ROANOKE RIVER BASIN It ws known s the river of deth to Ntive Americns nd erly settlers becuse its spring floods climed so mny lives, but the mighty Ronoke River hs lso been giver of life. V MELISSA MCGAW, NCWRC As it flows to the Costl Plin, it drins the rich lnds of the mountins nd Piedmont of Virgini nd North Crolin, then crries sediment downstrem nd spreds blnket of soil on the forest floor. This cycle hs creted fertile frmlnd for cotton, corn, tobcco, penuts nd soybens. Before the 400-mile river ws dmmed in the mid-1950s, it ws n venue for hevy spring time runs of striped bss, herring nd other ndromous fish fish tht live in the ocen but swim upriver to spwn in the freshwter hbitt where they were born. Striped bss, lso clled stripers nd rocks, mde the town of Weldon the rockfish cpitl of the world. And romous fish still return to the Ronoke but re limited to the river below the Ronoke Rpids Reservoir Dm. Sunlight dpples the floor of floodplin forest (left); blck ber tkes drink from the Ronoke (below). BILL LEA In spite of popultion growth nd other chnges, the bsin still contins ecologicl mrvels. The Ronoke crries more wter thn ny other North Crolin river. It lso hs the widest floodplin up to 5 miles in plces. With the stte s densest pop ultions of white-tiled deer, wild turkey nd blck ber, the lnd in the lower bsin is hunter s prdise. It s lso birder s heven. At lest 220 bird species re found in the Ronoke floodplin, includ ing 88 resident species the highest density of nesting birds nywhere in the stte. More thn 235 squre miles of bottomlnd nd cypresstupelo forests lie long the lower Ronoke. Biologists con sider the lower Ronoke to be the lrgest intct nd lest disturbed expnse of these ecosystems on the Est Cost. It s no wonder then tht so mny prtners including conservtion groups, government gencies nd corportions hve joined forces to protect this plce. The 21,000-cre profile: Totl miles of strems nd rivers: 2,213 Totl cres of lkes: 81,631 Totl cres of estury: 1,476 Municiplities within bsin: 42 Counties within bsin: 15 Size: 3,503 squre miles Popultion: 344,638 (2000 U.S. Census) KEN TAYLOR, NCWRC Turkey Territory When overhunting eliminted wild turkeys from most of North Crolin, the birds mnged to hold on in the remote, productive reches of the Ronoke River flood plin. Eventully, they becme prt of the stock for stte - wide restortion pro - grm. Wild turkeys now exist in ll of North Cro - lin s 100 counties.
Spring Spwning Striped bss migrte up the Ronoke River to spwn in erly spring ner Weldon. A single fish cn relese s mny s 1 million eggs, which will flot down strem to htch ner Hmilton. The lrve continue to flot down river, rech - ing yolk-sc stge ner Willims ton nd fin-fold stge ner Plymouth. Finlly, young of the yer, or juvenile striper reches the Albemrle Sound. Here it will spend the yer feeding nd growing. The brillint prothonotry wrbler is known loclly s the swmp cnry. Ronoke River Ntionl Wildlife Refuge is one of the finest exmples of multiple collbortions. Estblished with The Nture Conservncy's purchse of 10,626 cres in 1989, the refuge is now prt of 100,000- cre re protected by the Conservncy, the U.S. Fish nd Wildlife Service, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission nd lndowners vi conservtion esements on their property. Most recently, the Georgi Pcific Corportion entered n greement with the Conservncy to protect 21,000 cres. A nerly 137-mile corridor of protected lnd now stretches from Ronoke Rpids to the Albemrle Sound. CARL V. GALIE JR. Devil's Gut Nturl Are, on the lower Ronoke, contins centuries-old bld cypress nd tupelo trees. The site is owned by the North Crolin chpter of The Nture Conservncy. The Ronoke River begins in the Blue Ridge Mountins of south western Virgini nd ends where it meets the Albemrle Sound, prt of the second lrgest estury system in the United Sttes (Albemrle-Pmlico). The North Crolin portion of the bsin hs two mjor prts: the Dn River nd its tributries in the western section nd the Ronoke River nd its tributries in the estern section. The Ronoke enters North Crolin through John H. Kerr Reservoir ( Kerr MELISSA MCGAW, NCWRC ) nd continues though Gston nd Ronoke Rpids before flowing freely s river downstrem of Weldon. As it flows from the foot hills, cross the fll line nd to the flt Costl Plin, the Ronoke River chnges from nrrow nd lively to brod nd slow. The mny rre species in the bsin include the red-cockded woodpecker, shortnose sturgeon nd Jmes spinymussel, which re ll federlly listed s endngered species. Ten other freshwter mussels re lso listed s thretened or endngered by the stte. A rre mmml,
costl plin subspecies of the Rfinesque s big-ered bt, is sttelisted s thretened, s re the bld egle, Wehrle s slmnder nd bigeye jumprock ( fish). Three fish species, the rustyside sucker, cutlip minnow nd ornge mdtom, re on the stte s endngered species list. KEN TAYLOR, NCWRC The Surtown Mountins t Hnging Rock Hnging Rock Stte Prk is locted in the upper portion of the Ronoke River Bsin. The most prominent feture of the prk is its series of steep, qurtzite-cpped ridges dissected by Cscde nd Indin creeks. Portions of these two strems were reclssified recently by the stte s Outstnding Resource Wters nd will receive specil protection due to excellent wter qulity nd rre qutic species. The scenic Sur - town Mountins, s the prk s peks re clled, re often referred to s the mountins est of the mountins becuse of their loction in the middle Piedmont. Gret blue heron BILL LEA Frequent nd serious flooding hs defined the Ronoke River Bsin nd ws relentless during the first hlf of the 20th century. After devstting flood in August 1940, residents in the floodplin clled on the U.S. Congress for help. A string of dms ws plnned to control flooding in the bsin. In 1953, the John H. Kerr Dm ws completed. Two more dms nd reservoirs, Gston nd Ronoke Rpids, were completed in 1955 nd 1963, respectively. The three lkes together submerge 82 miles of the Ronoke River between South Boston, V., nd Ronoke Rpids. The lkes re importnt sources of hydroelectric power s well s populr recretion res. Flood control nd other benefits upstrem, however, hve cost the GEORGE HUMPHRIES Bld cypresses find nchor long the shore of Albemrle Sound.
Mortock Prk reflects on the Ronoke River ner Willimston. ILLUSTRATION BY DUANE RAVER hickory shd COURTESY OF THE N.C. DIVISION OF TOURISM, FILM AND SPORTS DEVELOPMENT river below. The mount nd tim ing of wter relese from the dms hve ffected the web of life down strem. Fish, wild life, trees nd other plnts hve become dpted to sesonl fluctutions of high nd low wter. When these nturl ptterns re chnged significntly for long periods of time, it ffects both the helth nd diversity of plnt nd niml life in the floodplin. The chl lenge is mnging the relese of wter from dms in wy tht blnces humn needs with the needs of the entire ecosystem. CHARLES BRASWELL JR. Altered flows, long with overfishing nd hb itt loss, contributed to serious decline of the striped bss fishery in the 1980s nd erly 1990s. Thnks to strict hrvesting regultions nd mnged releses of wter from dms during the spwning seson, the striper fishery on the Ronoke hs recovered. Popultions of hickory shd lso hve rebounded, lthough Americn shd re still in trouble nd sturgeon re nonexistent. Residents in the Ronoke River Bsin fce sev erl chllenges. The demnd for wter by consumers living in the bsin is expected to increse s much s 55 percent by 2020. Thirsty outsiders hve lso tpped the Ronoke River Bsin s wter source. In 1997, the City of Virgini Bech, V., obtined the right to withdrw up to 60 million gl - lons of wter ech dy from Gston following n A pddler skims the surfce of Kerr. ROANOKE RIVER BASIN You my hve noticed Ronoke River Bsin signs posted long highwys. These were creted through prtnership between the Office of Environ - mentl Eduction nd the N.C. Deprtment of Trnsporttion with funding from the Federl Trnsporttion Enhncement Pro grm. Signs in ech of the stte s 17 river bsins cll ttention to bsin boundries nd pro - mote stewrdship of public wters.
The sky pints n mber veneer on peceful Ronoke. CARL V. GALIE JR. involved nd hotly contested Federl Energy Regu ltory Commission pprovl process. Oppo - nents contended tht the withdrwl could cuse reduced flows on the Ronoke River down - strem, stressing the environment nd economy. Urbn res in North Crolin, including Greensboro nd the Tringle region, re lso eyeing the Ronoke s wter supply source. Destruction of qutic hbitt is the most prevlent wter qulity problem in the bsin. It is cused in prt by polluted stormwter runoff, which results from vriety of lnd-use prctices including griculture, forestry nd construction. Moreover, high levels of dioxin, selenium nd mercury hve prompted severl fish consumption dvisories in the bsin. There re mny groups working to protect the nturl resources of the Ronoke River Bsin. In n exciting new public-privte conservtion effort in the bsin, the Piedmont Lnd Con - servncy is working with the N.C. Division of Prks nd Recretion to cquire lnd for the newly uthorized Myo River Stte Prk in Rockinghm County. To lern more bout other conservtion inititives in the bsin, see the resource list on the bck pge. Stte of North Crolin: Governor Michel F. Esley North Crolin Deprtment of Environment nd Nturl Resources: Secretry Willim G. Ross Jr. Office of Environmentl Eduction: Director Lis Tolley, Project Mnger Rchel Golden Editor Crl Burgess Designer Kimberly KC Schott, Red Gte Design Specil Thnks North Crolin Wildlife Resources Commission Dte: 2007 10,000 copies of this public document were printed t cost of $1,462 or $0.15 per copy. This publiction ws funded through the Clen Wter Act s Section 319 Grnt Progrm. In the coming yers, some river bsin boundries will chnge if the stte moves forwrd with plns to modify them to coincide with federl mps. The Cpe Fer, White Ok, Chown, Psquotnk, Tr-Pmlico nd Neuse bsins would be the most significntly ltered. Printed on recycled pper
HIKING & BIKING The Ronoke River Bsin offers mny opportunities to enjoy nd explore nture through wlking, hiking nd biking. This list includes plces for esy to moderte ctivity. Mny sites include views of strems, rivers, creeks, lkes, wetlnds nd esturies. in the Ronoke River Bsin SURRY STOKES 13 7 HIKING D n n tow S in u s r Mount Dnbury FORSYTH Kernersville Eden Wentworth Reidsville 1 Cshie Wetlnds Wlk http://members.inteliport.net/~e/1greengid. htm.5-mile bordwlk through cypressgum swmp forest. 2 Chinqu-Penn Tril http://www.ncgr.com/reserch/uprs.htm 1.5-mile hiking tril. 3 Conby Creek Nture Tril (252) 217-2204 (Mritime Museum) 250- yrd bordwlk tril through wetlnds. 4 Emry Prk http://www.ronokerpidsnc.com/prkrec/ prks.html 12.5 cres.5-mile tril. 5 Frris Memoril Prk http://www.mmrecdeprtment.org/frris %20Prk.htm 1-mile nture tril. 6 Freedom Prk http://www.ci.eden.nc.us/coe-freedomprk.html 58 cres 1 mile of nture trils plus.25-mile pved wlking tril, ll wheelchir-ccessible. 7 Hnging Rock Stte Prk http://ils.unc.edu/prkproject/visit/hro /home.html 6,962 cres 23.6 miles of hiking trils; short, wheelchir-ccessible tril. 8 Hyco http://www.hycolke.com/ 1 mile of nture trils. 5 R i v e r Belews GUILFORD Ynceyville CASWELL 9 Kerr Stte Recretion Are http://ils.unc.edu/prkproject/visit/kel/ home.html 3,000 cres Nture pths t Bullocksville, Stterwhite Point nd Hiberni res. 10 Piedmont Community College Nture Tril http://www.visitroxboronc.com/recretion/ cc_nturetril.htm 2.5 miles of trils. 11 Ronoke/Cshie River Center http://www.prtnershipforthesounds.org /rcrc_home.htm.75-mile, wheelchirccessible bordwlk long Cshie River. 6 ROCKINGHAM 2 8 Myo Reservoir Hyco Roxboro 10 PERSON 14 GRANVILLE VANCE 12 Ronoke River Ntionl Wildlife Refuge http://www.fws.gov/ronokeriver/ 17,500 cres 1.5-mile interpretive tril ("Kurlt Tril"). 13 Surtown Tril http://www.surtowntrils.org/ 21.70-mile tril begins t the Tories Den prking re t Hnging Rock Stte Prk nd trvels west to the Surry Line prking re t Pilot Mountin Stte Prk. HIKING nd BIKING Henderson John H. Kerr Reservoir WARREN Gston 14 Myo Prk http://myo.personcounty.net/ 7 miles of hiking nd biking trils. 15 Ril Switch Tril (Plymouth) http://www.livinghistoryweekend.com/ port_o.htm (ccess t Port o' Plymouth museum).5-mile, wheelchir-ccessible tril with mrsh overlooks. 16 River Flls Prk http://www.weldonnc.com/thingsto.htm Access to Ronoke Cnl Tril. 9 18 17 4 Ronoke Rpids 16 Ronoke Rpids NORTHAMPTON Hlifx Jckson HALIFAX hiking hiking nd biking R o n o k e BERTIE 12 Willimston 1 11 19 Windsor R i v e r MARTIN 3 15 17 Ronoke Cnl Museum nd Tril http://www.ronokecnl.com/ 7.7-mile hiking nd biking tril; prt is wheel chirccessible. WASHINGTON Plymouth 18 Sbin Gould Wlkwy http://www.ncril-trils.org/mapkeys. HTM 1.2 mile, wheel chir-ccessible ril-tril. 19 Skewrkee Ril Tril http://www.ncril-trils.org/mapkeys. HTM 1-mile, wheelchir-ccessible tril. = some trils designted s wheelchir ccessible
PADDLING The Ronoke River Bsin offers mny opportunities for pddling creeks, ponds, strems, rivers, lkes nd esturies. The plces included here offer public ccess res mintined by stte, federl or locl governments. Privtely operted mrins nd bot docks my lso be vilble. These trils nd lkes re suitble for esy to moderte pddling. in the Ronoke River Bsin SURRY n tow S i u n r s Mount Kernersville Eden STOKES Ynceyville 7 Dnbury ROCKINGHAM Reidsville Wentworth 6 Belews CASWELL D n FORSYTH R i v e r GUILFORD 1 Belews * http://www.dukepower.com/lkes/lkefcts/ belews.sp 3,863 cres 2 Cshie River* Access t Sns Souci nd Windsor 1 3 Cshie River Wetlnds Wlk Free rentl cnoes vilble for short pddle tril. 4 Conby Creek Cnoe Tril* http://www.ncpddletrils.org 8-mile tril. 5 Dn River http://www.ncnorthstr.com/tourism/rivers. html Esy pddling on severl miles of clm stretches of the Dn in Rockinghm County. 6 Frmer (336) 694-5522 369 cres 7 Hnging Rock Stte Prk http://ils.unc.edu/prkproject/visit/hro/ home.html 12-cre lke on Cscde Creek Rentl cnoes only. 5 8 Myo Reservoir Hyco Roxboro 15 PERSON 11 GRANVILLE VANCE Henderson 8 Hyco http://www.hycolke.com/ 3,750 cres 9 Kerr Stte Recretion Are* http://ils.unc.edu/prkproject/visit/kel/ home.html 50,000 cres 10 Gston* http://lkegstonchmber.com/boutlg.htm 20,000 cres 11 Myo * http://myo.personcounty.net/ 2,800 cres 2-mile cnoe tril. 12 Ronoke/Cshie River Center http://www.prtnershipforthesounds.org/rcrc _home.htm Cnoe put-in on Cshie River. Rentls vilble. 13 Ronoke Rpids * 4,600 cres 10 John H. Kerr Reservoir WARREN Gston 14 Ronoke River Pddle Tril* (highlighted in yellow) http://www.ronoke riverprtners.org/aboutrrp.htm nd http:// 9 13 Ronoke Rpids Ronoke Rpids 14 NORTHAMPTON Hlifx Jckson HALIFAX R o n o k e BERTIE Willimston 2 3 Windsor 12 R i v e r MARTIN www.ncpddletrils.org. 128.3 miles from Ronoke Rpids to Pmlico Sound. Clmer pddling in lower portion. 4 WASHINGTON Plymouth 15 Roxboro City http://www.cityofroxboro.com/residentil/ resident_leisure.htm (336) 599-4906 100 cres *Denotes site with public ccess res min - tined by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Com - mission. For directions to bot rmps, visit www.ncwildlife.org nd click on Boting/ Wterwys, then Mps/Loction. BFor more informtion bout costl plin pddle trils, visit http://www.ncpddletrils.org.
WHERE? SHOULD I GO HOW? CAN I HELP Wht mkes the Ronoke River Bsin so specil? See for yourself. Visit these Environmentl Eduction Centers to discover more bout your ecologicl ddress: Betsy-Jeff Penn 4-H Eduction Center Kerr Stte Recretion Are Chinqu-Penn Tril t the Upper Pied- Morningstr Nture Refuge mont Reserch Sttion Ronoke/Cshie River Center Hnging Rock Stte Prk For more informtion bout ll the Environmentl Eduction Centers in North Crolin, cll the Office of Environmentl Eduction t (919) 733-0711, or check out the Web site t http://www.eenorthcrolin.org. You cn gin sense of community pride by lerning more nd helping to protect strems, rivers, lkes nd esturies in the Ronoke River Bsin. The contcts listed below cn help you do just tht. Albemrle Environmentl Assocition http://members.inteliport.net/~e/index.htm Albemrle-Pmlico Ntionl Estury Progrm http://www.pnep.org/ (919) 715-1327 Prtnership for the Sounds http://www.prtnershipforthesounds.org/ 1-(888) 737-0437 Ronoke River Bsin Assocition http://www.rrb.org/ CARL V. GALIE JR. Dn River Bsin Assocition http://www.dnriver.org/ (336) 548-3722 N.C. Soil nd Wter Conservtion Districts http://www.enr.stte.nc.us/dswc (919) 733-2302 North Crolin Strem Wtch http://www.ncwter.org/eduction_nd_technicl _Assistnce/Strem_Wtch (919) 715-5433 Ronoke River Bsinwide Pln* http://h2o.enr.stte.nc.us/bsinwide Ronoke River Prtners http://www.ronokeriverprtners.org/ Virgini Ronoke River Bsin Advisory Committee http://www.deq.stte.v.us/vrrbc/ (804) 698-4000 *Bsinwide wter qulity plnning is nonregultory, wtershed-bsed pproch to restoring nd protecting the qulity of North Crolin s surfce wters. The N.C. Division of Wter Qulity welcomes community input. To order dditionl brochures on ny of North Crolin s 17 river bsins, generl river bsin booklet or poster, cll the N.C. Office of Environmentl Eduction t (919) 733-0711, or order online t http://www.eenorthcrolin.org.