Catawba Riverkeeper

Pure Farms, Pure Waters

The Catawba Riverkeeper, Pure Farms, Pure Waters

Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation

Pure Farms, Pure Waters

Pure Farms, Pure Waters is the Waterkeepers Carolina campaign to combat pollution from Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations or CAFOs. Industrial poultry operations are the primary type of CAFOs in the Catawba River Basin, the majority located in the Northern Basin, in Alexander and Caldwell Counties, especially.


The poultry industry in North Carolina has little regulation, which leads to unchecked amounts of nutrients and bacteria from these facilities polluting our state’s waterways. The Catawba Riverkeeper team conducts regular sampling of creeks downstream of poultry operations to monitor their potential impacts on water quality.

Waterkeepers Carolina advocates for the following strategies:

  • Poultry Siting Act

    Poultry Siting Act – to prevent new construction of growing facilities within the 500-year flood plain.

  • Poultry Buyout Program

    Poultry Buyout Program – to remove facilities within the 100-year flood plain.

  • Nutrient Waste Utilization Plans

    Nutrient Waste Utilization Plans – to be submitted to DEQ for approval and to prohibit the land application of poultry waste within 100 ft of surface waters.

See our Advocacy Guide to learn how you can speak up for clean water.

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Let's protect the Catawba River!

The Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation is working towards clean, plentiful water now and for generations to come.