hours, came together to participate in this impactful event. This gathering allowed team members to meet one another and unite in their dedication to environmental conservation.

The clean-up began with a 7-mile paddle on the water, starting at River Park in Rock Hill and concluding at the Catawba Nation boat launch. As they paddled, participants discovered a large collection of deflated tubes washed up on Goat Island in the middle of the river. With a later start time, but happening concurrently, the land portion of the clean-up took place along the Catawba Greenway, further enhancing the effort's scope.

After the clean-up, members of the Catawba Nation came together to perform a traditional song, highlighting the cultural significance of the river and the importance of preserving tribal lands. The event fostered a sense of unity, with people from diverse backgrounds joining forces for a common purpose. First-time kayakers who had participated in the 7-mile trash paddle left the water inspired, ready to share their stories and encourage others to engage in similar projects.

These Catawba River clean-up initiatives in our Southern Basin exemplify the power of community collaboration and the importance of environmental responsibility. Through the tireless efforts of volunteers, legacy trash was removed, and a sense of unity was fostered. By coming together and dedicating their time and energy to safeguarding the environment, participants showcased their commitment to creating a better world. Let us be inspired by these remarkable endeavors and continue to take action in preserving our natural treasures.

*To explore the rich heritage and traditions of the Catawba Nation, we invite you to visit the Catawba Nation Cultural Center . Here, you can delve into the fascinating history, vibrant art, and compelling stories of the Catawba Nation. Learn about their deep connection to the river and gain a deeper appreciation for the land they cherish.

Sackett vs. EPA

Sat, 27 May 2023 11:07:40 GMT

SCOTUS overturned 45 years of precedent with this ruling

This week, the Supreme court voted 5-4 to remove federal Clean Water Act (CWA) protections from thousands of wetlands. While we are still analyzing the full impact that this will have locally, nationwide it will decrease the costs to develop flood-prone areas and shifts significant regulatory burden to the states.

In 1972, Congress directed the newly created EPA to restore and maintain the integrity of the nation’s waters. The CWA does not define the law’s jurisdiction, rather, it provides authority for EPA and the Army Corp to define “waters of the United States or WOTUS” in regulations. Since then, a series of agency definitions and court rulings have refined the scope of protections .

In the most recent ruling, Sackett vs EPA , all 9 judges ruled against the EPA that the wetland in question does not fall under federal jurisdiction. Waterkeepers, included Catawba Riverkeeper, filed an amicus brief in June 2022 urging the court to limit the scope of its ruling to the case at hand. However, 5 justices went further and overturned 45 years of precedent by excluding wetlands without a “continuous surface connection” to other jurisdictional waters. This would exclude many waterbodies traditionally protected such as wetlands only connected during flood events. This one size fits all approach ignores the well-established ecological importance of these waterbodies and could have significant impacts on flood resiliency. As Justice Kavanaugh noted the wetlands adjacent to Mississippi River levees will no longer be covered by the CWA, even though they are a critical part of the project’s flood control.

While both North and South Carolina have some protections for isolated wetlands, these provisions have already become the subject of administrative challenges and litigation . Due to the geology, historical agricultural practices, and modern development, the Catawba watershed has relatively few disconnected wetlands left. Those that remain, like Whitehall Preserve , are critical habitat for amphibians and protect adjacent property during flood events.

Catawba Riverkeeper will diligently continue our work at the local and state levels to preserve and restore our waters and protect the waterways our families and communities rely on for drinking, swimming, fishing, fueling local economies, and more.

May Membership Drive

diana@catawbariverkeeper.org (Diana Daniels) — Wed, 17 May 2023 18:23:00 GMT

Catawba Riverkeeper is hosting a membership drive!

Help us reach our goal of 100 new or returning members in the month of May!

Why should I become a member?

Members financially support our work to protect water quality. About 40% of our funding comes from individuals and families – people like you. When combined, membership contributions fund water quality monitoring, advocacy efforts, education programs, cleanups, and community science. Without these membership contributions, Catawba Riverkeeper couldn’t continue to be your independent watchdog for our waterways.
Members give Catawba Riverkeeper legal standing. When we can show that Catawba Riverkeeper represents residents of the basin, we can effectively advocate for legal protections.

How You Can Help

Join now if you aren’t already a member*.
Renew your membership.
Give a gift membership.
Ask a friend or neighbor to become a member.

What Members Get

Discounts on kayak rentals, guided tours, etc.
10% off merchandise in our online store. Rep your favorite nonprofit with sustainably manufactured apparel.
Voting rights at our Annual Meeting. Our Board of Directors is elected by our members. You get to choose who serves as leaders of Catawba Riverkeeper.
Invitations to exclusive, member-only events and priority registration at limited-capacity events. You’ll be the first to know about special events.
A copy of our print newsletter, mailed to your home. Read about the progress we’re making towards a healthier river because of our members.
Membership at The River Room and Confluence .

(When you join or renew, your official thank you letter will include a discount code for merchandise and certain kayak rentals/tours.)

Why Now?

May kicks off our busy season. Swim Guide launches this month. Interns will be arriving soon. We’re also opening our recreation season and expanding our retail programs. RiverFest is just around the corner. We need new and returning members to help us continue to educate, engage, and protect through our busiest time of year.

All new and returning members in the month of May will be entered to win a River Adventure package! The package includes Catawba Riverkeeper swag, a private paddle for 8 people, and a $50 gift card good at any of our retail locations ( The River Room , The Boathouse , Confluence ).

*Not sure if your membership is current? Email diana@catawbariverkeeper.org to find out.

Citizen Use of Pollution Reporter Leads to Accountability and Fines

Tue, 25 Apr 2023 18:27:31 GMT

Thanks to concerned citizens utilizing our Pollution Reporter Tool, Catawba Riverkeeper was able to track a spill and follow up with regulators.

There are many different ways to be involved with Catawba Riverkeeper that can help benefit water quality. Involvement can range from donating resources to volunteering your time and energy on cleanups to coming out to one of our retail locations and showing your financial support.

Did you know that another impactful way is to use the Pollution Reporter tool to share concerns you may have? You can report issues you see on either on our website or on the Catawba Riverkeeper App for Android or Apple !

Recently, multiple concerned citizens used the Pollution Reporter tool to help resolve a hydraulic oil spill on the Catawba River. Thanks to concerned citizens, Catawba Riverkeeper received reports just after New Year's Day about an oily substance floating down the Catawba River near Morganton. Within a matter of hours, we were able to visit the site and follow the discharge upstream to Silver Creek, a tributary of the Catawba River. After following the spill until it was not possible to go any further upstream, a spill boom (temporary floating barriers used to contain spills) was noticed to be stretched across the river, indicating someone knew of the spill and was actively trying to collect leaked material.

After notifying the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) we were able to learn that SGL Carbon in Morganton had suffered a hydraulic leak due to a frozen pipe during the cold snap at the end of 2022, resulting in an illicit discharge and thereby violating their National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. Over the next several days we continued to communicate with NCDEQ to learn more about the spill and to monitor the river for impacts. We were able to notify the public of the ongoing issue and recommend not recreating in that section of the Catawba until the spill was resolved.

After following up with NCDEQ, we later learned that between December 30th and January 4th approximately 75 gallons of hydraulic oil reached Silver Creek and the Catawba River. Following up with NCDEQ were able to confirm that a fine of over $8,000 had been administered and subsequently paid due to the violation.

Thanks to the involvement of concerned citizens reporting what they saw through our Pollution Reporter tool, we were able to successfully track the spill and follow up with the regulators to ensure the issues were not only corrected, but that action was taken to prevent spills in the future.

It may seem like a small thing to file a report on an app, but it takes everyone doing their part to make a big difference! Our Pollution Reporter tool is just one more way that you can get involved with Catawba Riverkeeper to help protect clean water for all!

Catawba Riverkeeper files to join the clean water citizen suit against New-Indy mill in Catawba, SC.

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 18:28:55 GMT

Represented by the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), Catawba Riverkeeper has filed a Motion to Intervene in the latest case against the New-Indy papermill.

Represented by the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), Catawba Riverkeeper has filed a Motion to Intervene in the latest case against the New-Indy papermill. We are seeking the court's approval to join the citizen suit which was filed on February 13th, 2023. The suit alleges that New- Indy’s waste disposal and storage practices violate federal pollution statutes, including the Clean Water Act. As an intervenor, our organization hopes to secure the cleanup of industrial waste stored on the banks of the Catawba River.

What does it mean to intervene in a lawsuit?

Under federal law, interested parties can request to join a lawsuit after it has been filed. Catawba Riverkeeper has filed to intervene to represent our mission, the interests of our members, and the well-being of the Catawba River. The plaintiffs’ legal team has welcomed the motion.

What is the lawsuit about?

There are currently several active cases against New-Indy, which are related to the smell. While we are sympathetic to nuisance and air quality concerns, Catawba Riverkeeper is focused on the mill’s current and future impacts to the Catawba River. The case we are joining (Chin et al v. New-Indy Catawba LLC, 0:23-cv-00602 (D.S.C. 2023)) alleges violations of the Clean Water Act and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, which governs the handling and disposal of solid waste.

Like the millions of tons of coal ash now being excavated from sites along the Catawba as a result of prior litigation, papermill waste is being stored in large unlined lagoons near the banks of the Catawba River. Our goal is to protect current and future users by requiring the removal of New-Indy’s waste from unlined storage near the river.

More information on the citizen suits can be found at newindyclassaction.com .

Let's Talk Stormwater! Introducing NC House Bill 511

Tue, 11 Apr 2023 15:00:40 GMT

Catawba Riverkeeper pushes for a law in North Carolina that would allow local communities the option to require developers to include stormwater management features on redevelopment projects.

Let’s talk about stormwater.

We know that stormwater is a problem when a high volume hit our creeks at a high velocity. Both occur when rain hits impervious surfaces and is not sent to some sort of retention pond or rain garden. Untreated stormwater, as it’s called, hits the impervious surface then flows directly into a stream or into a storm drain. Our basin and the state of North Carolina have some very old storm drain systems that we simply do not know where all these pipes go. In cases in Hickory and Morganton, we have abruptly found some when sinkholes form where stormwater pipes are overwhelmed by, again, a high volume and velocity of stormwater. Once this water leaves the pipes, wherever that may be, it sends a wall of water down the creek. This high volume and velocity of water leads to erosion of streambanks, leading to a loss of land, depositing it into downstream communities. This water also degrades water quality and chokes out aquatic life. Think of it as smog for fish. If you live in Gaston County, check out Duharts Creek. If you’re in Mecklenburg, check out where Sugar Creek flows into South Carolina.

What can we do about it? Right now? Not much. North Carolina law prohibits local communities from having ordinances that could require stormwater features to be added to redevelopment projects. No community in NC had stormwater management requirements prior to the late 1970s. Even then, our first ordinances focused on getting water off paved surfaces quickly, ignoring the impact of this runoff on downstream communities. In short, we have a lot of impervious surfaces that is contributing to this stormwater runoff problem.

The week of March 27 was a remarkable time in the fight to improve water quality in NC. The week started with the Medicaid expansion ceremony, followed by a gubernatorial veto override, a massive vote on online sports gambling, and, the House’s budget was released. If that wasn’t enough, visiting the General Assembly was everyone from nursing students to realtors to community college advocates and even your NC Riverkeepers!

In the midst of all this commotion, a critical piece of legislation was filed. House Bill 511 was introduced by Representatives Donnie Loftis (R-Gaston), Terry Brown (D-Mecklenburg), and Hugh Blackwell (R-Burke). 14 additional legislators have signed on in support with roughly half coming from the Catawba Basin Delegation. These 17 legislators represent communities from the NC-TN border to the urban areas of the Piedmont to the coastal planes to the tide waters. An interesting note is that the first, four legislators who signed on the bill (the three previously listed and Representative Dudley Greene (R - Avery, McDowell, Mitchell, Yancey) represent the two headwaters' districts and the last two districts of our river before it crosses the state line.

So what does HB 511 actually do? It’s all about those existing impervious surfaces. Think of an old mill or an old strip mall or just a big parking lot not doing anything, other than contributing a high volume and velocity of stormwater to your local creek. If a property like this was going to be redeveloped or turned into something new, this bill would allow a local community the option to require the developer to include stormwater management features. This would apply to industrial, commercial, multifamily, or mixed-use redevelopment.

This bill has a long way to go before we see local communities in NC having this kind or ordinances but we’ve taken a big step. We are grateful for our basin delegation’s leadership and implore them to keep up the great work.

Catawba Riverkeeper to share leadership with Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden

Wed, 05 Apr 2023 14:45:00 GMT

John Searby continues to be the Executive Director of Catawba Riverkeeper while also leading Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden towards its long-term vision

If you've been involved with Catawba Riverkeeper in the last 4 years, you've seen the tremendous growth through which John Searby has led the organization. With the support of dedicated staff, volunteers, and members, John's visionary leadership has propelled Catawba Riverkeeper into a premier environmental nonprofit. One key to his success has been an emphasis on collaboration between nonprofit, for profit, and government organizations who share a common mission of protecting and improving the environment and the quality of life for the people of this region.

Now, John has the opportunity to lead both Catawba Riverkeeper and ally in the nature movement, Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden, to new heights through a shared leadership model.

“It’s about nature preservation,” said John, who stepped into the Garden’s director role on March 1. “Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden and the Catawba Riverkeeper share a deep-rooted passion for the world around us – from clean water to North Carolina’s beauty to fun and education. This shared leadership will allow us to converge our missions and work smarter toward effectively accomplishing our goals. “I look forward to bringing Catawba Riverkeeper and the Garden together in their visions and their day-to-day work to truly propel the importance of nature and preserve it for generations to come.”

Board Chair Adam Ackerman shares his excitement for John's dual role saying, "Catawba Riverkeeper looks forward to this shared leadership model with Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden. The synergies of our organizations will help us achieve our long-term strategic plan with John at the helm. With the property of the Garden having a footprint on the banks of our river, we see this move only helping our mission of preserving, protecting and restoring the Catawba."

Remembering Tim Mead

Wed, 29 Mar 2023 14:15:48 GMT

Remembering founding board member and champion of the River, Tim Mead

The Catawba Riverkeeper family was saddened to learn this week that Tim Mead, one of our founding board members and a tireless protector of the Catawba River, passed away.

Tim was a lifelong fisherman who moved to the Carolinas to teach at UNC Charlotte and immediately became involved with water quality issues in the region.

After chairing the Centralina Council of Governments Committee that recommended the creation of a Riverkeeper organization, Tim was a part of the founding board of directors.

Tim continued to serve the river basin after his time on the board in leadership roles with Trout Unlimited and the Catawba-Wateree Relicensing Coalition, the group of stakeholders that guided the inclusion of dozens of recreation projects in Duke Energy's most recent FERC license.

Tim had a heart of gold, an amazing sense of humor, and was a talented nature writer. His impact on our organization and the entire river basin is immense and he will be missed by many who loved and worked alongside him.

Beavers + Restoration?

Tue, 28 Mar 2023 19:26:46 GMT

Could beavers help restore our waterways?

On Saturday, March 4, Catawba Riverkeeper and Foothills Conservancy were joined by 35 volunteers to build Beaver Dam Analogs to restore a small unnamed tributary of Canoe Creek! Learn more about Beaver Dam Analogs

With this being just 1 of a handful of projects like this in the Southeastern United States, it was truly a historic day for restoration for Catawba Riverkeeper.

In total, 5 dams were built, making a total of 6 Beaver Dam Analogs constructed on the property. We will be monitoring these structures for the next several years, thanks to University Partners from Appalachian State University, University of North Carolina Charlotte, and Montreat College. The monitoring will range from looking at water quality, as well as biologic monitoring looking at the fish and aquatic insect communities.

Thank you to everyone that came out to contribute your time and effort to help make this project a success! We will be posting updates to our social media pages and are looking forward to learning how Beaver Dam Analogs are used for restoring streams.

Shoreline Stabilization on Lake Wateree

Fri, 24 Mar 2023 16:01:33 GMT

Opportunity to plant native plants to improve shorelines and wildlife habitat

Thanks to funds received from the Duke Energy Habitat Enhancement Program grant, Catawba Riverkeeper will be completing a shoreline stabilization project along the banks of the Lake. We intend to take advantage of the drawdown to assist residents in planting native plant species on their private property and to teach and mobilize volunteers to complete stabilization and habitat improvement activities on public lands.

Mark your calendars! Two public meetings will be held in April to provide more detailed information about this project. If you live or own property on Lake Wateree, we especially encourage you to attend one of the meetings, but anyone is welcome.

Thursday, April 13 | 6: 30pm | Great Falls War Memorial Building (401 Dearborn St., Great Falls, SC)
Saturday, April 15 | 1pm | National Steeplechase Museum (200 Knights Hill Rd., Camden, SC)

The planting activities will be conducted just before the spring of 2024 as the water levels return to normal.

More details and specifics for this ongoing project will be given at the public meetings and on our website as it progresses.

Check out Southern Catawba & Wateree Basins Protection and Restoration Plan to learn more about this project and others like it.

Summer 2023 Internships Are Here!

stephanie.n@catawbariverkeeper.org (Steph Newman) — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 17:18:28 GMT

Internship postings for the summer of 2023 are now open!

It’s that time of year again! Catawba Riverkeeper is looking for a new group of summer interns to not only help us in our mission to preserve, protect, and restore the waters of the Catawba-Wateree River Basin, but to gain valuable experience, knowledge, and insight into the day-to-day operations of a non-profit organization.

Internships give students valuable hands-on experience in their chosen field. With Catawba Riverkeeper, our interns will not only have an office experience, but will have on-the-water training as a part of their time with us!

With several different options for internships, we have opportunities for students from several different disciplines. Check out our list of available internship tracks:

Riverkeeper Intern (2 positions available): Riverkeeper Interns will have a unique opportunity with an internship working both indoors analyzing data and outdoors with field work. Work will include analyzing pollution data, managing projects leading to direct policy change, assisting with waterway patrols, collecting samples in the field, and running laboratory equipment.

Northern Basin Intern (1 position available): The Northern Basin Intern will assist with analyzing pollution data, managing projects leading to direct policy change, assisting with waterway patrols, collecting samples in the field, and running laboratory equipment. On Thursdays and Fridays, the Northern Basin Intern will help collect weekly bacterial data of water samples from across the Northern Catawba River Basin (Lake James, Lake Rhodhiss, Lake Hickory, and Lookout Shoals Reservoir).

Southern Basin Intern (1 position available): The Southern Basin Intern will assist with analyzing pollution data, researching for projects leading to direct policy change, assisting with waterway patrols, collecting samples in the field, and running laboratory equipment. Interns will learn how to collect samples, prepare them for analysis, and track sources of pollutants they identify. Each Thursday and Friday, the intern will help with Swim Guide by traveling across the Southern Catawba River Basin to collect and return water samples for bacterial data from both Lake Wylie and Lake Wateree.

Community Outreach Intern (1 position available): The Community Outreach Intern will hold a dynamic position in the summer of 2023. They are responsible for assisting with volunteer and community science programs, as well as completing a keystone project during their internship.

Environmental Education Intern (1 position available): The EE Intern will assist with camp and summer programs, as well as day-to-day activities alongside the Education Manager. As an educator, the intern will be expected to lead Riverkeeper programs using provided curriculum. They will also be responsible for Animal Ambassador Care including the maintenance and upkeep of the native fish tank and turtle aquarium and provide regular enrichment for the animals. They will assist the Education Manager with program planning, execution, and evaluation. As needed, the intern will help with our Floating Classroom programs on Lake Norman.

Marketing & Events Intern (1 position available): The Marketing and Events intern will work with the Catawba Riverkeeper Community team to plan, design, and execute the organization’s marketing campaign strategies and assist with the planning and execution of special events. The intern will work towards increasing public engagement with Catawba Riverkeeper through the creation of digital content (primarily social media, email, and website), and will play a key supporting role in organizing and executing special events.

Engagement Intern (1 position available): The Engagement Intern will hold a dynamic position in the summer of 2023. They will support a variety of on-the-water recreation programs and initiatives set forth by the Protect Team. Main duties will include helping execute on-the-water recreation, education, and cleanup programs, supporting logistical distribution and maintenance of paddling equipment, gathering water samples, water quality, and recreation data, and curating photo and video content to support Protect Team and Marketing projects.

Are you, or someone you know, interested in applying for one of our summer internships? You can find full descriptions of each position, as well as instructions for applying on our Jobs and Internships page.

We can’t wait for another summer spent with a vibrant community of student leaders!

Great Falls Whitewater Project

Fri, 27 Jan 2023 21:07:26 GMT

Updates on the Great Falls Project to restore aquatic habitat and provide recreational opportunities

Updates as of January 2023:

A group of professionals are continuing to clear trees/hazards from the long reach bypass
They are doing continued trial runs to assess safety at various water levels
Dam construction is complete
Emergency response training will begin in February
The island trail is still set to be completed in March 2023
The channels are not open for public use until March 2023

The Great Falls Project is a multifaceted endeavor to restore aquatic habitat and provide recreational opportunities. It began with Duke Energy’s receipt of a new license in November 2015 within the Town of Great Falls for the area from the Fishing Creek Reservoir to the bottom of the Cedar Creek Reservoir. The project includes modifications to two dams - the main Great Falls Diversion Dam in the north at the Fishing Creek Reservoir just before the long bypass (to the east, river left), and the smaller dam to the south at the Great Falls Reservoir just before the short bypass (to the west, river right).

The northern dam is being adjusted in two ways. Prior to this project, there was no minimum flow requirement for the dam which meant that the long bypass was left dry except during high flows. Thus, on one side, there will be a point that will allow for a minimum flow of water at all times. This is great news for the river ecosystem as it will return water flow to a more natural level which will restore habitat that has not been seen in at least one century. This will be beneficial to both plants and animals, hopefully giving native species a greater chance at life. It also allows for the recreational use of that path which was previously too unsafe for most paddlers. On the other side, a ramp-like structure is being installed that will be used during the higher recreational flow releases for boaters to then navigate the 2.25 mile stretch below. Construction on the dams were expected to be completed by December 2022, but heavy rains have pushed this out to February 2023. There will be an operational testing period until the official completion deadline at the end of April 2023 and an additional trial operations period through October 2025 to confirm the proper flow rates and times.

The southern dam adjustments will also allow for a regular flow of water, recreational releases, and flood management. Aptly named the “short reach” as it is only 0.75 miles long, the faster drop in elevation from the dam to where the waterway meets up with the long reach will provide for more rapid, higher-class whitewater. As with the long reach, the ecosystem will benefit from this renewed flow of water. Construction on the short bypass access area cannot begin until construction ends at the long bypass, however, Duke hopes to have this completed by mid-summer 2023.

In addition to the dam modifications, this project includes:

the installment of a parking area (Nitrolee Access) and restoration of the historic nitrogen manufacturing building to be completed at the end of October 2022;
an extension of the Carolina Thread Trail with construction set to begin soon and be complete by early summer 2023;
a new visitor center which will be the renovated Company Store Building (Belk) with construction to begin in fall 2022 and be complete shortly after the recreational flows begin in 2023;
the designation of a new State Park on Dearborn Island. The Island is currently inaccessible on foot, so a pedestrian bridge will be built connecting the northwestern side of the island to a parking area. The park itself is currently set to open in 2025, although the bridge construction will begin in 2024 and will not be complete until 2027; and
a kayak launch near the pedestrian bridge, construction to begin at the same time as the bridge in 2024.

Beyond the immediate scope of this project, design will soon begin on the trails that will lead to the railbed, pedestrian bridge and kayak launch. The goal is to have the trails and roadways completed at the time the State Park opens. Further, the Mudcat Inn access area (below the Great Falls Dam) has a deadline date of 2027, however Duke has said they plan to have it completed before that date. Lastly, a fishing platform in the area of the tail race of Fishing Creek Dam has a deadline date of 2027, although Duke has indicated it will probably be earlier.

Catawba Riverkeeper is working closely with stakeholders and participating in the Planning Committee meetings for this endeavor. It is our hope that the increased recreational access to this river and renewal of water flow will raise peoples’ awareness of how important it is to care for our resources. It is a great opportunity to be a part of this project, help promote environmental protection, and document the ecosystem restoration that will occur as a result.

Planned enhancements PDF - https://www.duke-energy.com/_/media/pdfs/community/lakes-and-rec/catawba-wateree/great-falls-enhancements-flyer.pdf?la=en
News video, Feb 2021 - https://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/whitewater-project-coming-sc-could-boost-eco-tourism/UHD7XGEW2FCFJO6QASPW6N3WWM/
News video, Oct 2021 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mxhtz9OEUg
Another news video, Oct 2021 - https://www.cn2.com/effort-to-bring-life-back-to-great-falls-through-nature-based-tourism/
Go Magazine article, Nov 2021 - https://go.carolinas.aaa.com/go-magazine/online-exclusive/great-falls-sc-white-water-recreation/
News, May 2022 - https://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/Article/view/article_id/k5txZzh2n7TRJJfutbmEh/
Update doc, Jun 2022 - https://elibrary.ferc.gov/eLibrary/filelist?accession_num=20220613-5022
Duke site video update, Jun 2022 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KMb8RxFLCM
News article Jan 2023 - https://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/whitewater-attraction-chester-county-getting-close-completion/KZ4ZH7JYRBHOVFPLBWEM7PUUNQ/

Could beavers help restore our streams?

Fri, 27 Jan 2023 15:55:46 GMT

Could beavers help restore our streams?

There is a new growing trend in using beavers to restore streams.

That’s right, we are looking to the largest rodent in North America to help save our streams.

Once widespread across most of North America and numbering in the ~250,000,000 range, beavers once dominated riverine landscapes. Beavers were even common in the Catawba River Basin. An early European explorer marveled at the presence of Beaver on the landscape, as stated by John Lawson during the 1700s on his route through the Carolinas including parts of the Catawba Basin, during which he wrote “Bevers are very numerous in  Carolina,  their being abundance of their Dams in all Parts of the Country, where I have travel'd.”

So where did they all go?

Well, due to a growing fashion trend in the middle 1800s, beaver pelts became in high demand for use as hats. Their naturally water repellant coat made for an excellent rain resistant material.

Not only were beavers killed around this time for their coats, but much of our agriculture practices at that point involved draining wetlands and removing beavers in order to take advantage of the fertile floodplain soils. These activities resulted in the beaver being virtually extirpated from most of its range and the last beaver in North Carolina was trapped at the start of the 20th century.

Efforts were made to repopulate areas and went as far as parachuting beaver via plane in some areas. Repopulation efforts did prove somewhat successful aided by the dying out of the fur trade. However beaver populations are nowhere near their historic numbers, with estimates closer to 15,000,000 in the United States today.

What do beavers have to do with streams?

Well, as it turns out beavers play a significant role in the health of our river systems. Emerging research in the western United States involving creating “fake” beaver dams has allowed beavers to recolonize streams, bringing along their benefits. Beavers are proving to play a vital role with many of the challenges the arid west faces. Their ponds contribute to slowing down snow runoff and increasing ground water infiltration resulting in wetter areas that have been able to make streams that used to run dry full of water year around. The ponds they create also have contributed to fire resiliency by helping create a giant wet sponge that is difficult for fires to ignite. The habitat beavers create also allows for pollutants to be filtered and streams to access their floodplains, reducing bank erosion and sedimentation. Lastly, their ponds have also been linked to carbon sequestration making beavers a potential triple threat for fighting climate change and its impacts.

As the use of beavers to restore streams has grown out west, the question has been raised as to what their role is in the quite different environment of the Southeast.

Can we see the same benefits of pollution filtration and floodplain reconnection? Will the beavers find these human-made beaver dams and become restoration project managers?

These are the exact questions Catawba Riverkeeper is hoping to help answer by piloting one of the few Beaver Dam Analog (BDA) projects to take place in the entire Southeast and we need your help!

We will be installing a series of Beaver Dam Analogs on property conserved by Foothills Conservancy . These installations will be followed by monitoring from students at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Appalachian State University, and Montreat College. With our partners, we hope to closely monitor the effects of the Beaver Dam Analogs to get a better idea of how useful beavers might be in the Southeast for stream restoration.

With typical stream restoration costing upwards of millions of dollars, the potential cost savings through BDAs are significant. A mile of Beaver Dam Analogs offers a relatively cheap alternative to restoration at around a few thousands of dollars a mile.

Much remains to be learned about the abilities of beavers to restore streams, but with hundreds of miles of streams that need to be restored, all options must be explored.

This potential new tool was made possible by a successful North Carolina Land and Water Fund restoration grant and permits obtained by the Army Corp of Engineers and the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality.

We will have a public volunteer day on 3/4 for this unique opportunity to think, and even act, like a beaver to help restore a stream. Sign up at our volunteer portal for updates and notifications about other ways you can get involved to help protect our rivers.

Annual Members' Meeting - January 24

Thu, 12 Jan 2023 19:43:18 GMT

Annual Catawba Riverkeeper Members Meeting

Please join the Catawba Riverkeeper staff and board of directors at The River Room, the home of our new headquarters, for our annual members meeting!

The program will feature organizational update from our program leaders and Executive Director John Searby as well as the State of the River Report from Riverkeeper Brandon Jones.

The meeting will feature complimentary light snacks and drinks for purchase. Catawba Riverkeeper merchandise will be for sale at the event and opportunities to give to support various programs will be presented throughout the evening.

A VIRTUAL OPTION WILL BE PROVIDED AS WELL . All registered attendees will receive an email with the virtual log in information within 24 hours of the event.

Carolina Eco Innovators Scholarship

Fri, 06 Jan 2023 15:44:08 GMT

Carolina Eco Innovators Scholarship 2023 is Open!

Competition Overview

It's that time again, the Carolina Eco-Innovators Scholarship application is open!

Competition Overview:

The “Shark Tank” style scholarship competition for local high school students who have an innovative idea to tackle an environmental problem facing our region is back! Applicants are invited to submit their solution to an environmental problem our local communities face. Submissions will include a written and a video component. The finalists will work with a mentor from their corresponding nonprofit to prepare a final presentation of their plan. Final presentations will be held on stage in front of an audience and a panel of judges, who will determine the winners of the scholarships. The final event will be hosted in March 2023.

Timeline:

Submissions accepted: December 1st, 2022 – January 31st, 2023

Submissions evaluated: February 1st, 2023 – February 14th, 2023

Finalists notified by: February 15th, 2023

Final Presentation: March 21st, 2023

Grand Prize - $4,000 Scholarship

First Runner-up - $2,000 Scholarship

Second Runner-up - $1,000 Scholarship

Audience Vote Winner - $500 Scholarship

Eligibility:

Local high school students that are residents from the following counties are eligible to compete.

North Carolina: Alexander, Catawba, Lincoln, Cleveland, Gaston, Iredell, Rowan, Cabarrus, Mecklenburg, Union, Stanly

South Carolina: York, Lancaster, Chester

Submission form here

Full rules here

Water Quality and Total Suspended Solids

Tue, 03 Jan 2023 16:15:21 GMT

Little Sugar Creek Water Quality

Total Suspended Solids (TSS) (Oct 2022)

We can’t stress enough how much stormwater impacts the health of our waters! In an effort to continue measuring this throughout the Catawba-Wateree Watersheds, our Riverkeeper Brandon and Southern Basin Watershed Manager Rachael went out to Sugar Creek to take water samples just after Hurricane Ian came through.

There are many indicators of good or poor water quality, each with their own methods of testing and assessment. One that you all may be familiar with is the E. Coli testing that we do throughout the summer for Swim Guide that lets us tell you whether or not the water is safe to swim in. Another indicator of water quality is provided through measuring total suspended solids (TSS) -- this is what Brandon and Rachael were sampling for. Per the United States Geological Survey (USGS), TSS is used to numerically measure concentrations of suspended organic and inorganic particles in surface water. Put a little more simply, TSS includes anything living or non-living that gets mixed up or floats around in waters that you can see above ground (creeks, rivers, etc.). With our lab equipment, we can measure these types of particles down to 2 microns in size – to help put that in perspective, a grain of table salt is 120 microns! And yes, stuff that small matters!

A high TSS concentration indicates poor water quality for several reasons. Most basically, it means there is a lot of stuff in the water, and typically that is not a good thing. Take for example a mountain stream with water so clear that you can see minnows, other fish, lots of bugs, crayfish, etc. There is a good chance that the TSS there is going to be low. Compare that to most any of our urban water after a rainstorm when it looks brownish, reddish, muddy, and you can’t see a thing in there, the TSS would likely be high.

An increase in TSS during and after rain events is natural, but the amount and significance vary as a result of human activity. A forest stream will see a slightly higher rate as the bottom gets stirred up, dirt from the banks flows in, etc., but the surrounding plants do a great job of filtering out a lot of what otherwise could end up in the waterbody. In contrast, an urban area would include runoff from buildings, construction sites, highways, parking lots, etc., all of which contain materials that contribute to TSS in the water.

To tie all of this back to why we chose to sample Sugar Creek, it is because it’s the main waterbody that is directly fed by runoff that flows through the greater Charlotte area and ultimately into the Catawba and Wateree Rivers in South Carolina. This means that a drop of water falling onto a construction site in Charlotte will flow through our entire Southern Basin and wind up all the way at the confluence with the Congaree River.

How does this impact you? Well, one drop of water carrying dirt wouldn’t, but the volume of water when it rains over this large land area contributes significantly to our water quality. The more stuff that is in the water, the higher the turbidity (a fancy way of saying how clear or not the water is – low turbidity is clear water, high turbidity is murky). This causes a reduction in visibility and increase in light absorption which can increase stream temperatures, decrease dissolved oxygen levels, limit aquatic plant growth, and harm aquatic animal life. Those drops of water can also contain chemicals, microplastics, E. Coli, and heavy metals like mercury that make the water unsafe for human contact and consumption.

What were the results of our sample? After collecting the water, we ran it through a filter to measure the weight of solids per volume of water, also known as Total Suspended Solids or TSS. Our calculations showed that about 10 shipping containers worth (650 cubic meters) of sediment is eroding from Mecklenburg County and moving down Sugar Creek with each major storm.

Catawba Quest

Tue, 27 Dec 2022 22:14:59 GMT

The Catawba Quest has been finished!

So, what is Catawba Quest?

Ever since I started working for Catawba Riverkeeper, I have dreamed of exploring the Catawba and Wateree Rivers from the source to its confluence with the Congaree River. In 2021, I set the wheels in motion to make this dream a reality and started the planning process. I intentionally gave myself a year (2022) to complete the goal to allow time to document and connect with the river recreationally, environmentally, and historically. It shouldn’t be a race to the finish line, it should be a chance to really get to know our basin and all its glory. Throughout the trip, I experienced geographical changes, weather conditions, wildlife, environmental concerns, and incredible scenery. From pristine water and wilderness at the headwaters, to cypress forests and bird sanctuaries at the tailwaters. From exhilarating whitewater raging through Great Falls to stagnant fog covering lakes, quiet and motionless as far as the eye could see, I saw it all.

Something else that I took away from this experience was just how important Catawba Riverkeeper's work in protecting and preserving our waters really is. By taking my time traveling the river, I was able to document areas where litter collects for future cleanups and exciting new paddles for future engagements. I was able to locate, sample, and report HABs (Harmful Algae Blooms), turbid waterways, discharge sites, illegal construction practices within the riparian buffer, and much more. As most of you know, Catawba Riverkeeper offers various recreational programs to explore different sections of the river, so whenever possible, I tried to incorporate these into my quest days.

There were so many wonderful people who made this trip possible. To all the staff, guests, dedicated members, partners, and friends of the river that accompanied me on the water or picked me up from a strange destination in the middle of nowhere, thank you. Nothing we do is possible without your support.

Keep an eye out in the future for more of our discoveries from Catawba Quest!

Greg completes the Catawba Quest!

Retail in 2022

Tue, 27 Dec 2022 17:03:03 GMT

2022 Retail Recap

2022 has been an exciting year in so many ways for Catawba Riverkeeper! We’ve collected more samples than any previous year, educated more young people than ever before, and engaged thousands through our on-the-water and volunteer programs. One of the more interesting, challenging, and beneficial changes this year has been the addition of our retail spaces at Catawba Riverkeeper. This year we added 3 unique retail spaces, each with its own slate of programs and offerings that allow the public to engage with our mission and our staff in fun, interesting, and informational ways. Here’s a snapshot of our new spaces and what to expect when you visit:

The River Room is the front of house portion of our new headquarters in downtown McAdenville. Located at 102 Main St, Suite 100, McAdenville, NC, The River Room is the anchor tenant of the Dynamo 31 building, an adaptive reuse project that converted a 1940’s era mill building to modern Class A office space with a retro vibe. The River Room is a taproom that serves 12 beers on tap (all from breweries who take their water from the Catawba) and a selection of canned beer, wine and craft cocktails as well. We operate the River Room as a private club with ALL members of Catawba Riverkeeper included at no additional membership fee. Guests who choose not to become full members of Catawba Riverkeeper can purchase a limited membership to enjoy the River Room the day of their visit. In addition to the taproom, The River Room also offers a multi-purpose space that is available for rental by members and a patio to enjoy the lovely McAdenville Lake and surrounding area. The River Room is open Wed-Fri, 4-9p and Sat/Sun, 2-9p.

Confluence is an Arts, Music, and Recreation Center on the banks of the river in Cramerton, NC. Catawba Riverkeeper operates the space Thur/Fri, 4-9p, Sat, 2-9p, and Sun, 12-6p (Hours subject to change seasonally with the weather). Confluence is funded through the generous support of the Town of Cramerton and all of the proceeds of the programs, merchandise, and beverage sales go to fund the South Fork Collective, a project led by Catawba Riverkeeper that includes all of the municipalities, non-profits, utilities, and several for profit businesses in Gaston County who rely on the South Fork for the health and vibrancy of their communities. Confluence is unique in that it promotes not only the health of the river itself, but also the life in riverfront communities. Through partnership with local artists, musicians, and recreation organizations we offer residents and visitors alike the opportunity to engage with local art and music or rent a kayak, bike, fishing equipment, or other outdoor recreation items to get out and play! The bar at Confluence offers a wide variety of beer, wine, and cider as well as soft drinks and water. Our robust retail space features merchandise from the Town of Cramerton, Catawba Riverkeeper, and several other partners. And our art gallery includes dozens of pieces of art by local artists for sale in a variety of mediums. Once a week we feature local musicians in both free and ticketed concerts and you can participate in the music and art through classes for adults and children alike.

The Boathouse , our first foray into retail, opened in spring 2022 as a kayak outfitter and trailhead store at the South Fork Trail parking area in McAdenville, NC. For much of 2022, The Boathouse also served as our temporary offices. The Boathouse features seasonal public recreational offerings Saturdays and Sundays, May-September and supports private events year round. The Boathouse provides kayak rentals during the paddling season and also is the gathering place for many of our guided kayak programs throughout the year. Guests can grab any last minute items they might have forgotten for their trip like water, dry bags, sunscreen, or apparel as well as enjoying a cold beer, seltzer, or soft drink after their hike, bike, or paddle on the South Fork Trail or South Fork Blueway. There are public bathrooms accessible to all during normal business hours and the property also includes all-important storage for our boats, kayaks, canoes, trailers, trucks, and many other program supplies.

We are proud of all three of our retail spaces and we’re confident that no matter what you’re looking for you can find it at one of these spots. It has been amazing to see the increased level of awareness for Catawba Riverkeeper and our important work to preserve, protect, and restore the Catawba-Wateree River basin because of our public facing spaces. We anticipate that in 2023 approximately 15% of our revenue will be generated from our retail spaces and we invite you to come out to any and all of them to not only have fun with friends and family, but also to support our work. If you are interested in booking a private event at any of our spaces, please email vanessa.c@catawbariverkeeper.org for rates, availability, and space details. We hope to see you on and near the river in 2023!

My View From the River

Thu, 22 Dec 2022 15:51:08 GMT

December 2022

As 2022 comes to a close, I am reflecting on all that we have accomplished as an organization this year. As a member of Catawba Riverkeeper, YOU have been a part of all of the incredible work that we have accomplished, and I hope you enjoy reading about it in this newsletter and in our expanded coverage on the website.

Our Vision 2025 Capacity Campaign has been a huge success thus far and we are planning on putting a bow on it on February 25, 2023 at our 25th Anniversary Gala. That night we will celebrate the work of Catawba Riverkeeper since our founding in 1997 and look forward to the next 25 years. All of the funds raised at the gala will go to growing our organization’s endowment, the funding that ensures that no matter what circumstances are thrown at us, we will always have the resources to employ a Riverkeeper and support that person with a team of scientists, educators, and advocates to do the work of advocating for clean water.

This event is the culmination of three years of effort by countless staff, volunteers, board members, donors, and partners to achieve the two primary goals of our founders: To have a full basin view of the challenges facing our river AND to be a consistent on-the-water presence to engage our communities in coming alongside us in this work. The Vision 2025 campaign has allowed us to do the following towards achieving those goals:

- Open our new headquarters and Boathouse in McAdenville

- Open a satellite office in the Northern Basin in Morganton, NC complete with a state certified lab

- Develop the Outdoor Classroom in Ft. Lawn, SC

- Purchase a Floating Classroom to be docked on Lake Norman in spring 2023

- Expand our education and engagement programs across the basin

- Expand our work to protect our important urban creeks and streams in Mecklenburg County.

For all of you who have participated in Vision 2025, we want to say a huge “thank you” for helping us accomplish so much over the past 3 years. If you haven’t had an opportunity to contribute financially yet to Vision 2025, I would encourage you to stop by The River Room in McAdenville, participate in one of our upcoming programs, or spend some time on our redesigned website learning about all of the work we are doing and let us know where you would like to direct your gift.

It is a beautiful view from the banks of the river today because I can see them from the front patio of our offices and I know that our team of nearly 7,000 members and growing is behind us to ensure clean and plentiful water for generations to come.

For the River,

John Searby

Catawba Riverkeeper and CAFOs

hank.t@catawbariverkeeper.org (Hank Talmadge ) — Mon, 12 Dec 2022 15:48:59 GMT

Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations and Catawba Riverkeeper over the Years

Background

Chicken and turkey production has increased by 33% over the past 20 years, with more than half of that growth occurring in the past 5 years. By some measures, North Carolina is the number one chicken producing state in the entire country.

While poultry production in the United States has increased, the total number of farms has decreased. Now, 97% of the 9 billion chickens produced for consumption each year are raised in Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations or CAFOs.

Why is this a problem? It comes down to the waste products of these CAFOs. The farms are not required to have permits or inspections for the waste, because the waste is not directly discharged into surface waters. However, the waste can be mobilized in runoff or subsurface flow and become a direct threat to water quality. The waste, known as dry litter, is a mixture of manure, bedding, and feathers that contains nutrients, heavy metals, and pathogens.

Big Poultry in North Carolina Observer Series

The Impacts of Dry Litter Poultry Operations on NC Water Quality

Locations

Catawba Riverkeeper has been engaged with this issue over the last 10 years. Our current Riverkeeper and his predecessor were aware that CAFOs are a major threat to water quality throughout the whole basin, but particularly in the Northern Basin where the majority of farms are located. Learn about CAFOs in the Catawba River Basin here.

Locating these facilities is another issue. Officials in the NC Department of Agriculture keep the locations of poultry operations confidential. They do not share the locations with the Department of Environmental Quality, who is supposed to confirm the facilities are not impacting our states waters. This lack of transparency causes many issues, namely uncertainty about the location and scope of pollution. The only way to find the facilities is through satellite imagery or observation from a private aircraft.

Our partners at the Environmental Working group have been using satellite imagery over recent years to find the houses and volunteer pilots from Southwings have been assisting with dozens of flights over the last decade.

Interactive Map by the Environmental Working Group

What can you do?

Given these concerns and the rapid rate of poultry expansion in North Carolina, there is an urgent need for stronger poultry industry regulation.

Pollution from CAFOs is a complicated issue. The drinking water, employment, and quality of life for communities across our basin is at stake. There is no single action that will remedy the associated issues. These issue didn't start overnight and the solutions will not happen immediately either.

Our elected officials are in the unique position to question government agencies and hold public conversations about the issues. The North Carolina General Assembly is particularly well positioned to hold these conversations.

Your legislators need to hear from you. We encourage you to contact your state legislators and let them know that pollution from CAFOs is important to you and that you’d like for them to hold hearings to find out what is really going on with this industry.

Not sure who your legislators are? Check the links below...

For North Carolina residents... CLICK HERE .

For South Carolina residents... CLICK HERE.

Until the start of the 2023 legislative session, individuals can best help by eating less factory-farmed meat and supporting environmental nonprofits such as the Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation. We need citizens to ask candidates about water quality and support those who will help protect one of our most precious resources.

Waterkeepers Carolina is hoping for regulatory action to prevent new operations from being constructed within the 500-year flood plain, increased records transparency, and establish a permitting process.

Additional Information

Farms in the Floodplain

A Farmer's Story about CAFOs

More Farms at risk in the floodplain

CAFOs in the Catawba River Basin

CAFOs in Eastern North Carolina

Dry Litter Literature Review

Armstrong Ford Dam Removal Public Meeting

hank.t@catawbariverkeeper.org (Hank Talmadge ) — Wed, 07 Dec 2022 16:33:21 GMT

Armstrong Ford Dam Removal Public Meeting

Please join Catawba Riverkeeper and Wildlands Engineering on Monday, December 12 from 5-7:30 for an open house style public meeting to learn the outcomes of the Armstrong Ford Dam Removal Feasibility Study. The event will be held at Confluence , 117 Center Street, Cramerton, NC 28032 and is open to all. The Armstrong Ford Dam is a low head spillway dam that was constructed in 1926 to serve as the foundation for the bridge across the South Fork River between what is now Cramerton and Belmont.

Earlier this year, Catawba Riverkeeper, with support from the Town of Cramerton, City of Belmont, and Gaston County engaged Wildlands Engineering to complete a feasibility study to determine the impacts on water quality, flood resiliency, wildlife, and recreational access of removing the dam. This project is in alignment with the stated goals of the South Fork Collective to find ways to improve the water quality, flood resiliency, and recreational access of the South Fork River.

Staff from Catawba Riverkeeper and Wildlands Engineering will be on hand to discuss the findings of the study as well as the impacts of removal and the process to execute the project. The public is welcome to come any time during the open house to see large scale drawing and modeling of the potential impacts as well as to ask questions of the project team.

Site Plans for Armstrong Ford Dam Removal

Stations Handouts from Public Meeting

December 16th Update:

We have created a “virtual” version of the community meeting at the South Fork Collective website and would welcome you to post this on social media where appropriate or send it out to constituents where appropriate. The information can be found here:

https://www.southforkcollective.org/armstrong-ford-dam

As next steps, we will be meeting with the municipal partners who participated in the funding of the feasibility study to determine the appropriate ways to move forward and hope to have some clarity on the process at our first meeting of 2023 which is scheduled for Monday, January 30, 11:30-1p at Confluence , 117 Center St, Cramerton, NC 28032.

River Room in December

hank.t@catawbariverkeeper.org (Hank Talmadge ) — Wed, 30 Nov 2022 15:24:06 GMT

Holidays at the River Room!

Take a look at the December schedule for The River Room in McAdenville!

Dec 1: McAdenville Tree Lighting Ceremony

Dec 7: Gingerbread House Decorating Competition

Dec 10: Christmas Market Apply to be a Vendor!

Dec 10: Live Music with Anna Kimm

Dec 17: Live Music with Denver Crites

Dec 14: Ornament Making at the River Room

Dec 17: River of Lights Scavenger Hunt

Dec 21: Ugly Sweater Karaoke Party with Baxter's DJ

2023 Catawba Riverkeeper Birds of the Basin Calendar

hank.t@catawbariverkeeper.org (Hank Talmadge ) — Tue, 29 Nov 2022 20:08:45 GMT

Birds of the Basin Calendar

In this calendar we have collected photos of birds you can find throughout the entire Catawba-Wateree Water Basin. Our mission at Catawba Riverkeeper is to preserve, protect, and restore the waters of the basin for all - including the birds! Water quality is important for all animal and plant life, not just those you find directly in the water. We wanted to bring attention to wildlife you might not always know is there by highlighting some of these beautiful birds.

Please know that all calendar proceeds will go towards helping advance Catawba RIverkeeper's mission to improve water quality.

We hope you enjoy these photos! See below for more information on the photographers - our current Watershed Managers.

Confluence in December

hank.t@catawbariverkeeper.org (Hank Talmadge ) — Mon, 28 Nov 2022 13:52:07 GMT

Confluence December Events in Cramerton, NC

Our new space in Cramerton, NC just opened in November and we’d love to see you there!

Confluence is where all of our favorite things come together in support of the South Fork River section of the Catawba River and the people that live alongside it! While a confluence is the place where two rivers merge, Confluence is a place where art, music, and recreation come together right on the banks of the river to create that place of convergence for the community. Confluence is a place where neighbors and friends can meet to learn, grow, create, move, and find joy, together.

From art workshops and recreation rentals to live music and craft beers, our goal is to bring people together to make new friends, meet their neighbors, and support the river while they do it!

Check out our December Schedule and follow along on socials as more things get added!

Dec 1: Town of Cramerton Parade & Vendor Village

Dec 3: Yoga with Tina

Dec 4: Ugly Sweater Crafternoon

Dec 7: Pets, Paints, & Pints with Carla

Dec 9: Dan Hubbard Performs with Opening Guest, Taylor Winchester

Dec 10: Yoga with Tina

Dec 11: Faux Gingerbread House Crafternoon

Dec 16: David Childers Performs

Dec 17: Egg Nog Jog

Dec 18: Hoppy Holidays Aluminum Star Ornaments Crafternoon

Dec 22: Anna Kimm Performs

Dec 30: Analog Crash Performs

Lake James Symposium

hank.t@catawbariverkeeper.org (Hank Talmadge ) — Sat, 19 Nov 2022 13:07:05 GMT

2022 Lake James Symposium

At the beginning of the month, Northern Basin Manager Grant Buckner and Riverkeeper Brandon Jones traveled to Western Piedmont Community College for the Annual Lake James Watershed Symposium. Over 85 people gathered to share knowledge, make connections, and plan for the protection of the Lake James watershed.

Grant presented about the Northern Catawba Basin Protection and Restoration plan with a focus on the priority projects to improve water quality. These projects include the Loom Creek Riparian Vegetation Restoration Project, Old Fort Finishing Dam Removal, and the White Creek Restoration Project. Brandon met with representatives from Burke, McDowell, and Gaston Counties to discuss local government’s role in protecting water quality.

A huge focus of 2023 for Catawba Riverkeeper will be our restoration projects! In 2022 we incorporated restore into our mission statement and recognized protection efforts alone will not address areas of previous degradation. It is vital over the next year to spend time focusing on restoration to revive our water! Here is a link to the projects in the Northern Basin identified through our Restoration Plan.

2022 Engagement Impact

hank.t@catawbariverkeeper.org (Hank Talmadge ) — Thu, 10 Nov 2022 15:12:50 GMT

Record Numbers get on and in the water in 2022

A crucial part of our 5-year strategic plan, Vision 2025, is to increase Catawba Riverkeeper’s opportunities to use engagement WITH the water to fund protection OF the water. Through our volunteer, community science, and kayaking programs we accomplished that at record levels in 2022!

We define “engagement” as anything that people do that is fun and interesting that gets them on, in, or near the water. This broad definition includes everything from stream and creek clean-ups to community science initiatives like our Trash Trap program to our popular kayak rental programs. This year more than 3,300 individuals took part in an engagement program with Catawba Riverkeeper, amassing a whopping 7,500 hours on or near the water!

Highlighted by our ever-popular clean-up programs, volunteers have contributed over 2,500 hours of time in 2022, a value of more than $75,000 based on the IRS’ volunteer time value rate. These individuals, corporate groups, schools, churches, and neighborhood associations have removed over 42,000 lbs of trash from our waterways thus far in 2022 and are working hard to grow that number before the end of the year as our local Riversweeps are ongoing with the cancellation of our annual Catawba Riversweep because of Hurricane Ian.

In addition to clean-ups, volunteers are also instrumental in two of our most popular and public sampling and collection programs – Swim Guide and Trash Traps. These programs train volunteers to conduct simple field work and report the data back to Catawba Riverkeeper for distribution to the public and for advocacy efforts at the local, state, and federal levels. Swim Guide again had tens of thousands of views in 2022 and we couldn’t have done it without our volunteers and our Trash Traps continue to provide us valuable insights into the types and amount of litter in our waterways.

For those residents just looking for a good time or an adventure on the water, our recreational kayaking program has scaled to meet demand as well. Over 2,300 people joined us for a paddling event in 2022, a nearly 30% increase over the previous year. Our most popular trips included paddling the South Fork from The Boathouse, Lake Wylie from Kevin Loftin Riverfront Park in Belmont, and our Thursday Evening Paddle Series that explores great paddling spots around the basin. We also added Full Moon Paddles at Rankin Lake Park in Gastonia in 2022 which were a huge hit! Many folks also engaged with the water for the first time through our Intro to Kayaking, SUP Basics, and Private Lessons throughout the year.

As we look forward to the 2023 on-the-water season, be sure to follow Blue Heron Adventures , the home of all things paddling and outdoor recreation at Catawba Riverkeeper. As a wholly owned entity of Catawba Riverkeeper, all proceeds of Blue Heron Adventures go back to preserving, protecting, and restoring the waters of the Catawba-Wateree River Basin. Plan your adventure now and know that you’ll not only have a great time, but you’ll learn how YOU can be a part of protecting clean water.

If you are looking for volunteer opportunities, October-March is the best time for a river, lake, or stream clean-up when the temperatures, vegetation, and critters are lower. CLICK HERE for upcoming opportunities to get your feet wet and take some trash out of our waterways or LEARN MORE HERE about our Community Science offerings that will allow you to play a vital role in gathering data about our local waterways.

We’ll see you on the water in 2023!

2022 Education Impact

Thu, 10 Nov 2022 13:25:02 GMT

Education is the foundation for future Riverkeepers

2022 has marked the most active year in education for Catawba Riverkeeper to date. Under the leadership of Education Manager Morgan Long, our team of support staff, educators, and volunteers have served nearly 2,500 individuals with over 5,400 hours of educational programming.

Young people continue to be the primary focus of our educational programming as we believe that teaching today’s youth about their waterways and how they can preserve, protect, and restore them is our best hope for fishable, drinkable, and swimmable waters in the future. 1,888 students in grades K-12 have participated in educational programming at Catawba Riverkeeper this year for nearly 4,800 hours. Programs for youth include a variety of offerings, including our field trip programming, which has seen a significant increase with the opening of our classroom at the new headquarters. The highlight of our 2022 field trip programs was a visit from the entire 6th grade from Lincoln Charter School (106 students)! In addition, our summer camp and Saturday morning summer education programs were popular again this year and our staff also went onsite with several groups to meet them where they are and deliver valuable water quality education programming.

The centerpiece of our educational programming for young people is our CREEK Program. CREEK stands for Community Resources in Education, Engagement, and Kayaking and focuses on bringing water-based education and experiences to underserved communities around the Catawba-Wateree River Basin by working with existing programs to supplement their offerings. CREEK is completely underwritten through generous contributions by Crescent Communities, The Blumenthal Foundation, and Truist. In 2022, we increased the number of participants we served by 58% to 203 and delivered over 800 hours of programming through our 5 community partners.

Last, but not least, our adult education programs have also been a huge hit in 2022. Led by our Riverkeeper Learning Series, which is underwritten by Xylem, nearly 600 adults have participated in educational programming about water related topics ranging from the history of the Catawba to the importance of clean water for great beer. To learn more about the Riverkeeper Learning Series, CLICK HERE .

If you are interested in getting your school, group, or children involved in any of our education programs or if you are interested in being a volunteer educator, email Morgan Long for more information: morgan@catawbariverkeeper.org

Video Recap from Education Manager Morgan Long

Northern Catawba Basin Protection and Restoration Plan

Thu, 10 Nov 2022 12:29:55 GMT

Catawba Riverkeeper recently published the “ Northern Catawba Basin Protection and Restoration Plan ,” which identifies potential projects that would improve water quality across the mountains and foothills portions of the basin in North Carolina.

The plan, created by Northern Basin Watershed Manager Grant Buckner, focuses on waterways in the northern portion of the Catawba-Wateree River Basin – from the headwaters above Old Fort, NC to the dam that creates Lookout Shoals Reservoir above Lake Norman. The Northern Basin includes 2,673 miles of streams in 6 counties including Alexander, Avery, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, and McDowell. Lake James, Lake Rhodhiss, Lake Hickory, and Lookout Shoals are all part of the Northern Basin.

With funding from the NC Land and Water Fund, and with input from numerous stakeholder groups, Grant identified 27 projects that would improve water quality. Projects range from restoration, trash abatement, streambank replanting, shoreline stabilization, dam removal, livestock exclusion and unique pilot programs. Unlike other watershed plans, Catawba Riverkeeper’s plan is a living document presented as an interactive story map. Users can explore different regions, waterbodies, and projects. Explore the plan below or click here.

The Protection and Restoration Plan can be updated to include new projects that have yet to be identified.

To suggest ideas, contact grant@catawbariverkeeper.org . Catawba Riverkeeper does not own the identified projects nor have exclusivity to complete them. Any group, organization, or municipality is invited to execute proposed projects. While Catawba Riverkeeper expects to lead on many of these projects, we are also happy to support efforts led by other entities.

Request a presentation!

Grant Buckner will be presenting the plan to municipalities, educational institutions, civic organizations, and elected officials over the next year. Interested parties may request presentations here .

Partners

Catawba Riverkeeper would like to publicly thank the following partners for their involvement with this plan: NC Land and Water Fund , Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina , Lake James Environmental Association , Western Piedmont Council of Governments , A Clean Wilson Creek , Friends of the Valdese Rec , Duke Energy, the Catawba Wateree Water Management Group , and Waterkeeper Alliance .

Interview Requests

Email grant@catawbariverkeeper.org or call 704-679-9494 ext. 110 to schedule an interview.

Clean Water Act 50th Year Celebration

hank.t@catawbariverkeeper.org (Hank Talmadge ) — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 12:10:34 GMT

Clean Water Act Anniversary at NoDa Brewery

Clean Water Act Celebration

There was a time where rivers would catch on fire. There was a time when rivers would receive a range of dyes from textile mills dumping into rivers. There was a time when anyone could dump anything into our waterways without punishment. This wasn’t last night at Biltmore, it was all across America, before 1972.

The Clean Water Act passed Congress on October 4th, 1972. It passed the House by a margin of 366-11 (97%) and it passed the Senate unanimously (100%). On October 17th 1972, President Richard Nixon vetoed the bill. That same day, within a matter of hours, both chambers of Congress overrode the veto. Not only does this demonstrate how critically important the Clean Water Act is, but how conservation policy truly can be a bipartisan effort. 94% of House Republicans and 98% of House Democrats supported the measure. In the Senate, there were 31 Republicans and 41 Democrats who supported the bill.

This landmark legislation gave us a baseline to govern the way society interacts with our water.

Some of the regulations included:

- the right forindividuals and civic groups (like Catawba Riverkeeper) the right to hold polluters accountable

- the role the federal government has in protecting our waters.

- the baseline to define water quality

- the expectation that in the event of a calamitous disaster, we have the procedures for remediating the problem to restore the waters to their previous quality.

These are but a handful of examples of how the Clean Water Act forever changed our relationships with water.

As transformational as the Clean Water Act has been, there is still a long way to go. Corporations are still polluting the waters. The South Fork River still runs red. Our creeks are increasingly impaired. Pollution from rural and urban communities seeps into our streams and rivers. Stormwater controls are not keeping up with the rapid rate of development. The world around us is changing and our waters are not exempt. We need the laws that govern our lands and waters to be continuously updated to ensure they keep up with the changing world. Catawba Riverkeeper will continue to fight for these changes to ensure that future generations have clean waters for years to come.

Check out the videos below to hear a little of what Riverkeeper Brandon Jones and Policy Manager Ryan Carter shared with supporters on the night of the celebration. Brandon gave perspective about the history of act and Ryan spoke about a water challenge we are facing throughout the basin, stormwater control.

Link in Bio for a petition about Stormwater Runoff Mitigation here .

Riverkeeper Brandon Jones discussing the origins of the Clean Water Act

Policy Manager Ryan Jones talking about Stormwater Runoff

Catawba Riverkeeper Staff Features

hank.t@catawbariverkeeper.org (Hank Talmadge ) — Wed, 02 Nov 2022 16:32:18 GMT

Get to know the Catawba Riverkeeper Staff!

Morgan Long - Education Manager

1. Why did you decide to work for Catawba Riverkeeper? I’ve always known that I work best in what are considered ‘non-traditional’ jobs, the ones that allow you to be doing something different on any given day. My work with Catawba Riverkeeper provides that and allows me to combine the things I’m most passionate about (being outdoors, foraging, wildlife interactions, etc) into my wonky workdays. There’s never any telling if I’ll be in the office or in the field regardless of the time of year, and I absolutely love the flexibility and spontaneity of it all. No two days are ever the same, keeping it fresh and exciting all year round.

2. What is your favorite part about your job/what would surprise people about your job/what makes your job different? In my position I have the opportunity to work with individuals of all ages and backgrounds. The programs I host normally revolve around topics related to our basin and consist of an outdoor component whenever possible. I never thought in my lifetime I would say the phrase “please don’t eat that” as many times as I have in the last 2 years but here we are; and this is for both adults and students. My job is never boring, that’s for sure.

3. Anything else you want to include to give people insight into what your role is with CRF? My role with the organization gives me one of the best excuses to get involved in my coworkers’ projects and programs. I invite myself along on many adventures just so that I can gain a high-level understanding of the many things we do. I then get to transform what I learn and experience into programs that anyone can participate in! Most of our education programs consist of topics and issues our science team interact with on a regular basis. Being able to take those things from the field or lab and bring them in a new, more easily accessible form to a classroom or program allows for our community members to get a better understanding of what we do through their own unique experiences.

Lauren Huffstetler - Volunteer and Community Science Coordinator

1. Why did you decide to work for Catawba Riverkeeper? I grew up exploring the Catawba River and fishing on Lake Wylie with my Grandfather. I knew early on that I loved nature and being outdoors and wanted to contribute to conservation and protection of this land. Through this work, I get to meet wonderful people and engage the community to take ownership of and care for the River I grew up loving.

2. What is your favorite part about your job/what would surprise people about your job/what makes your job different? My favorite part of the job is working with an awesome team of passionate people that care about making a difference as well as meeting new volunteers and partners that have similar interests to protect our natural resources. I also love the instantaneous, positive results of litter cleanups and community science projects that visibly impact the health of our water. Getting to regularly be in the outdoors is also always a plus!

3. Anything else you want to include to give people insight into what your role is with CRF? Collaboration among groups and individuals is necessary to get this important work accomplished, so please reach out to us to see what we can accomplish together for OUR River!

Greg Nance - Engagement Manager

1. Why did you decide to work for Catawba Riverkeeper? My passion has always been the river for both work and play. Nothing makes me happier than getting people out on the water and teaching them how to enjoy it safely and take care of it.

2. What is your favorite part about your job/what would surprise people about your job/what makes your job different? My favorite part of my job is that I get to work with each member of our team by exploring and documenting the river and it’s tributaries. I log trashy areas for future community cleanups, collect water samples at turbid creeks, discharge sites, or harmful algae blooms (HABs) to report back to our protect team, and document unique areas to explore for future engagement with the communities of the Catawba-Wateree Basin. There’s no better venue to talk about the challenges our waters face than getting everyone out there to connect with it.

3. Anything else you want to include to give people insight into what your role is with CRF? I think that covers it. You could throw something in about me completing the Catawba Quest and about how I have paddled hundreds of miles in the tributaries of our basin.

Kaity D'Angelo - Recreation Manager

1. Why did you decide to work for Catawba Riverkeeper? I wanted to return to a work environment that made me happy and allowed me to make a difference. Whether it be many small opportunities to make differences on the water to our guests or one big opportunity to make a difference with a full program, doing work that is impactful is something that I truly cherish!

2. What is your favorite part about your job/what would surprise people about your job/what makes your job different? My favorite part about my work is the people. Between my co-workers and the public, there are so many wonderful people! As recreation manager, I have just as much behind the scenes planning as actually working on the river with my team. The job also involves lots of internal communication with the engagement, education, and volunteer managers. I love this part!

3. Anything else you want to include to give people insight into what your role is with CRF? I served as a Volunteer Services Intern this past summer and was beyond excited to rejoin the Catawba Riverkeeper team in a full-time position. I have only been in this job for 2 months, but it has been amazing!

Ryan Carter - Policy Manager

1. Why did you decide to work for Catawba Riverkeeper? I love the mission. I’ve always been a passionate kayaker and being on the water has always been a place of refuge for me. Protecting our waters is about protecting a universal resource for everyone. When I graduated college, I moved home to Charlotte and immediately broke my ankle. I had to get out of a real slump and found CRF and volunteered to sit in their office and write policy briefs. Over the six years since then, I continued to follow and support the work of CRF and am so excited to doing the work I love for an organization that I love for a river that I love.

2. What is your favorite part about your job/what would surprise people about your job/what makes your job different? My favorite part of my job is that it allows me to have inter and intra-community conversations. The flow of our river binds our communities together and we need everyone to cherish this resource! It’s a real joy and honor to work collaboratively with different communities across our basin on shared goals.

3. Anything else you want to include to give people insight into what your role is with CRF? The vast majority of my job is doing research. It’s hard to get out to every issue area so it’s critical to our advocacy and policy work that CRF supporters download our app and report pollution whenever they see it.

Harry Warren - Policy Coordinator

1. Why did you decide to work for Catawba Riverkeeper? I always wanted to work in Environmental Policy or Advocacy. This job was the perfect combination. During my four years at Davidson, I came to appreciate North Carolina and it’s unique ecosystems. Working for Catawba Riverkeeper gives me the ability to advocate for those places I have truly come to enjoy.

2. What is your favorite part about your job/what would surprise people about your job/what makes your job different? Outwardly, advocacy seems like a lot of talking with people and encouraging them to see our side of things. Luckily, my job consists of these conversations, but also involves deep policy research. I get to research policies that support our organization's goals and help craft an agenda that will protect our river. Everyone in our state and basin wants to be good stewards of our river, so it is my job to figure out how to do that in today’s political climate.

3. Anything else you want to include to give people insight into what your role is with CRF? This is my first job out of college and I could not be more thankful for the support from Catawba RIverkeeper. Shout out Ryan and Brandon for being great mentors!

Brandon Jones - Catawba Riverkeeper

1. Why did you decide to work for Catawba Riverkeeper? Growing up in the Scouts and working as a raft guide during my undergrad, I have always been an outdoor enthusiast. During my graduate work in hydrology, I became increasingly aware of the bureaucratic constrictions on environmental regulators and economic pressure on many environmental professionals. Working at a nonprofit allowed me to protect the resources I love with greater insulation from the political cycle and client motivations.

2. What is your favorite part about your job/what would surprise people about your job/what makes your job different? Every day is different and I’m constantly learning. My job touches almost every part of scientific inquiry; problem identification, grant writing, data collection, analysis, reporting, public engagement, restoration design, etc. There is a tremendous amount of autonomy and agency.

3. Anything else you want to include to give people insight into what your role is with CRF? I feel incredibly fortunate and humbled to be your Catawba Riverkeeper. The 5000 square mile watershed is both ecologically and culturally diverse. We cover everything from the Linville Gorge to downtown Charlotte, to rural Chester County, to Congaree National Park. I try to lead our staff, members, and volunteers to effectively protect and restore our waters.

Grant Buckner - Northern Basin Watershed Manager

1. Why did you decide to work for Catawba Riverkeeper? I decided to work for Catawba Riverkeeper to try and contribute to the protection and improvement of our wonderful natural resources. Growing up fly fishing and spending time on the water gave me so much enjoyment and still does to this day. I knew that I wanted to dedicate my life to making sure these precious resources have a voice and can be enjoyed by others. Catawba Riverkeeper has given me that opportu nity!

2. What is your favorite part about your job/what would surprise people about your job/what makes your job different? My favorite part about my job is the variety of things I get to do. From working on restoration projects, collaborating with stakeholders, scouting for trash cleanups, or talking to people about the great things Catawba Riverkeeper is doing the job is never the same two days in a row. That has allowed me to develop new skills and never be bored while at work.

3. Anything else you want to include to give people insight into what your role is with CRF? As a Watershed Manager for the Northern Basin, I work on a lot of different things but my primary goal is to work on restoring streams to improve water quality. It might surprise people to know that in 2023, I will be adding a new piece

into my job, using macro invertebrate testing to monitor stream quality! Currently, there are only a few individuals who are authorized to perform this testing in North Carolina and it will be a huge asset to Catawba Riverkeeper’s ongoing effort to monitor water quality.

Rachael Rosenstein - Southern Basin Watershed Manager

1. Why did you decide to work for Catawba Riverkeeper? The position I was in before coming to Catawba Riverkeeper was my first job out of school. It was within the environmental field, but almost entirely a desk job and I didn’t feel fulfilled in my career. I knew that it wasn’t something I wanted for the long term and thus began my search for something more meaningful. I ultimately came across the job posting for my position at Catawba Riverkeeper. When I read that there was a job in which I could work in the field, make a positive difference for our environment, and advance my own knowledge and abilities, I knew I didn’t need to look any further.

2. What is your favorite part about your job/what would surprise people about your job/what makes your job different? - I love that I am able to interact with our watershed so much; for example, being able to take water samples, paddle, and hike all as a part of my job. Our staff all have different backgrounds and strengths, so there’s a lot to learn from each other that is all still relative to the importance of water quality. I suppose it might surprise people that I am not out on the water every single day. There is a lot of behind the scenes work to do, like attending meetings and conferences, researching new problems and solutions, computer mapping, etc.

3. Anything else you want to include to give people insight into what your role is with CRF? My position specifically focuses on the Southern Basin of our watershed, so from the Lake Wylie Dam down to where Lake Wateree meets the Congaree River. Most broadly, I am continually looking for and planning projects to help improve water quality. Ultimately, I (along with any partners) will be implementing the most feasible and prudent projects as they arise, which depends on a number of factors.

Confluence Grand Opening

hank.t@catawbariverkeeper.org (Hank Talmadge ) — Mon, 31 Oct 2022 14:19:54 GMT

Confluence - River, Arts, Music, and Recreation

Confluence Grand Opening

On behalf of the Town of Cramerton and Catawba Riverkeeper, I am extremely excited to announce the opening of Confluence – an Arts, Music, and Recreation Center in downtown Cramerton on the banks of the South Fork River. Confluence's mission is to be a place where art, music, and recreation come together alongside the river to create a place of convergence for the community. This unique public/non-profit partnership will bring a new energy to downtown Cramerton for residents and visitors alike and all of the proceeds from Confluence will directly support the South Fork River Health Project .

Please join us for our opening weekend on November 4th - 6th to experience the new culture and activity hub in the Cramerton area! There will be a ribbon cutting on Friday, November 4th for our official public grand opening beginning at 4p and activities and music all weekend long, sponsored by John and Jennifer Church and Chronicle Millworks . We look forward to seeing you to help us celebrate the opening of this exciting new addition to Gaston County!

John Searby

Executive Director

CATAWBA RIVERKEEPER

Rally for the River Roadshow

hank.t@catawbariverkeeper.org (Hank Talmadge ) — Sun, 30 Oct 2022 13:32:27 GMT

The Policy Team is coming to a community near you! As election season comes to a close, our advocacy work is ramping up and we need your help. Our policy team will be hosting evening events in communities across the basin to discuss our advocacy priorities in detail. Mark your calendars now and we hope to see you at one of our Rallies for the River...

11/11 McAdenville ( The River Room )

11/21 Lancaster ( Benford Brewing Company )

11/28 Pineville ( Middle James Brewing )

12/2 Rock Hill ( Slow Play Brewery )

12/6 Hickory ( Old Hickory Tap Room )

12/8 Morganton ( Fonta Flora Nebo Barn )

12/12 Great Falls (Great Falls Event Center)

All of the events in this series will be free! They will begin at 6:00 PM and conclude at 7:30 PM.

Each rally will focus on:

-the policy work most relevant to that community

-what Catawba Riverkeeper is doing in the area

-how you as a citizen can get involved

Lake Wateree Drawdown

Tue, 11 Oct 2022 13:12:42 GMT

Lake Wateree Drawdown

Lake Wateree is the downstream most reservoir within the Catawba-Wateree watershed and as such, it is subject to increased occurrences and severity of flooding. During the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) relicensing in 2015, residents in Lancaster, Fairfield, and Kershaw counties requested that Duke Energy remedy this issue. The company has hired an engineering firm who will be removing roughly the top 5 ft of the dam spillways to install flood gates. This will allow Duke to pass more water through dam during and before rain events to alleviate flooding of Lake Wateree shoreline. In order to safely complete this construction project, water levels in the lake need to be lowered.

The drawdown of water will begin on October 15, 2022 with decreasing levels through November 15, 2022. Water will be lowered at a rate of about 0.1 foot each day with an ultimate goal of reaching 93.5 feet. The water level will fluctuate between 93.5 and full pond for approximately 14-16 months depending on construction requirements and rainfall. The lake will still be open for use, but some public launches may close. Existing channel, shoal, and hazard buoys will remain in place for the duration of the drawdown. However, it is important to use extra caution because hazards that were previously covered such stumps and rocks fallen trees, may become exposed.

The drawdown period also provides a great opportunity for residents to perform native plant shoreline stabilization, maintenance on their docks, and other such activities within the uncovered areas.

Lake Norman Algal Bloom

Tue, 27 Sep 2022 18:10:55 GMT

Algal Bloom at Lake Norman State Park

On Thursday September 22nd, your Riverkeeper Brandon Jones, was called to the Lake Norman State Park swim beach to collect a water sample in preparation for a triathlon on Sunday. The organizing company Cal Tri had requested confirmation that the water was safe for athletes. We sampled this location weekly this summer as a part of our Swim Guide program, with all results coming back safe for swimming. However, on Thursday morning there was an algal bloom stretching across the swim beach.

With the triathlon planned for Sunday, Brandon immediately went out to examine the bloom and collect a sample. Under the microscope at our lab, Brandon was able to identify the bloom as microcystis, a toxin producing Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB). After communicating with the race director, park staff, and the Department of Environmental Quality, Riverkeeper staff returned Thursday afternoon with a drone to map the extent of the bloom and measure for toxins. Fortunately, the afternoon wind had dissipated and pushed the bloom out of the swim area. The results of the toxin test strip showed it to be at a concentration of 5 ppb (parts per billion.) The EPA does not recommend swimming in concentrations above 10 ppb. The visible bloom did not return, and a resampling effort on Saturday morning showed safe water conditions. Algal blooms are notoriously ephemeral and difficult to predict, however most thrive in warm stagnant water. The colder temperatures Thursday and Friday night likely contributed to the bloom’s quick disappearance.

With a watchful eye to any other changes, the event was able to go off as planned! We are extremely grateful to have a Riverkeeper who could monitor this bloom and make sure the race was safe for participants. The Riverkeeper team is thankful to have access to a new lab, funded by Xylem Watermark that makes important work like this possible! Special thanks to Cal Tri staff who always put participant safety first and to Lake Norman State Park for a quick drone permit and great communication throughout the process.New Paragraph

Riverkeeper Learning Series: Two September events!

Thu, 25 Aug 2022 11:59:44 GMT

This September, Catawba Riverkeeper is hosting two Riverkeeper Learning Series events ! Read about each below and follow the links to sign up.

History Tales: Walk & Talk with Alex Brooks

Saturday, September 3 | 10 AM – 12 PM
Catawba Riverfront Greenway at Tuckaseege Park in Mount Holly
165 Broome St Mt Holly, NC 28120

We invite you to join us in Gaston County at Tuckaseege Park in Mount Holly as we take a leisurely walk along the greenway with special guest speaker, Alex Brooks from the Gaston County Museum. On this stroll Alex will share with us stories of the past, giving insight into the history of the area.

Hike to the Headwaters!

Saturday, September 10 | 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM
South Mountain State Park
3001 South Mtn Connelly Springs, NC 28612

At the beginning of the year we kicked off the Riverkeeper Learning Series with a hike at Catawba Falls, the headwaters of the Catawba River. This month join us at South Mountain State Park for a morning hike near the headwaters of the South Fork River of the Catawba. We’ll share information about the South Fork River and why this park is considered the headwaters or place of origin for this river. Trailhead specifics will be sent out in an email the week of the event, but expect a moderate level hike with uphill portions.

As always, big thank you to Xylem for sponsoring this series.

Volunteer for Riversweep!

Thu, 25 Aug 2022 11:54:26 GMT

Saturday, October 1
9 AM – 12 PM

You can choose from more than 50 volunteer sites throughout our river basin. We’ve got sites on all of our major lakes, urban streams, and river segments. Some volunteers will clean up trash on land at local parks, greenways, and boat accesses. Others will use their boats to shuttle trash and volunteers around our lake shorelines and islands. There will even be some volunteers who use their kayaks and canoes to get trash out of narrow creeks and coves. Volunteers who sign up by September 18 will be guaranteed a 2022 Riversweep t-shirt!

Other ways to support Riversweep:

Sponsors and Partners

The presenting sponsor of Catawba Riversweep 2022 is the Catawba-Wateree Water Management Group !

By bringing together water utilities from North Carolina and South Carolina as well as Duke Energy, the Catawba-Wateree Water Management Group strives to find innovative water resource management strategies to extend our shared water supply and protect the ecological integrity of the Catawba-Wateree River Basin. Special thanks to our t-shirt sponsor, Recover Brands! Recover is a local, sustainable apparel manufacturer. Riversweep t-shirts are made from recycled materials. Recover eco-tees are made from 8 plastic bottles!

Lake Partners

For a full list of our our nonprofit, business, and government partners, see catawbariversweep.org/partners .

Interested in Riversweep sponsorship? Contact diana@catawbariverkeeper.org for details.

Wild Carolina Camp – Happening Next Week!

Thu, 25 Aug 2022 11:45:25 GMT

Does your child love adventure and action-packed activities? Are they ready to learn new environmental skills and knowledge they can share with the world?

Ages: Rising 5th-6th graders
Dates: August 8-12
Time: 9AM-4PM
Cost: $250 per camper

Our Wild Carolina Camp offers campers an exciting and informative experience led by different local non-profit experts every day! In 2021 campers experienced live raptors, archery, plant identification, hiking, and so much more! For 2022, campers can expect to have just as many fun experiences and walk away from camp with a new understanding of their environment.

Activities will be led by:

Anne Springs Close Greenway
Carolina Raptor Center
Catawba Riverkeeper
CleanAIRE NC
TreesCharlotte

There are limited spots available for each camp session. Book today!

Catawba Riverkeeper offers a limited number of scholarships for this program.

Please contact Education Manager Morgan Long, morgan@catawbariverkeeper.org for more information.

Impact Update

Thu, 25 Aug 2022 11:15:09 GMT

Wow! We’re now halfway through 2022 and so much good as been made possible by people like you. Because of our members, Catawba Riverkeeper has been able to protect local waterways through monitoring & advocacy, educate basin residents about our greatest natural resources, and provide recreation opportunities in beautiful places!

Join or Renew Today ��

Protection Progress and Victories

Our most popular water quality monitoring program, Swim Guide, is in full swing! A team of staff and interns is sampling 60 sites each week for E. coli and sharing results on Fridays. Thanks to an in-kind donation from Xylem, we’ll be installing autonomous sensors on the South Fork that will collect water quality measurements every 15 minutes! We’ve installed another trash trap – this time in the Northern Basin. Now, we’re actively collecting litter from 3 sites in 3 different sub-basins. Sampling and advocacy work on industrial poultry operation waste and PFAS continues in partnership with Waterkeepers Carolina & Waterkeeper Alliance. Additionally, we’re continuing to investigate and advocate for water quality protection on numerous industrial and development projects.

Up Next : Soon we will be releasing the Northern Basin Prioritization Plan, which identifies potential restoration projects in the Northern Basin from the headwaters to Lake Norman.

Education Highlights

So far this year, Catawba Riverkeeper has educated 915 K-12 students! In total, we’ve provided 1,013 educational hours for these students through field trips, presentations, and special programs. We also hosted our first summer camp session and have two more coming up in July and August! Adults get to learn, too! Through the Riverkeeper Learning Series and programs like Rain Barrel Workshops, 370 adults have learned about a variety of topics related to our local environment.

Up Next : The CREEK Program, serving 500+ kids, kicks off this month! Through the CREEK Program, under-resourced kids get a chance to learn about their local waterways and experience the Catawba River through kayaking. This program is free to participants thanks to our 2022 sponsors – Crescent Communities.

Volunteer Impact

Already this year, 481 people like you have volunteered their time and talent to Catawba Riverkeeper. Cleanup volunteers with 309 people! have removed nearly 25,000 pounds of trash from our lakes and streams! We also want to shout out our 44 Ambassadors and special event volunteers who’ve helped share our mission at community events! To become a volunteer, make your profile and sign up for events at catawbariverkeeper.org/volunteer .

Up Next : More Water Watcher training sessions, Swim Guide , and save the date for Riversweep on Saturday, October 1st!

Recreation Report

More than 600 people have gotten on the water with Catawba Riverkeeper through kayak rentals, guided tours, and lessons! Through the recreation arm of Catawba Riverkeeper – now called Blue Heron Adventures you can choose from a variety of experiences. Learn more about our recreation offerings and how booking with Blue Heron Adventures funds our mission to protect clean water.

Up Next : Don’t miss Full Moon Paddles, Swimming Hole Hikes, Eco-Tours, Thursday Evening Paddles, and the start of the South Fork Rapids Tours. Book now!

Join or renew your membership today!

Today, we’re asking you to join, renew your membership, or invite a friend to become a member. About 40% of our funding comes from individuals like you. Without membership contributions we can’t continue to educate, engage, and protect. If you aren’t already a member, what are you waiting for? Join now ! Members are eligible for discounts on our recreation programs, camps, and merchandise. Plus, members get exclusive updates and event invitations. If you need to renew your membership, we urge you to do so now at catawbariverkeeper.org/membership .

Not sure if you’re membership is current? Ask diana@catawbariverkeeper.org . If you’re already a member, we encourage you invite your friends and neighbors to become members, too.

Join or Renew Today ��

Swim Guide

Thu, 25 Aug 2022 10:43:04 GMT

Is it safe to swim here?

That’s one of the most common questions Riverkeepers get during the summer. To help answer that question, Catawba Riverkeeper operates a summer Swim Guide program to test popular swimming areas on local lakes.

Swim Guide is an international program used by Riverkeepers and other advocates to provide up-to-date recreational water quality data for beaches, lakes, and rivers around the world. Catawba Riverkeeper piloted the program on Lake Wylie in 2019. By 2021, we had expanded the program to 58 sites on the 5 other major lakes – Lake James, Lake Hickory, Lake Norman, Mountain Island Lake, and Lake Wateree – in addition to Lake Wylie.

How does it work?

Riverkeeper staff, interns, and volunteers collect samples on Thursday mornings, which are tested for E. coli in the Riverkeeper’s in-house lab. Results are posted on Fridays in a stoplight system (green, yellow, red), so that you can make informed decisions about swimming over the weekend.

Contact lauren.h@catawbariverkeeper.org to learn how you can volunteer!

Why test for E. coli?

Recreational standards usually focus on indicator bacteria, which are used to detect the level of fecal contamination in the water. E.Coli is considered a better indicator of human sewage than other types of bacteria because they are found in intestines of warm blooded animals. E. coli is the type of bacteria that local health authorities look for in freshwater. Primary contact with water containing high levels of fecal bacteria and other pollutants can lead to disease, infection, and rashes.

Results are also be shared on the national Swim Guide map and will follow a stoplight system to help you easily understand results. Locations that come back with high amounts of E. coli will be marked red.

See the latest results now!

Volunteer as a Boat Captain for Swim Guide 2022!

We’re looking for volunteers to drive their boats to designated spots each week. All supplies will be provided and gas will be reimbursed by Catawba Riverkeeper. Learn more and email lauren.h@catawbariverkeeper.org if you’re interested.

Sponsor a site or a lake or river!

Site sponsorships are $500 and cover the cost of materials required to collect samples and run tests weekly for each site. Lake sponsorships are $5,000 and cover the personnel expenses incurred by staff and interns for time and mileage. Select your site or lake by typing in the name of the site or lake after you hit “donate once” on the main giving page. Sponsorship requests are granted on a first come, first served basis. Sites must be chosen from the list of sites on the Swim Guide webpage.

Sponsor a Site or Lake ��

See the sponsored and available sites and lakes or rivers on the map below. We’ll update the map as new sponsors sign up.

Map or list of sites for sponsorship ��

Lake or River Segments for Sponsorship

Lake James
Lake Rhodhiss
Lake Hickory
Lake Norman
Mountain Island Lake
South Fork River
Lake Wylie – Sponsored by the Borman Family
Free flowing Catawba below Lake Wylie Dam
Lake Wateree

The Riverkeeper’s sample data provides a general guide to the health of the waterway and should only be used for informational purposes. This data does not guarantee the sampled area is safe for swimming at all times. Overall, E. coli levels in the Catawba lakes are low, and the reservoirs are typically safe for swimming. However, E. coli levels can change at any time & increase after rain events. As a general rule, if the water is clear, then E. coli levels are likely to be low.

Jam at the Dam – Summer Schedule

Thu, 25 Aug 2022 10:25:25 GMT

Catawba Riverkeeper’s live music event series is back! These family and pet friendly Friday nights at The Boathouse are sponsored by Ally !

Bring your lawn chair, dancing shoes, and your appetite. Rotating food trucks will be on site at each event.

Dates and Musical Acts

April 22 Earth Day – The Hourglass Kids with Will’s on a Roll Food Truck
May 6 – Dane Page – CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER
June 3 – Wag the Band
July 22 – David Childers
August 5 – The Missing Finger
August 26 – Paulina Simone
September 9 – Graham Hellderman
September 23 – Casey Noel
October 14 – Nathan Dowdy

Arrive anytime after 4 PM. Rent a kayak, canoe, or SUP from 4:30-6:30 PM. Music starts at 6:30 PM.

10 Things You Can Do with the new and improved Catawba Riverkeeper app!

Thu, 25 Aug 2022 10:16:53 GMT

Catawba Riverkeeper is proud to announce the launch of our new and improved app. Our app is now available for FREE for both iPhone and Android.

10 Things You Can Do with the Catawba Riverkeeper App

1. Report Trash and Pollution

If you’re out and about and see a bunch of trash or something that looks concerning, you can report it to the Riverkeeper immediately. With the app, you can enter information about the trash or pollution you see. You can even send Catawba Riverkeeper GPS coordinates with the push of a button. By reporting trash and pollution, you’re acting as eyes for the Riverkeeper and a voice for the River.

2. Check Swim Guide Results

You’ll definitely want to download the app before summer starts so that you know which popular swimming areas met bacteria standards and which areas to avoid. Catawba Riverkeeper tests about 60 sites each week. Results are posted on Fridays so that you can make good decisions about weekend swimming.

3. Check Lake Levels

Does the lake seem high or low to you? Find out with one tap. Our app links you to Duke Energy’s lake levels page. You’ll always know if the lake is at, above, or below “full pond.”

4. Check Recreational Releases

This one’s for the paddlers and the tubers! You can plan your trip around Duke Energy’s recreational releases. Never be surprised by the flow of the river again.

5. Rent Kayaks

Catawba Riverkeeper will offer a variety of kayak opportunities starting in May. Here you’ll find out where and how you can rent a kayak or book a half-day trip.

6. Donate

Want to support Catawba Riverkeeper’s mission to protect our waterways. You can give through the app. Every dollar gets us closer to our vision of clean, plentiful water for all.

7. Volunteer

The app can connect you to general volunteer information and to the volunteer interest form. Completing the volunteer interest form helps us get to know you better and automatically puts you on our volunteer email list.

8. Explore our watershed with the Basin Explorer Map

Not just for map Geeks! You can see the major waterways of our basin, permitted wastewater discharges, drinking water intakes, recreation access areas, and more! You can even find your state representatives.

9. Look up who to call if you want to report a problem

See a buffer violation? Is an active construction site not following the required sedimentation measures? Report your concern to the proper authority. Our guide helps you figure out who to contact.

10. Shop Catawba Riverkeeper merchandise

We’ve got t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, stickers, bracelets, and more in our online store. All of our apparel is made by local company, Recover Brands, who uses recycled materials to make their super soft shirts.

You can use the app as a guest, but we encourage you to make a profile. With a profile, you’ll get notifications tailored to you.

How to get the app on your smart phone or tablet:

Search “Catawba Riverkeeper” in your app store or click on either icon below.

Introducing Blue Heron Adventures!

Thu, 25 Aug 2022 09:57:35 GMT

Catawba Riverkeeper is bringing all of our outdoor recreation programs under one umbrella called Blue Heron Adventures !

With Blue Heron Adventures, you can:

Rent a kayak, canoe, or standup paddleboard
Go on a guided tour in different parts of our watershed
Learn a new skill through classes and private lessons
Hike to a swimming hole and more!

As always, proceeds from recreation programs directly support the Riverkeeper’s work to protect our waterways.

When you rent a kayak or book a tour with Blue Heron Adventures you are helping Catawba Riverkeeper educate more children and adults about our watershed, host more cleanups and community science programs, and conduct more water quality monitoring programs. Learn more about our current efforts to ensure clean and plentiful water.

Outdoor Recreation Experiences:

Learn More & Get Updates

Explore blueheronadventures.org and follow @blueheronadventures on Instagram and Facebook to learn more about our current experience offerings. To opt in to updates and deals on recreation experiences, sign up for the Blue Heron Adventures email list here.

Thank you for supporting Catawba Riverkeeper through our outdoor recreation programs!

Full Moon Paddle Series — Spooky Stories, Folklore, and more!

Thu, 25 Aug 2022 09:36:55 GMT

The full moon’s glow has always captivated mankind with its spiritualism and beauty, all the while influencing the very waters we strive to keep clean. From its strong grasp on our tides to its effect on our river’s resident plants and animals, the moon has a great connection to our waters, just as we know you do!

Add some moonlight to your weeknight with Catawba Riverkeeper’s Full Moon Paddle Series. Throughout the months of June-September, we will host group paddles accompanied by mystical spooky stories, enchanting folklore, exciting tales of full moon rituals, and a captivating look into our animals of the night!

You can rent a kayak and accompanying gear or bring your own! If you bring your own, we allow kayaks, canoes, or stand-up paddleboards.

In Memoriam – C.D. Collins

Thu, 25 Aug 2022 09:32:16 GMT

Catawba Riverkeeper is saddened to share that longtime advocate and volunteer and one of our first board members, C.D. Collins, passed away last week.

C.D. was one of the driving forces behind the creation of Riversweep on Lake Wylie that has now grown to encompass the entire river basin and thousands of volunteers each year on the first Saturday of October. Additionally, C.D. helped us select and purchase our very first boat, the Rachel Carson, in 2002, and has worked diligently to keep her running and ready to respond to any need on the water for more than 20 years.

As the Admiral of the CRF Navy, C.D. has not only led the group of volunteers that keeps our boats in tip-top condition, but has taken in dozens of donated boats over the years, got them in great shape, and helped us resell them to support our efforts to be your on-the-water advocate, protecting our waters without compromise.

Today we remember all of C.D.’s efforts and will keep his family in our thoughts and prayers. It is members and volunteers like C.D. Collins who make this organization great! If you would like to remember C.D. with a memorial donation to our boat fund to ensure that our vessels are always ready to spring to action or to Riversweep, you may do so by clicking on the button below or mailing a check to: Catawba Riverkeeper, PO Box 11838, Charlotte, NC 28220.

Thank you C.D., you will never be forgotten.

Make a contribution in memory of C.D ��

the-catawba-riverkeeper

Helene Cleanups Continue 18 Months Later

Greg Nance has had his boots on the ground since the storm subsided.

All About Live Stakes

We're Moving Our Headquarters!

2025 Year in Review

Reflecting on a year of growth and impact.

Catawba Riverkeeper Welcomes Dr. Mo Drinkard as New Executive Director

Working Together for a Healthier River

Thank you to our 2025 Catawba Riversweep volunteers!

Leadership Transitions at Catawba Riverkeeper

John Searby Steps Down as Executive Director After 6 Years of Leadership

One Year Later: Catawba Riverkeeper’s Response to Hurricane Helene

Henry Fork Barrier Brought Down to Improve Aquatic Habitat

Restoration win in the South Fork Watershed!

Summer Intern Interview: David Anderson

A look into the first week of a Catawba Riverkeeper Summer Internship

Guidelines for Responsible Debris Removal from Waterways

USACE Debris Removal Monitoring

Supporting the South Fork Passage State Trail (NC Senate Bill 329)

Help Expand NC's State Trail System!

Supporting NC House Bill 369: The Parking Lot Reform and Modernization Act

Protect our waterways, businesses, and communities from runoff and flooding!

Brewing Up Sustainable Solutions: Award-Winning Charlotte Beer Crafted with Recycled Water

Town Brewing's "Renew Brew" makes waves in local sustainability efforts

Announcing our NC State Lab Certification in Benthic Macroinvertebrate Sampling!

Northern basin lab becomes first state-certified non-profit macroinvertebrate sampling lab in North Carolina

Navigating the Legislative Process: How You Can Help Shape Laws to Protect the Catawba-Wateree River

Highlights from 2024

Another busy year is in the books!

Look back on 2024 with Catawba Riverkeeper staff

Progress continues this fall at the Outdoor Classroom

Diving Deeper into IBTs

Great work, Summer Interns!

Southern Environmental Law Center Files Petition with the Environmental Protection Agency

Comments on Charlotte Water's Interbasin Transfer Request

Sustainable Solutions: Water Conservation, Mitigation, & Assessing Impacts on Endangered Species

My View from the River

A July Update from Executive Director John Searby.

How's Swim Guide Going?

A Mid-Season Update

Mid-Year Advocacy Updates

My View From the River

A Message from Executive Director John Searby.

Celebrate Earth Month With Us!

﻿ April Events

Mural Unveiled at Confluence

Local artist completes mural and map of Catawba-Wateree River Basin

How You Can Support Conservation in SC this Week

3 bills in the SC Senate that would protect water quality

Bill #1: S. 999 (Signage on NDPES Wastewater Discharge Pipes)

Bill #2: H. 3121 (Trails Tax Credit)

Bill #3: S. 1020 (Criminalizing Tire Dumping)

Staff Updates

Meet the new employees and leaders of Catawba Riverkeeper!

Tires: What's the problem and what can you do about it?

Tires in our lakes, rivers, and streams

The Problem

Two Things You Can Do About it TODAY!

Lake Wateree Shoreline Stablization

Live staking with volunteers to improve Lake Wateree!

Conservation Recommendations for the Great Meadows Megasite

Read the plan here.

Flooding in the Catawba-Wateree River Basin

Heavy rains led to polluted water in our basin

2024 Initiatives

Join us as we work towards clean, plentiful water for all!

Highlights from 2023

What a year it has been at Catawba Riverkeeper!

Diving into the 2024 Election Season

Your Role in Protecting Our Waters

New Collaboration with Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden!

Reducing administrative costs and expanding impact!

Chimney Swift Tower Built at Outdoor Classroom

Chimney swift tower joins other shelters for birds to reside on campus

2023 Wateree River Survey

3 days. 2 nights. 76.25 miles paddled. 31 alligators.

Announcing a new collaboration with Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden!

Catawba Riverkeeper has adopted a new strategy to create operational efficiencies, reduce administrative overhead, and find opportunities to scale our programming!

Background

April Events