Coastal Carolina Riverwatch

Support for Clean Water

Honoring

Katie Tomberlin

Coastal Carolina Riverwatch

Board Vice President and Volunteer

Katie Tomberlin has been a part of Coastal Carolina Riverwatch crew since 2018. She joining during CCRW’s campaign against offshore drilling and seismic blasting off our coast. “My family and I began as volunteers, attending every cleanup we could and every Commissioner and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management meeting to provide public comments against drilling.”

Water quality quickly became one of Katie’s passions. She joined the board alongside her husband Sterling, in January of 2019. “Water quality is important to me for several reasons. For one, I love where I live. There is a certain peace that comes with living near the ocean, and I have been lucky to live my whole life not even 15 minutes away from the sea. Salt water is healing. I also know from living here, how much our economy relies on having clean water, and that most of our residents make a living off of the water one way or another.”

“Through my involvement with CCRW, I have become more knowledgeable about hog farming, the environmental and social justice impacts, and the extensive reach of its pollution.” Katie is trained and has accompanied the CCCRW Waterkeeper on flights to assist in identifying hog and poultry farm violations. Katie is a regular field volunteer, assisting the Waterkeeper with water quality monitoring efforts in Onslow and Carteret Counties. “I am proud of the work we do here, and I am honored to be a part of the CCRW family.”

Thanks Katie Tomberlin and Sterling Gillikin, and to all the CCRW volunteers, members, and donors!

Whether you have strong roots to the coast, lived here your entire life, or just moved here to enjoy the salt air, we need your support to protect the quality of water and quality of life. Regular donors, members, and volunteers are vital to continue the growth of service that Coastal Carolina Riverwatch provides to the coastal community.

Together, we protect the quality of water and quality of life in Coastal North Carolina.

Water Quality for Fisheries

Program Update

Film to be Released on World Water Day,

March 22, 2022. Watch the Trailer below:

Water Quality for Fisheries:

Emerging Contaminants and

Industrial Pollution

Coastal Carolina Riverwatch and the Industry Working Group (made up of commercial and recreational fisheries representatives) have identified industrial pollution as one of the top five water quality concerns that impact coastal NC fisheries.

Industrial pollutants have contaminated North Carolina waters for decades, as a result of manufacturing processes and industrial activities. Industrial facilities release chemicals into the air and water, coal-based operations discharge contaminants into coastal rivers, and Superfund (inactive) sites leak hazardous materials into the environment. Industries may knowingly discharge toxic chemicals into the environment unbeknownst to the public or governmental agencies.

LEARN MORE

Water Quality for Fisheries

Program Update

Film to be Released on World Water Day,

March 22, 2022. Watch the Trailer below:

Pure Farms Pure Waters:

Aerial Monitoring

Through the Pure Farms, Pure Waters program, Coastal Carolina Riverwatch regularly monitors Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) by air and land.

Priorities for flight plans include areas that have shown an increase in bacteria and/or nutrient loads during water monitoring. Aerial monitoring is also used to identify future water monitoring sampling sites. Regular aerial monitoring is essential in identifying potential violations (runoff issues, uncovered poultry litter, or sludge accumulation).

Click Here to Read More.

Aerial Photo of Uncovered Poultry Litter Piles.

PHOTO: Drohan, 2022.

As part of the CCRW Water Quality for Fisheries Program, industrial agriculture and factory farm pollution has been identified as one of the top five water quality impacts to coastal North Carolina fisheries.

Want to learn more about this program or find out if your neighboring waterways are being impacted by CAFO waste pollution? Contact us by clicking here.

White Oak Waterkeeper,

Rebecca Drohan, conducts aerial monitoring with Rick Dove, Senior Advisor, Waterkeeper Alliance

Donate to Support this Program

Water Quality for Fisheries Program Update

Trailer for: “Tidal Alert: The State of Water Quality and its Impacts on Coastal Fisheries”

Just Released: Water Quality for Fisheries Film Trailer

“Tidal Alert: The State of Water Quality and its Impacts on Coastal Fisheries”