New River (North Carolina) facts for kids
The New River is a 50-mile (80-km) long river in southeastern North Carolina in the United States. It flows into the Atlantic Ocean.
This river starts in northwestern Onslow County. It then flows southeast past Jacksonville. Here, the river gets much wider, forming a tidal estuary. An estuary is a place where fresh river water mixes with salty ocean water. This part of the river is about two miles (3.2 km) wide.
The estuary winds through Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune. It then reaches the Atlantic Ocean in Onslow Bay. It exits through the New River Inlet, which is between two barrier islands. The Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway also crosses the river's entrance. This waterway is like a highway for boats along the coast.
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How People Change the New River
People often change the New River to make it easier for boats. They do this by a process called dredging. Dredging means digging up the bottom of the river or ocean. This makes the water deeper for commercial fishing boats.
Dredging and Barrier Islands
The entrance of the New River into the ocean has been moved by dredging. This change has caused problems for the barrier islands. The southern island near the inlet is slowly disappearing. This happens because the new inlet changes how ocean currents flow. These new currents wash away the sand from the island.
Protecting the New River from Pollution
The New River has faced pollution problems. This is mainly due to large hog farms in North Carolina. North Carolina is one of the biggest hog-producing states.
The 1999 Hog Waste Spill
In 1999, Hurricane Floyd caused a big environmental problem. The hurricane flooded many hog waste lagoons. These are large ponds that hold animal waste. About 25 million gallons of hog manure spilled into the New River.
This spill made the water dirty and harmed many fish and other water animals. It also affected drinking water. Tests showed that some private wells had bacteria from the waste. This meant the water could carry diseases.
Efforts to Make Hog Farms Safer
Many people want to make hog farms safer for the environment. Environmental groups have tried to get stricter rules for managing hog waste.
New Laws for Cleaner Farms
In 2005, groups like Environmental Defense tried to ban manure lagoons. They wanted to create a new law called the Clean Hog Farms Act. This law would have stopped farms from using these lagoons.
However, the bill was changed. Instead of banning lagoons, it offered rewards to farmers. These rewards would encourage them to use better ways to manage waste. Even with these changes, the bill did not become a law in North Carolina. People continue to work towards cleaner farming practices.
