WHAT WE DO:

Research and citizen education efforts are jointly funded by the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, Chatham County, the N.C. Conservation Trust and the N.C. Division of Water Quality 319 Grant Program. Research efforts seek to locate and compile the best available information concerning the environmental, natural and cultural features of the Rocky River. Citizen education efforts use this information to build citizen support for improved local, state and federal water quality, sedimentation control, land use planning and natural area preservation programs. Citizen education emphasizes the need to protect the entire Rocky River including especially three nationally significant aquatic habitats and eight natural heritage areas - all of which have been identified by the North Carolina Natural Heritage Program. Education efforts include presentations before community and student groups and elected officials.

To learn more about the Tick Creek 319 grant watershed restoration project, please go to: www.ncsu.edu/weco. Then select Rocky River from the list of "Current Projects."

Water quality monitoring is funded by grants from Chatham County and the Triangle Land Conservancy. Monitoring includes three activities. The first involves sampling for "chlorophyll a", nitrites, nitrates, phosphorus and sediment at three locations in the lower Rocky River. This monitoring is being undertaken by the N.C. State University Water Quality Group. The second activity includes population studies of the Cape Fear shiner, pea clams, cray fish and mussels at twenty-two sites throughout the Rocky River watershed. This study is being undertaken by Alderman Environmental Services, Inc. A third monitoring activity involves a two year photographic documentary of algae and other aquatic plant growth throughout the full length of the Rocky River. This study is being undertaken in cooperation with the N.C. Division of Water Quality with the documentary itself being photographed by Mr. Cheyney Hales.

To understand this nationally significant river, please view our Powerpoint presentation - Discover, Protect & Enjoy the Rocky River (3,876 KB).