America's Most Endangered Rivers - (Page 19) The Threat The Catawba-Wateree River basin is experiencing unprecedented demand for clean water due to exponential population growth of the Charlotte metropolitan area, which spans several counties in both North and South Carolina. The heart of the city is in Mecklenburg County, one of two North Carolina counties that rank among the ten fastestgrowing counties in the nation. The city is expected to grow by 40 percent over the next decade. On top of this pressure, the Carolinas are experiencing one of the most severe droughts in recorded history and, despite spring rains, drier than average conditions are expected to continue. Climate scientists predict devastating droughts like this one will become more frequent and severe with global warming. Lack of rain and overtapped water supplies are combining to create a Tribal connections to the Catawba-Wateree River run deep. The river has been central to local Native American communities for thousands of years. largest population of the rare rocky shoals spider lily. Each spring, residents and visitors flock to see the lilies blanket the river with their showy white blossoms. The river’s fish, wildlife, beauty and serenity attract 10 million visitors from across the region annually. Boating, swimming, fishing and hiking along the river generate more than $95 million for local communities every year and provide 1,700 jobs in recreationbased businesses. The Catawba-Wateree basin has supported human communities for thousands of years. The river was originally home to the Catawba Indian Tribe, self-identified “people of the river” and the Wateree Tribe, whose name comes from a Catawban word meaning “to float on the water.” The CatawbaWateree River was and is central to tribal identity. In modern times, the river also has been heavily developed for energy production and impounded by 11 hydropower dams. Four coal and two nuclear power plants as well as paper, chemical and textile manufacturing plants depend on the river for water supply. These industries and others that depend on the CatawbaWateree River provide thousands of jobs and millions of dollars in revenue to local communities. ©NANCY PIERCE ©NANCY PIERCE TO TA K E AC T I O N : W W W. AMERICANRIVERS.ORG/CATAWBAWATEREE ©BILL STOKES http://www.americanrivers.org/catawbawateree
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