Cape Fear River

Cape Fear River, NC - Serving people, wildlife, and ecosystems through improved flows

In North Carolina, the Cape Fear River serves people and wildlife, making its water quality and water quantity of the utmost importance. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' management on the Cape Fear River includes B. Everett Jordan Dam and Lake, three locks and dams, and dredging operations. These facilities are collectively managed for a diverse set of purposes including water supply, flood risk management, water quality, navigation, recreation, and fish and wildlife conservation.

The Wilmington District of the Corps of Engineers and diverse stakeholders participated in an environmental flows workshop in Fall 2019 to develop improved flow regimes for consideration at Cape Fear River dams. Initial summer demonstrations began in 2020 to benefit juvenile fish recruitment and manage algal blooms. These and other demonstrations will continue as environmental flow prescriptions are refined for the Cape Fear River.

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Cape Fear River serves people and wildlife - Recreation, navigation, water supply, water quality, and fish and wildlife benefits are supported by US Army Corps of Engineers, B. Everett Jordan Dam and three locks and dams (USACE photo).

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Wilmington District engineers inspect Lock and Dam 1 - To improve fish passage, the Corps completed a rock ramp fishway at Lock and Dam 1 (USACE photo).

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Former spoil islands now prime habitat for nesting seabirds - Brown pelicans rest at a Wilmington District dredged material disposal area in southeastern North Carolina on the Cape Fear River. Managed by North Carolina Audubon and owned by the state of North Carolina, the islands now provide nesting areas for seabirds in southeastern North Carolina (photo by Hank Heusinkveld, USACE).

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Environmental stewardship on the Cape Fear River - Corps staff converse with visitors about various plants, animals, and fish that can be found at the Wilmington District Locks and Dams on the Cape Fear River (USACE photo).

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Story

The Cape Fear River Basin encompasses 9,164 square miles making it the largest river basin contained entirely within North Carolina. According to the 2010 census, the river basin contains over two million people, which is one-fifth of the state's population. The upper basin contains rapidly growing cities such as Greensboro, Durham, Chapel Hill and others which contribute urban runoff into the river. The mid and lower Cape Fear basin have extensive confined agricultural feeding operations, also contributing to high levels of nutrients in the river. There are drinking water users throughout the entire basin, including growing cities like Wilmington in the lower basin, who are trying to maximize water resource use.   Read More

Partners

• American Rivers
• Bladen County, NC
• Cape Fear River Council of Governments
• Cape Fear River Assembly
• Cape Fear River Partnership
• Cape Fear River Watch
• Jordan Lake Partnership
• Lower Cape Fear River Program
• Middle Cape Fear River Basin Association
• NC Department of Environmental Quality
• NC Policy Collaboratory
• NC Wildlife Resources Commission
• National Marine Fisheries Service
• The Nature Conservancy - NC Chapter
• Upper Cape Fear Basin Association
• US Army Corps of Engineers - Wilmington District
• US Fish and Wildlife Service
• US Geological Service
• Water Quality Coalition Program

Resources

Publications