Today we’d like to introduce you to Haw River Assembly.
Hi Haw River, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
The Haw River Assembly is a 501(c)(3) non-profit citizens’ group founded in 1982 to restore and protect the Haw River and Jordan Lake, and to build a watershed community that shares this vision. Our goals are to promote environmental education, conservation and pollution prevention; to speak as a voice for the river in the public arena; and to put into peoples’ hands the tools and the knowledge they need to be effective guardians of the river.
The scenic 110 mile Haw River is at the headwaters of the Cape Fear River Basin, and includes the Jordan Lake reservoir, providing drinking water and recreation to NC. Tributaries of the Haw River and Jordan Lake flow through Guilford, Rockingham, Caswell, Alamance, Orange, Chatham, Wake and Durham counties. Almost one million people are part of this watershed – sedimentation, wastewater, industrial chemical pollution and runoff impair its waters.
The Haw River Assembly is dedicated to the goal of environmental justice and equality for all people in our watershed. The Haw River Assembly is a stronger organization and our work to protect water is more successful when our organization represents the full diversity of people living in our watershed. We believe all people should have access to enjoyment of the natural world and a voice in decisions that may affect their environment and/or health. No group of people should bear a disproportionate share of negative environmental consequences resulting from industrial activities or governmental policies that situate polluting activities in their community.
Our watershed includes 920 miles of streams feeding into the Haw. We work as advocates for the plants, animals and people who depend on the river. The Haw Riverkeeper and our team at Haw River Assembly work to stop pollution and we are building a watershed community that supports clean water through our outreach, education and water quality monitoring programs.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It’s been anything but smooth. Since 1982, we’ve fought against industrial PFAS contamination, massive sewage spills, proposed drilling and fracking operations, destructive pipelines, and inadequate development regulations threatening the Haw River. We’ve faced continual legislative rollbacks of clean water protections, fought against toxic landfills and industrial pollution in Black, Brown, and poor neighborhoods, and we’ve gone up against polluters that required years of legal battles to be held accountable. Through droughts, floods, and a pandemic that even temporarily canceled some of our programs, we’ve persisted. We tested wells after Hurricane Helene in the mountains and later after Chantal brought massive flooding closer to home. We monitor pollution, mobilize communities, and have won settlements, dramatically reducing toxins in our watershed. Every victory has required tireless advocacy, strategic litigation, and grassroots organizing against powerful interests prioritizing profit over clean water. Our members and volunteers make our vital work possible.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Haw River Assembly?
If you’d like to get involved and become a member, we’d like to welcome you! We have a plethora of volunteer and recreational opportunities in the Haw River watershed and pair our advocacy with fun and appreciation of the outdoors for everyone! We host workshops, kayak paddles, group hikes, macroinvertebrate and citizen science trainings and more!
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
Our watershed expands to Wake County near Cary and Apex, west of Jordan Lake. We are always looking for ways our community can expand, so join us!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.hawriver.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hawriverassembly/
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/hawriverassembly
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@HawRiverAssembly
