The organization keeping our water (and ecosystem) clean and safe

This content was produced in partnership with OrthoCarolina.

Catawba Riverkeeper’s mission is to preserve and protect the waters of the Catawba-Wateree River Basin.

Mitigating the damage humans have inflicted on our waterways and protecting our precious natural resources from future harm is a monumental task, but a necessary one for future generations.

• Since 1997, the organization has served as the primary watchdog and intermediary dedicated to the waterways.

Key numbers: Here are some of the Catawba-Wateree River’s stats:

• 225 miles long
• Flows through 26 counties
• Includes 14 dams and 11 lakes

OrthoCarolina is proud to support Catawba Riverkeeper’s mission as part of their commitment to healthy lifestyles and the Charlotte community.

Here are 3 things to know about the Catawba Riverkeeper organization

(1) One person actually holds the title of Riverkeeper

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Brandon Jones’ full-time job as the official Catawba Riverkeeper® is protecting the Catawba-Wateree River Basin.

• He’s the fifth person to hold the title since Donna Lisenby became the first Riverkeeper in 1998. Jones took the job in 2018.

He’s the CRF’s chief scientist and advocate. Here are a few of the Riverkeeper’s areas of responsibility:

• Coordinating the organization’s testing, sampling, research, and legislative initiatives.
• Monitoring and addressing coal ash issues, permitted pollution discharges, stormwater runoff, and concentrated animal feeding operations.
• Preventing waterborne diseases.

His background: Jones is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Earth Science at UNC Charlotte, studying hydrology and water chemistry.

• He has a Bachelor of Arts in economics and a minor in environmental science from UNC Chapel Hill.

Fun fact: He spends his free time on the water as an avid whitewater paddler and river guide, and on the trails playing disc golf.

(2) CRF publishes an annual State of the River Report

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The State of the River report provides a consolidated assessment of the river’s health alongside a framework for tracking changes over time.

5-5-5: They divide the basin into 5 sub-watersheds and rate each on a scale of 1-5 for 5 different characteristics:

1. Monitoring
2. Point-sources of pollution
3. Nonpoint sources of pollution
4. Water quantity
5. Recreation

Here’s a summary of the report from October 2021 (Charlotte is in the Southern Catawba basin):

(3) There are lots of ways to get involved with CRF

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• Clean ups: Clean up your own neighborhood or backyard, or help out with an organized stream clean up.
• Citizen science: You can become a “water watcher;” volunteer to monitor and maintain facilities, collect samples and more.
• Sponsor a watershed: For $250, you can provide the resources that Catawba Riverkeeper needs to monitor our waterways, collect relevant data, and report pollution to the proper authorities.
• Young allies of the river: 20 and 30-somethings can become members ($25/year) to support CRF’s work and get access to perks like special events and discounts.

Just want to get out on the water? Check out our Outdoor Guides, presented by OrthoCarolina, for ideas and follow CRF on Instagram to keep up with everything they’re doing.

Want to see the river up close? OrthoCarolina and Catawba Riverkeeper are hosting a night hike on October 25.

This content was produced in partnership with OrthoCarolina.