List of rivers of North Carolina facts for kids
North Carolina is a state in the southeastern United States. It has many rivers that flow across its land. These rivers are important for nature, wildlife, and people. They provide water, homes for animals, and places for fun activities.
The rivers in North Carolina flow into different large water areas called drainage basins. A drainage basin is like a giant bowl where all the rain and water from a specific area collects and flows into one main river or ocean. This list shows the rivers of North Carolina grouped by where their water eventually ends up.
Rivers Flowing to the Atlantic Ocean
Many rivers in North Carolina flow directly into the Atlantic Ocean. This includes rivers that empty into sounds along the coast.
Albemarle Sound Rivers
The Albemarle Sound is a large body of water on the coast of North Carolina. Several rivers flow into it.
- North Landing River
- North River
- Pasquotank River
- Little River
- Perquimans River
- Yeopim River
- Chowan River: This river is fed by several smaller rivers.
- Cashie River
Roanoke River Basin
The Roanoke River is a major river that starts in Virginia and flows through North Carolina before reaching the Albemarle Sound. It has many important branches.
- Roanoke River
- Dan River: A significant tributary of the Roanoke.
- Hyco River
- Smith River
- Mayo River
- Little Dan River
- Dan River: A significant tributary of the Roanoke.
Pamlico and Neuse River Basins
The Pamlico and Neuse Rivers are two of North Carolina's largest rivers. They flow into the Pamlico Sound, which then connects to the Atlantic Ocean.
Pamlico River
The Pamlico River is actually the lower part of the Tar River. It's a wide, slow-moving river that is important for fishing and boating.
Tar River
The Tar River starts in the Piedmont region and flows southeast to become the Pamlico River.
- Tar River
- Kennedy Creek
- Tranters Creek
- Bear Creek
- Chicod Creek
- Grindle Creek
- Moyes Run
- Phillippi Branch
- Barber Creek
- Hardee Creek
- Greens Mill Run
- Parker Creek
- Schoolhouse Branch
- Johnsons Mill Run
- Bryan Creek
- Sains Branch
- Tyson Creek
- Conetoe Creek
- Otter Creek
- Cheeks Mill Creek
- Town Creek
- Jerrys Creek
- Cromwell Canal
- Hendricks Creek
- East Tarboro Canal
Fishing Creek
A major branch of the Tar River, Fishing Creek has many smaller streams flowing into it.
- Fishing Creek
- Deep Creek
- Rocky Swamp
- Beaverdam Swamp
- Little Fishing Creek
- Crooked Swamp
- White Oak Swamp
- Shocco Creek
- Maple Swamp
- Hogpen Branch
- Bobs Branch
- Gunters Creek
- Reedy Branch
- Long Branch
- Buffalo Branch
- Gum Pond Branch
- Mill Branch
- Wolfpit Branch
- Black Branch
- Possumquarter Creek
- Richneck Creek
- Bridle Creek
- Horse Creek
- Phoebes Creek
- Owens Creek
- Rocky Creek
- Matthews Creek
Swift Creek
Another important tributary of the Tar River is Swift Creek.
- Swift Creek
- Leggett Canal
- White Oak Swamp
- Moccasin Creek
- Lane Swamp
- Flat Rock Branch
- Gideon Swamp
- Sandy Creek
- Penders Mill Run
- Key Branch
- Walnut Creek
- Beech Branch
- Buck Swamp
- Gay Branch
- Hornbeam Branch
- Cowlick Branch
- Goose Branch
- Stony Creek
- Maple Creek
- Grape Branch
- Sapony Creek
- Jacob Branch
- Long Branch
- Turkey Creek
- Biddie Toe Creek
- Cypress Creek
- Crooked Creek
- Cedar Creek
- Jumping Run
- Wolfpen Branch
- Sycamore Creek
- Fox Creek
- Coole Creek
- Bear Swamp Creek
- Buffalo Creek
- Lynch Creek
- Billys Creek
- Kings Creek
- Buffalo Creek
- Tabbs Creek
- Taylors Creek
- Middle Creek
- Ford Creek
- Gibbs Creek
- Sand Creek
- Fishing Creek
- Aycock Creek
- Bollens Creek
- Cattail Creek
- Jackson Creek
- Rocky Creek
- Owen Creek
- North Fork Tar River
- Shelton Creek
- Cub Creek
Neuse River
The Neuse River is the longest river entirely within North Carolina. It flows into the Pamlico Sound.
- Neuse River
- Swan Creek
- Broad Creek
- Brown Creek
- Orchard Creek
- South River
- Pierce Creek
- Berrys Creek
- Garbacon Creek
- Whittaker Creek
- Greens Creek
- Adams Creek
- Courts Creek
- Great Neck Creek
- Long Creek
- Dawson Creek
- Clubfoot Creek
- Gatlin Creek
- Sassafras Branch
- King Creek
- Cherry Branch
- Alligator Gut
- Gum Branch
- Handcock Creek
- Mill Creek
- Beard Creek
- Slocum Creek
- Lower Duck Creek
- Otter Creek
- Goose Creek
- Upper Broad Creek
- Northwest Creek
- Duck Creek
- Scotts Creek
- Trent River
- Smith Creek
- Mills Branch
- Rennys Creek
- Bachelor Creek
- Swift Creek
- Pinetree Creek
- Taylor Creek
- Turkey Quarter Creek
- Core Creek
- Village Creek
- Halfmoon Creek
- Grinnel Creek
- Alum Springs Branch
- Contentnea Creek
- Mosley Creek
- Beaverdam Branch
- Bone Gray Branch
- Stonyton Creek
- Southwest Creek
- Adkin Branch
- Peter Creek
- Falling Creek
- Whitleys Creek
- Squirrel Creek
- Manley Branch
- Belch Branch
- Bear Creek
- Hardy Mill Run
- Cox Creek
- Mill Creek
- Walnut Creek
- Walker Mill Run
- Sleepy Creek
- Pine Level Branch
- Green Branch
- Fellows Branch
- Stoney Creek
- Carroway Creek
- Poplar Branch
- Little River
- Walnut Creek
- Crabtree Creek
- Ellerbe Creek
- Eno River
- Flat River
- North River
- Newport River
- White Oak River
- New River
Cape Fear River Basin
The Cape Fear River is another major river in North Carolina, flowing directly into the Atlantic Ocean near Wilmington.
- Cape Fear River
- Elizabeth River
- Brunswick River
- Northeast Cape Fear River
- Black River
- South River
- Great Coharie Creek
- Six Runs Creek
- Donoho Creek
- Bandeau Creek
- Hammonds Creek
- Pemberton Creek
- Mulford Creek
- Turnbull Creek
- Browns Creek
- Ellis Creek
- Bakers Creek
- Harrison Creek
- Phillips Creek
- Georgia Branch
- Willis Creek
- Grays Creek
- Cedar Creek
- Rockfish Creek (Cape Fear River tributary)
- Cross Creek (Cape Fear River tributary)
- Little River
- Juniper Creek
- Upper Little River
- Thorntons Creek
- Buies Creek
- Poorhouse Creek
- Dry Creek
- Neills Creek
- Hector Creek
- Fish Creek
- Little Creek
- Avents Creek
- Camels Creek
- Cedar Creek
- Parkers Creek
- Daniels Creek
- Fall Creek
- Buckhorn Creek
- Bush Creek
- Gulf Creek
- Lick Creek
- Little Shaddox Creek
- Wombles Creek
- Deep River
- Rocky River
- Little Buffalo Creek
- Georges Creek
- Big Buffalo Creek
- Cedar Creek
- Patterson Creek
- Pocket Creek
- Indian Creek
- Smiths Creek
- Line Creek
- Big Governors Creek
- McLendons Creek
- Lick Creek
- Tysons Creek
- Scotchman Creek
- Buffalo Creek
- Falls Creek
- Cedar Creek
- Bear Creek
- Grassy Creek
- Fork Creek
- Flat Creek
- Brush Creek
- Richland Creek
- Back Branch
- Broad Mouth Branch
- Millstone Creek
- Mill Creek
- Reed Creek
- Sandy Creek
- Bush Creek
- Gabriels Creek
- Hasketts Creek
- Polecat Creek
- Muddy Creek
- Hickory Creek
- Richland Creek
- Copper Branch
- Bull Run
- West Fork Deep River
- East Fork Deep River
- Haw River
- Shaddox Creek
- New Hope River (now mostly underwater due to Jordan Lake)
- Stinking Creek
- Roberson Creek
- Pokeberry Creek
- Brooks Creek
- Wilkinson Creek
- Dry Creek
- Terrells Creek (Left Bank)
- Terrells Creek (Right Bank)
- Collins Creek
- Big Branch
- Cane Creek (Right Bank)
- Cane Creek (Left Bank)
- Marys Creek
- Motes Creek
- Meadow Creek
- Varnals Creek
- Haw Creek
- Big Alamance Creek
- Back Creek
- Boyds Creek
- Service Creek
- Stony Creek
- Travis Creek
- Reedy Fork
- Giles Creek
- Rose Creek
- Little Troublesome Creek
- Troublesome Creek
- Candy Creek
- Benaja Creek
- Mears Fork
- Rock Branch
- Lockwood Folly River
- Shallotte River
- Calabash River
- Little River
Pee Dee River Basin
The Pee Dee River system starts in North Carolina as the Yadkin River and flows into South Carolina.
- Pee Dee River
- Waccamaw River
- Little Pee Dee River (SC)
- Lumber River: This river is also known as Drowning Creek in its upper parts.
- Lynches River
- Little River
- Brown Creek
- Rocky River
- Uwharrie River
- Caraway Creek
- Little Uwharrie River
- Yadkin River: The Yadkin River is the main branch of the Pee Dee River in North Carolina.
- Dutch John Creek
- Abbotts Creek
- South Yadkin River
- Little Yadkin River
- Ararat River
- Fisher River
- Mitchell River
- Elkin Creek
- Little Elkin Creek
- Grays Creek
- Roaring River
- Mulberry Creek
- Reddies River
Santee River Basin
The Santee River basin mostly covers South Carolina, but some rivers in western North Carolina are part of this system.
- Santee River (SC)
- Wateree River (SC)
Catawba River
The Catawba River is a major river that flows from North Carolina into South Carolina, where it becomes the Wateree River.
- Catawba River
- South Fork Catawba River
- Henry Fork
- Jacob Fork River
- Lower Little River
- Middle Little River
- Upper Little River
- Johns River
- Linville River
- South Fork Catawba River
- Congaree River (SC)
- Broad River
- Pacolet River (SC)
- Bowens River
- First Broad River
- Second Broad River
- Green River
- Broad River
* Little Hungry River
- Savannah River (SC and GA)
- Seneca River (SC)
- Keowee River (SC)
- Seneca River (SC)
* Thompson River
- Tugaloo River (SC and GA)
- Adams Branch (Richardson Creek tributary)
- Fishing Creek (Catawba River) (NC and SC)
Rivers Flowing to the Gulf of Mexico
Some rivers in the western part of North Carolina, especially in the mountains, flow west instead of east. Their water eventually reaches the Mississippi River, which then flows into the Gulf of Mexico.
Tennessee River Basin
The Tennessee River is a large river that flows through several states. Its headwaters (where it begins) are in the mountains of North Carolina.
- Mississippi River
- Ohio River (KY, WV)
- Tennessee River (KY, TN)
- Ohio River (KY, WV)
* Nottely River * Valley River
* Tellico River * Cheoah River * Tuckasegee River ** Oconaluftee River * Nantahala River * Cullasaja River
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- French Broad River: This river starts in North Carolina and flows north into Tennessee.
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* Nolichucky River ** Cane River ** North Toe River *** South Toe River * Pigeon River * Swannanoa River * Mills River * Little River * Davidson River * Ivy River (Creek)
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- Holston River (TN)
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* South Fork Holston River (TN) ** Watauga River *** Elk River
New River Basin
The New River is one of the oldest rivers in the world. It flows north, which is unusual for rivers in the Appalachian Mountains.
- Kanawha River (WV)
- New River
- Little River
- North Fork New River
- South Fork New River
- New River
See also
