From the Little Tennessee River in the West to the Tar River in the East, North Carolina is home to breathtaking rivers, lakes, and streams, important for drinking water, fishing, swimming, and recreation. Unfortunately, our waters are at risk. North Carolina is developing at the fifth fastest rate in the nation. As this development increases, so do the demands and stresses placed on our rivers and streams.
The primary threat facing our waters is polluted runoff. This pollution occurs when rain hits paved surfaces and carries pollutants including oil, gas, pesticides, and sediment into our rivers and streams. This runoff smothers wildlife, erodes stream banks, and degrades water quality. Polluted water means a loss of clean drinking water, clear swimming holes, healthy fish, and recreational tourism. Fortunately, North Carolina has the ability to protect our remaining pristine rivers and streams.
Unspoiled waters can be safeguarded by implementing special classifications aimed at preserving water quality. There are over 75 rivers and streams in the state that qualify for these designations, but are still left unprotected. This report highlights the beauty and importance of several of these unspoiled rivers.
All this beauty in North Carolina, and I just hope we can keep it for our future. God knows our children and there children need to enjoy all this natural beauty.
1 comment:
I could not agree with you more. It is up to this generation to protect these natural beauties for the next.
That is one reason I feel the "battle" over "Global Warming" sometimes seems like a waste of time. While they are fighting over the supporting evidence, our water and air is being polluted on a daily basis.
I feel like we should take a more realistic and holistic approach, by focusing on the individual components of the ecological damage we are causing, such as the air and water pollution.
In the end, if "Global Warming" is a topic of concern, the actions we take to protect our environment as a whole, will most likely benefit the "Global Warming" issue as well.
Great job on this post!
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