The
Catawba River (named after the Native American tribes that first settled on the banks) is a
tributaryA tributary is a stream or river which flows into a main stem river. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea. Tributaries and the mainstem river serve to drain the surrounding drainage basin of its surface water and groundwater by leading the water out into an ocean or some other large body...
of the
Wateree RiverThe Wateree River, about 75 mi long, is a tributary of the Santee River in central South Carolina in the United States, which flows to the Atlantic Ocean...
in the
U.S. stateA U.S. state is any one of 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government . Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile...
s of
North CarolinaNorth Carolina is a state located on the Atlantic Seaboard in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties...
and
South CarolinaSouth Carolina is a U.S. state that borders Georgia to the south and North Carolina to the north. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence from the British Crown during the American Revolution. The colony was...
. The river is approximately 220 miles (350 km) long. It rises in the
Appalachian MountainsThe Appalachian Mountains , often called the Appalachians, are a vast system of mountains in eastern North America. Definitions vary on the precise boundaries of the Appalachians...
and drains into
PiedmontPiedmont is a plateau region located in the eastern United States between the Atlantic Coastal Plain and the main Appalachian Mountains, stretching from New Jersey in the north to central Alabama in the south. The Piedmont province is a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian division. The...
, and is impounded through series of reservoirs for flood control and
hydroelectricityHydroelectricity is electricity generated by hydropower, i.e., the production of power through use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
. The river is named after the
CatawbaThe Catawba are a federally recognized nation of Native Americans, known as the Catawba Indian Nation. They live in the Southeast United States, along the border between North and South Carolina. The Catawba were once considered one of the most powerful eastern Siouan tribes...
tribe of
Native AmericansNative Americans in the United States is the phrase that describes indigenous peoples from North America now encompassed by the continental United States, including parts of Alaska and the island state of Hawaii. They comprise a large number of distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of...
. They were known in their own language as the Kawahcatawbas, "the people of the river".
It rises in the
Blue Ridge MountainsThe Blue Ridge, or Blue Ridge Mountains, is a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains range. This province consists of northern and southern physiographic regions, which divide near the Roanoke River gap. The mountain range is located in the eastern United States, starting at...
in western
McDowell County, North CarolinaMcDowell County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2008 estimate, the population was 50,151. Its county seat is Marion.-History:Cherokee and Catawba Indians were the first known inhabitants of what is now McDowell County....
, approximately 20 miles (30 km) east of
AshevilleAsheville is a city in and the county seat of Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States. It is the largest city in Western North Carolina, and continues to grow. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that Asheville's population as of 2007 was 73,875...
.
The
Catawba River (named after the Native American tribes that first settled on the banks) is a
tributaryA tributary is a stream or river which flows into a main stem river. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea. Tributaries and the mainstem river serve to drain the surrounding drainage basin of its surface water and groundwater by leading the water out into an ocean or some other large body...
of the
Wateree RiverThe Wateree River, about 75 mi long, is a tributary of the Santee River in central South Carolina in the United States, which flows to the Atlantic Ocean...
in the
U.S. stateA U.S. state is any one of 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government . Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile...
s of
North CarolinaNorth Carolina is a state located on the Atlantic Seaboard in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties...
and
South CarolinaSouth Carolina is a U.S. state that borders Georgia to the south and North Carolina to the north. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence from the British Crown during the American Revolution. The colony was...
. The river is approximately 220 miles (350 km) long. It rises in the
Appalachian MountainsThe Appalachian Mountains , often called the Appalachians, are a vast system of mountains in eastern North America. Definitions vary on the precise boundaries of the Appalachians...
and drains into
PiedmontPiedmont is a plateau region located in the eastern United States between the Atlantic Coastal Plain and the main Appalachian Mountains, stretching from New Jersey in the north to central Alabama in the south. The Piedmont province is a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian division. The...
, and is impounded through series of reservoirs for flood control and
hydroelectricityHydroelectricity is electricity generated by hydropower, i.e., the production of power through use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
. The river is named after the
CatawbaThe Catawba are a federally recognized nation of Native Americans, known as the Catawba Indian Nation. They live in the Southeast United States, along the border between North and South Carolina. The Catawba were once considered one of the most powerful eastern Siouan tribes...
tribe of
Native AmericansNative Americans in the United States is the phrase that describes indigenous peoples from North America now encompassed by the continental United States, including parts of Alaska and the island state of Hawaii. They comprise a large number of distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of...
. They were known in their own language as the Kawahcatawbas, "the people of the river".
It rises in the
Blue Ridge MountainsThe Blue Ridge, or Blue Ridge Mountains, is a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains range. This province consists of northern and southern physiographic regions, which divide near the Roanoke River gap. The mountain range is located in the eastern United States, starting at...
in western
McDowell County, North CarolinaMcDowell County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2008 estimate, the population was 50,151. Its county seat is Marion.-History:Cherokee and Catawba Indians were the first known inhabitants of what is now McDowell County....
, approximately 20 miles (30 km) east of
AshevilleAsheville is a city in and the county seat of Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States. It is the largest city in Western North Carolina, and continues to grow. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that Asheville's population as of 2007 was 73,875...
. It flows ENE, forming, along with the Linville River, Lake James. It then passes north of
MorgantonMorganton is a city in Burke County, North Carolina, United States. Reader's Digest included Morganton in its list of top ten places to raise a family. The town was recently profiled in The 50 Best Small Southern Towns. The population was 17,310 at the 2000 census...
, then southeast through the
Lake NormanLake Norman, created between 1959 and 1964 as part of the construction of the Cowans Ford Dam by Duke Energy, is the largest manmade body of fresh water located entirely within North Carolina. It is fed by the Catawba River. It was named after former Duke Power president Norman Cocke...
reservoir. From Lake Norman it flows south, passing west of
CharlotteCharlotte is the largest city in the state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. Charlotte's population was estimated to be 687,456 in 2008, making it the 18th largest city in the United States. Residents of Charlotte are referred to as "Charlotteans"...
, then flowing through the
Mountain Island LakeMountain Island Lake was created in 1924 to coincide with the building of Mountain Island Hydroelectric Station.Mountain Island Lake is fed by the Catawba River, and is the smallest of the three man-made lakes that border Mecklenburg County, North Carolina .Mountain Island Lake is managed by...
and
Lake WylieLake Wylie is a reservoir located in South Carolina and North Carolina. The lake has a surface area of and features of shore line.-History:...
reservoirs, where it forms approximately 10 miles (15 km) of the border between North Carolina and South Carolina. It flows into northern South Carolina, passing east of
Rock HillRock Hill is the largest city in York County of South Carolina, and the fourth largest city in the state. The 2008 population estimate was 67,339 residents. Rock Hill is located at , approximately 25 miles south of Charlotte, North Carolina and approximately 50 miles north of Columbia, South...
, then through Fishing Creek Reservoir near
Great FallsGreat Falls is a town in Chester County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 2,194 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Great Falls is located at ....
, and then into the
Lake WatereeLake Wateree is a reservoir in Kershaw County, South Carolina in the United States. It is one of South Carolina's oldest man-made lakes. It has of shoreline and includes Lake Wateree State Recreation Area, a bird refuge, and Shaw Air Force Base Recreation center...
reservoir, approximately 30 miles (50 km) northeast of
ColumbiaColumbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 116,278 according to the 2000 census . Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into Lexington County. The city is the center of a metro area of 728,063...
. At the now-submerged confluence with Wateree Creek, it becomes the
Wateree RiverThe Wateree River, about 75 mi long, is a tributary of the Santee River in central South Carolina in the United States, which flows to the Atlantic Ocean...
.
Dams
The Catawba is heavily dammed, including the following:
North Carolina
- Lake James
Lake James is a large reservoir in the mountains of Western North Carolina which straddles the border between Burke and McDowell Counties. It is named for tobacco tycoon and benefactor of Duke University, James Buchanan Duke. The lake lies behind a series of 4 earthen dams, and was created by...
Dam
- Rhodhiss
Rhodhiss is a town in Caldwell and Burke counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The population was 366 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
Dam
- Lake Hickory Dam
- Lookout Shoals Dam
- Cowans Ford Dam
The Cowans Ford Dam is a dam completed in 1963 along the Catawba River on the border between Lincoln and Mecklenburg counties in North Carolina. The dam holds back Lake Norman and is an important source of hydroelectric power.-See also:...
, creating Lake NormanLake Norman, created between 1959 and 1964 as part of the construction of the Cowans Ford Dam by Duke Energy, is the largest manmade body of fresh water located entirely within North Carolina. It is fed by the Catawba River. It was named after former Duke Power president Norman Cocke...
- Mountain Island Lake Dam
South Carolina
- Lake Wylie
Lake Wylie is a reservoir located in South Carolina and North Carolina. The lake has a surface area of and features of shore line.-History:...
Dam
- Fishing Creek Reservoir in Great Falls
Great Falls is a town in Chester County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 2,194 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Great Falls is located at ....
- Dearborn-Great Falls Dam
- Cedar Creek Reservoir Dam
- Lake Wateree
Lake Wateree is a reservoir in Kershaw County, South Carolina in the United States. It is one of South Carolina's oldest man-made lakes. It has of shoreline and includes Lake Wateree State Recreation Area, a bird refuge, and Shaw Air Force Base Recreation center...
Dam
Controversy
In 2006 the river became the center of a water use controversy between the residents of the Catawba watershed and
Cabarrus County, North CarolinaCabarrus County is a county located in the south-central part of the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2000, the population was 131,063. A population of approximately 147,000 in 2005 represents a dramatic increase in population over the past 30 years, due largely to the growth of suburbs related...
. The cities of
ConcordConcord is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 55,977. It is the county seat of Cabarrus County and a winner of the All-America City Award in 2004...
and
KannapolisKannapolis is a city in Cabarrus and Rowan counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina, northwest of Concord and northeast of Charlotte. The population was 36,910 at the 2000 census...
are expecting a daily shortfall of 22 million gallons of water a day by 2035 and want to pump up to 36 million gallons of water daily from the Catawba. The Concord/Kannapolis Interbasin Transfer (IBT) proposal calls for water to be permanently transferred from one river basin to another river basin. Such a transfer is unlike the more common water usage, in which municipalities within the Catawba basin pump water from the river and treat it for residential use. Much of that treated water eventually returns to the Catawba River.
Though neither Concord nor Kannapolis are located in the Catawba River basin (both are located in the
Pee Dee RiverThe Pee Dee River, also known as the Great Pee Dee River, is a river in North Carolina and South Carolina. It originates in the Appalachian Mountains in North Carolina, where its upper course above the mouth of the Uwharrie River is known as the Yadkin River, and it is extensively dammed for flood...
basin), the cities say the Catawba River is a regional resource and the IBT is needed to support their future growth. Opponents of the IBT argue that towns and cities along the Catawba River basin are growing as well, and that the cities' request is too large.
Foes of the plan also say the Concord/Kannapolis request doesn’t adequately address lower-than-usual river levels due to drought.
On January 10, 2007, the
North CarolinaNorth Carolina is a state located on the Atlantic Seaboard in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties...
state environmental panel authorized Concord and Kannapolis to pump up to 10 million gallons a day from the Catawba River. This decision represented a compromise recommended by hearing officers for the Environmental Management Commission. The mayors of
MorgantonMorganton is a city in Burke County, North Carolina, United States. Reader's Digest included Morganton in its list of top ten places to raise a family. The town was recently profiled in The 50 Best Small Southern Towns. The population was 17,310 at the 2000 census...
and
ValdeseValdese is a town in Burke County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 4,485 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Valdese is located at ....
stated they were adamantly against the transfer and that the panel's ruling was skewed and biased. Concord's city manager stated the approval of the water transfer was "bittersweet", since the panel authorized an amount much lower than was originally requested and is likely to be delayed by lawsuits. “Well, (officials from) Hickory are going to file an appeal,” said Concord Mayor Scott Padgett, who spoke briefly with Hickory Mayor Rudy Wright after the EMC meeting. “His major concern is changing the (interbasin transfer) process. My appeal to him is that there should be a truce. To file an appeal is just going to prolong something we deserve, is less than what we asked for and is going to further hard feelings this has already created.”
A river at risk
Starting in the early autumn months of 2007 the Catawba basin, along with large swaths of the
Southern United StatesThe Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, Down South, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive region in the southeastern and south-central United States...
, began to feel the effects of an extreme drought. On October 15, 2007, the Morganton News Herald reported that
North CarolinaNorth Carolina is a state located on the Atlantic Seaboard in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties...
Governor
Mike EasleyMichael Francis Easley is a former governor of the U.S. state of North Carolina, serving from 2001 to 2009. He is a Democrat and was North Carolina's second Catholic governor...
described the drought as "the worst in recorded history".
On January 29, 2008, Duke Energy, the utility responsible for managing the Catawba River, extended its estimated time frame for Stage 4 water restrictions to August. The extension was possible because of conservation measures and the 6 inches of rain the basin received in December. However, area leaders converged on Valdese to hear presentations from Representatives of the N.C. Rural Center, N.C. Department of Commerce, N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Appalachian Regional Commission about grants and loans that are available to help pay for solutions to the drought.
In April 2008 the environmental group American Rivers named the Catawba-
Wateree RiverThe Wateree River, about 75 mi long, is a tributary of the Santee River in central South Carolina in the United States, which flows to the Atlantic Ocean...
"the most endangered river in America." The group's reasons cited for the river's condition are the drought, the presence of 11 hydroelectric dams,
global warmingGlobal warming is the increase in the average temperature of the Earth's near-surface air and oceans since the mid-20th century and its projected continuation. Global surface temperature increased 0.74 ± 0.18 °C during the last century...
, and unchecked development along its banks.
On June 11, 2008, South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford signed legislation denoting the Catawba as a state scenic river. The designation carries no land-use restrictions, but it does allow the state to convene an advisory group to address river-related concerns.
Crossings
The Catawba River is crossed by many highways over its course. (Note: this list may be incomplete)
North Carolina
- Lake James to Lake Norman
- Power House Road
- Watermill Glen Alpine Road
- Independence Blvd in Morganton
Morganton is a city in Burke County, North Carolina, United States. Reader's Digest included Morganton in its list of top ten places to raise a family. The town was recently profiled in The 50 Best Small Southern Towns. The population was 17,310 at the 2000 census...
- N Green Street (N.C. 181) in Morganton
- U.S. 64 in Morganton
- Huffman Bridge
- Castle Bridge near Rutherford College
Rutherford College is a town in Burke County, North Carolina, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 1,293. It is part of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
- Rhodhiss Road in Rhodhiss
Rhodhiss is a town in Caldwell and Burke counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The population was 366 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
- U.S. 321 in Hickory
Hickory is a city in Catawba County, North Carolina. Hickory has the 162nd largest urban area in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a Metropolitan Statistical Area population of 341,851, making it the 4th largest metropolitan area in North Carolina. The city's population was...
- N.C. 127 near Hickory
- N.C. 16 below Lake Hickory Dam
- Interstate 40
Interstate 40 is a major west-east Interstate Highway in the United States. Its western terminus is at Interstate 15 in Barstow, California; its eastern terminus is at a concurrency of U.S. Route 117 and North Carolina Highway 132 in Wilmington, North Carolina. Much of the western portion of I-40,...
- Buffalo Shoals Road over Lake Norman
Lake Norman, created between 1959 and 1964 as part of the construction of the Cowans Ford Dam by Duke Energy, is the largest manmade body of fresh water located entirely within North Carolina. It is fed by the Catawba River. It was named after former Duke Power president Norman Cocke...
- N.C. 150 over Lake Norman
- Lake Norman to the SC border
- N.C. 73 bridge at Cowans Ford Dam
- Rozzelle Bridge on Brookshire Blvd (N.C. 16) over Mountain Island Lake
Mountain Island Lake was created in 1924 to coincide with the building of Mountain Island Hydroelectric Station.Mountain Island Lake is fed by the Catawba River, and is the smallest of the three man-made lakes that border Mecklenburg County, North Carolina .Mountain Island Lake is managed by...
- E. Charlotte Avenue in Mount Holly
Mount Holly is a city in northeast Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. The city is situated on the western bank of the Catawba River in the Southern Piedmont area of North Carolina, north of Interstate 85 and south of North Carolina State Highway 16. The population was 9,618 at the 2000...
- Interstate 85
Interstate 85 is a major Interstate Highway in the southeastern United States. Its southern terminus is at an intersection with Interstate 65 in Montgomery, Alabama; its northern terminus intersects with Interstate 95 in Petersburg, Virginia, near Richmond.An addition to Interstate 85 is proposed...
- Wilkinson Blvd U.S. 29 and U.S. 74 in Belmont
Belmont is a city in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States, located about west of uptown Charlotte, North Carolina. The population was 8,705 at the 2000 census. Once known as Garibaldi, the city named in honor of August Belmont, a prominent New York banker...
- Buster Boyd Bridge
The Buster Boyd Bridge is a four-lane automobile bridge spanning Lake Wylie between Steele Creek in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina and the town of Lake Wylie in York County, South Carolina....
over Lake Wylie
South Carolina
- Lake Wylie to Lake Wateree
- Interstate 77
Interstate 77 is an Interstate Highway in the eastern United States. It traverses diverse terrain, from the mountainous state of West Virginia to the rolling farmlands of North Carolina and Ohio. It largely supplants the old U.S. Route 21 between Cleveland, Ohio, and Columbia, South Carolina, as...
- Cherry Road U.S. 21 between Rock Hill
Rock Hill is the largest city in York County of South Carolina, and the fourth largest city in the state. The 2008 population estimate was 67,339 residents. Rock Hill is located at , approximately 25 miles south of Charlotte, North Carolina and approximately 50 miles north of Columbia, South...
and Fort MillFort Mill is a town in York county in the U.S. state of South Carolina, and a suburb of the city of Charlotte, North Carolina and Rock Hill, South Carolina. Approximately 9,400 people live inside the town's corporate limits with a total of nearly 35,000 people residing within the entire township...
- Rock Hill Highway (S.C. 5)
- Lancaster-Chester Highway (S.C. 9)
- Francis Avenue in Great Falls
Great Falls is a town in Chester County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 2,194 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Great Falls is located at ....