How's Swim Guide Going?

Brandon Jones • July 18, 2024

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

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Catawba Riverkeeper Welcomes Dr. Mo Drinkard as New Executive Director

December 17, 2025

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.