Support for Clean Water

Rick Kearney, Ph.D

Coastal Carolina Riverwatch

Board President

After graduating from Mississippi State, he entered the Navy as an officer candidate. Rick served as communications and legal officer aboard a ship that did a tour in the Gulf of Tonkin, offshore Vietnam. There, Rick developed an appreciation of the beauty (and hazards) of blue water.

Following Rick’s Navy service, he found his way to graduate school at the University of Oklahoma. Rick taught and headed up programs at universities along the east coast, including the University of South Carolina, University of Connecticut, East Carolina University, and NC State University. At USC and U.Conn, Rick developed and taught their first courses in environmental politics and policy.

“My connection with CCRW came when my wife and I began spending the majority of our time in retirement at our house Down East, on Ward’s Creek in Otway. Watching and fishing the Creek, I am acutely aware of water quality issues, particularly those related to runoff from upstream, at Open Ground Farms.

CCRW’s mission to protect the quality of our coastal waters is critically important, and the main reason I agreed to serve as Board president of this amazing nonprofit organization. My commitment to CCRW keeps me engaged with our amazing staff, board members, and the broader environmental community.

Our work is important in meeting the challenges to our coastal ecosystem and the quality of our fisheries.”

Thanks Rick Kearney, 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.

NC Plastic Policy Workshop

Learn how local government planners, solid waste representatives, and local elected officials can help create change.

When:

April 29th, 2022

1-5pm

Where:

Carteret County, NC and

Virtually Everywhere

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

Factory Farming Pollution

In the last three decades, Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (factory farms) became a large component of the state’s agricultural industry. North Carolina went from the 7th to the 2nd greatest swine-producing state in a matter of 5 years during the 1980s.

The excess nutrients, from these facilities, cause eutrophication, habitat destruction, and algal blooms that block sunlight from reaching aquatic vegetation. Algal blooms may contain toxic microorganisms such as a Pfiesteria which has contributed to public health issues and fish being plagued with large sores. These factors have caused massive fish kills in freshwater including species such as minnows, gar, largemouth bass, striped bass, and flounder.

CAFO runoff can also lead to the presence of fecal bacteria or pathogens in surface water. Fecal bacterial pathogens that can cause human health problems and may lead to shellfish collection restrictions.

READ MORE about CAFO impacts to water quality and what coastal fishing communities have prioritized as solutions.

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Comments were submitted to the Planning Board on March 16th, 2022. Coastal Carolina Riverwatch is encouraging the coastal community in joining us to request that the Planning Board consider denying the Preliminary Plat approval request.

READ COMMENTS HERE.

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Duke Student Collaborators

María Cecilia Pertuz is a Political Scientist and Masters in Public Policy and currently a student of Coastal Environmental Management at the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University.

María hails from Colombia, and has worked as a research assistant in a think tank, as a coordinator in the Colombian National Government, and as a WWF consultant.

She had the incredible opportunity to work in national public policies such as Colombia as a Bioceanic Power 2030 and National Protected Area System.

María is an avid scuba diver and ocean enthusiast, having participated in Reef Check and Reef Repair expeditions. Her love for the ocean and passion for public policies is an asset to Duke and CCRW in contributing to protecting water quality in Coastal NC.

María is assisting CCRW in diversity planning to ensure our work equitably represents our community environment. Maria is also assisting CCRW with grant research in order to sustain and expand our work for NC waters.

Alex is in her first year of graduate school and is specializing in Coastal Environmental Management. Prior to returning to school, Alex worked as the Assistant Director of Reef Relief, a non-profit organization focused on coral reef conservation.

During her time at Reef Relief, she taught thousands of students about coral reef ecosystems, worked with community stakeholders to solve local environmental issues, and assisted in hiring and managing staff and interns. Alex now sits on the board of directors at Reef Relief and helps guide policy decisions on water quality and environmental issues in South Florida.

Alex is very excited to be working with the team at Coastal Carolina Riverwatch to improve the quality of water and quality of life through outreach and marketing initiatives.

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Stormwater Pollution

Due to rapid growth in coastal areas, increased construction, and the draining of wetlands, the amount of impervious surfaces has increased tremendously in coastal North Carolina.

Contaminants from Stormwater include, but are not limited to sediment, nutrients, and bacteria.

READ MORE about Stormwater impacts to water quality and what coastal fishing communities have prioritized as solutions.

Program Update

Film to be Released on World Water Day,

March 22, 2022. Watch the Trailer below:

Supporting Sustainable Farmers

The Pure Farms, Pure Waters (PFPW) program monitors impacts from industrial agriculture and factory farming practices. As part of the PFPW program, CCRW highlights sustainable farmers through our #FarmFriday features. Through #FarmFriday, CCRW showcases local sustainable farmers, ocean friendly establishments, and markets.

“Food is such an intimate part of our daily lives. Building relationships with our food providers ensures the transparency we need to make the best choices for our bodies, environment, and local economy.

We appreciate our sustainable farmers and the many benefits of choosing local.” – Becca Drohan, White Oak Waterkeeper

Read more about #FarmFriday – Click Here.

Follow us on social media and stay tuned for future #FarmFriday features.

For more information or to request a farm to be featured, click here.

Program Update

Film to be Released on World Water Day,

March 22, 2022. Watch the Trailer below: