1. NC River Basins

2. Charlotte is in the Catawba Drainage Basin
A drainage basin is the land that water flows across or under on its way to a river
In NC all water is sent to the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, or another river.
Five river basins flow into the Mississippi River
Hiawassee, Little Tennessee, French Broad, New, Watauga
The other 12 flow into the Atlantic
Charlotte is in the Catawba Drainage Basin

3. River Characteristics
Landscapes → shape of the land
Wetlands → areas that are saturated with water (swamps, marshes)
Groundwater → water in the ground
Biodiversity → the total amount of species that make up an area
Climate → temperature and precipitation over a period of time
Groundwater pollution → how much pollution is being added

4. Human Impact
Point-source pollution, non-point source pollution, and run off are being introduced to the streams which is acting to destroy natural buffers and toxify the system.

5. There are many things that can be done to help our river systems
Change government policies
Protect river banks from erosion
Conserve land
Reduce pollution
Educate the public about environmental policy and prevention
Create Urban Stream Renewal programs that reclaim streams/creeks/rivers and make them useful and productive-Think Greenways