Working Together for a Healthier River

October 13, 2025

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. 

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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.

At our Riversweep After-Party, we were glad to be able to offer a Free T-Shirt giveaway for our wonderful volunteers! We used Sticker Mule's new "Give" page, which was straightforward and easy to use. All we had to do was upload our shirt design, choose a shirt color, set the timeframe for the giveaway, and then Sticker Mule did the rest. They generated the link to register, collected entries, drew the winners, and mailed the t-shirts out. For a small non-profit, it’s so convenient to have fewer details and logistics to manage while still having a fun way to engage with our community and thank them for donating their time to support our mission! Thank you, Sticker Mule, for creating a great tool for organizations like ours to use, and for inviting us to participate in the program trial! Click here to use Sticker Mule's Give page for your own giveaway.

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.

Leadership Transitions at Catawba Riverkeeper

October 13, 2025
John Searby Steps Down as Executive Director After 6 Years of Leadership

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

By Brandon Jones • September 26, 2025
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.