Environmentally Speaking

From the Sea to the Mountains

The Marine Patrol Swift Water Rescue Team deployed for about a week to the western North Carolina to assist with Hurricane Helene safety efforts. This was the first deployment of the Swift Water Rescue Team, certified in 2021 after several years of training, that resulted in real-life safety missions and rescues.

Division of Water Resources staff gain accolades for Walnut Creek Watershed Action Team leadership

DWR employees working on the Walnut Creek Watershed Action Team received a letter of recognition from U.S. Rep. Deborah Ross, D-2nd, on May 15. This recognition was to congratulate the team on winning the 2024 Raleigh Environmental Stewardship Award on April 19 from the City of Raleigh’s Environmental Awards.

Summer 2024 N.C. Coastal Reserve Interns

Interns in our Northern Sites and Southern Sites offices completed their internship in August. We asked them to reflect on this summer’s experiences. Keep reading to hear how their internship experiences shaped them, they've got some great stories to share!

Working to Reintroduce and Stabilize Seabeach Amaranth Populations

Seabeach amaranth is a federally threatened plant species that is native to the North Carolina coast.  This important species contributes to the natural building of dune systems and acts as an indicator of healthy beach ecosystems along the U.S. Atlantic coast.

NC Stream Watch pilot spring cohort successfully wraps up

Nine educators were the first cohort of a new virtual education program by NC Stream Watch, an outreach and education program of the Division of Water Resources (DWR). The program offers information on water resource management. In addition, at the completion of the program, participating educators get access to a North Carolina science standards-aligned curriculum for teaching about water quality, quantity and the importance of conservation.

The Life Cycle of a Water Sample

The DWR Ambient Monitoring System and Random Ambient Monitoring System programs provide data that keep track of water quality measures across North Carolina’s river basins.

DWR Aquatic Weed staff release carp to control hydrilla

DWR’s Aquatic Weed Control Program received permits from the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (WRC) to stock sterile grass carp in certain lakes this spring in central and western North Carolina to control hydrilla, an invasive aquatic plant.

Summer 2024 Rachel Carson Reserve Interns

This summer, the Rachel Carson Reserve had three outstanding interns. They contributed to our mission and learned a lot along the way. Below they each share a bit of advice or memories from their experience.

Division of Air Quality Recognizes Annual AQ-IQ 7th Grade Student Contest Winners

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Air Quality (DAQ) celebrated the best student projects from the 2023 -2024 AQ-IQ Contest on Saturday, July 13, 2024, at the 

N.C. Coastal Reserve celebrates Discover the N.C. Coastal Reserve tour with stop at Rachel Carson Reserve

The N.C. Coastal Reserve and National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR), a program of the Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Coastal Management, hosted its third stop on the “Discover the N.C. Coastal Reserve” Tour on May 17 at the Rachel Carson Reserve in Beaufort, NC. The tour began with brief remarks by staff, local and state officials at the chapel at the Beaufort Hotel, followed by a guided boat tour, with a stop at the Carrot Island boardwalk.

How a grant program can boost water recreation, help the economy and address flooding (among other things)

The DWR Water Resources Development Grant Program provides funding for water restoration projects and to boost access to water-based recreation resources across North Carolina.

Community Science Month: How to Participate

So, you want to be a scientist? What if I said you can, and that it’s easy?! I’m talking about participating in community science, regardless of age, background, or experience. Anyone, including you, can be a community scientist. 

DWR Algal Ecologist Helped Collect Data on Phytoplankton. Now She Wants People to Use It.

The DWR Algae Lab has compiled a database containing more than two decades of information on phytoplankton in North Carolina.

Women in Science: A full-circle STEM moment

Kara Guthrie paid more interest than usual when she saw the email pop up in her inbox with subject: “Coastal STEM Career Fair” last year. When she opened it and learned the event was “geared toward Middle & High School students from … Teen Centers through Boys & Girls Clubs of the Coastal Plain…”, she knew she had to get involved.

N.C. Wetlands Passport, interactive map help raise awareness about North Carolina’s public wetlands

The N.C. Wetlands Passport is a printable map and list of 240 wetlands on public lands or publicly accessible property in North Carolina – including wetlands in local, state or national parks or forests, and on state game lands. The passport, which was created by the DEQ Division of Water Resources Ecosystem Branch, is available in both English and Spanish.