April Third Saturday Paddle - Town Creek
2022-04-16 08:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | Town Creek at Brunswick Nature Park, 2601 River Rd SE, Winnabow, NC, 28479, United States
Please register beforehand for this event here.

This paddle will be an out and back and we will launch from the Brunswick County Nature Park. This is a really historically important creek and one of the first areas settled in our region. Traditionally rice was grown along these tributaries. It is also the largest tributary of the lower Cape Fear area! This is an easier paddle although we will be against the current during the first part of the paddle.

Meet us at the office at 7:30am or at the Brunswick County Nature Park at 8:15am. There are walking trails and shelters if you would like to bring a picnic lunch. Address: 2601 River Rd SE, Winnabow, NC 28479

If you need to rent a boat they are just $15 for the day – available to CFRW members only. We have 7 boats for rent this month, first come first served during registration! If you would like to join or renew before the paddle, you can call the office at 910-762-5606 or join or renew here.

To help River Watch continue to bring you great programs like our Paddle Series and Educational Seminars and Cleanups, we ask you make a $10 donation either online with your registration or by bringing cash or check to the paddle on Saturday.

If you need help the day of the paddle please call Kemp at 910-264-8036. Conditions may change in the period leading up to the paddle. Please check your email the night before and the morning of the paddle to ensure that the paddle has not been cancelled.

Kerr Ave Wetland Cleanup
2022-04-30 10:00 - 12:00 | Kerr Ave Wetland, 4502 Fountain Dr, Wilmington
Cape Fear River Watch is excited to partner with UNCW POP on a joint effort to clean up the Kerr Avenue Wetland. The Kerr Avenue Wetland is a critical resource in the Burnt Mill Creek Watershed that helps to filter out pollutants as they enter into Burnt Mill Creek. Now it’s up to us to do our part to help keep it clean! The cleanup is going to take place this Saturday (4/30) from 10am-12pm. CFRW and UNCW POP will be providing gloves, pickers, vests, and bags. We recommend that you bring sunscreen, water, and waterproof footwear (if you have them). Parking will be located at the UNCW Road Park and Ride location. The parking lot is located at the intersection of Hoggard Dr. and St. James Dr. It is a short walk down St. James Dr. to the wetlands from there. Staff members will be onsite to direct you to the cleanup. If you have any questions please feel free to reach out to Rob at rob@cfrw.us. We hope to see you out there!
Please register beforehand here

May First Saturday Seminar: The Plastic Pandemic
2022-05-07 08:00 - 10:30 | Cape Fear River Watch Headquarters, 617 Surry Street, Wilmington, NC, 28405, United States
We hope you can join us for our May First Saturday Seminar, which will be our first IN PERSON seminar since the beginning of COVID! We can’t wait to share coffee and pancakes with you at our office. CFRW staff members Rob Clark and Audrey Dunn will be discussing the growing plastics crisis, including plastic’s dire environmental impacts from production to disposal (or lack thereof) as well as CFRW’s work to combat plastic pollution in our area. Check out Audrey and Rob’s bios here.
For those who would prefer to attend via Zoom, that option will be available, and you can register for that here.
For everyone who wants to attend in person, please register here.
The seminar will be held at our office (617 Surry St.), with doors opening at 8am and the presentation beginning at 9am.

May Second Saturday Cleanup
2022-05-14 09:00 - 11:00 | Emerson St., 4151 Emerson St., Wilmington, NC, 28403, United States
CFRW will be partnering with Keep New Hanover Beautiful to host our monthly Second Saturday Cleanup on May 14th, from 9-11am. We are going to focus our efforts on the Burnt Mill Creek Watershed by cleaning up the ditch off of Emerson St. The ditch is physically located on Emerson Street, just south of Marlboro St. Park along Emerson St. in the gravel pull off areas. Look for the CFRW cleanup signs! We will provide pickers, bags, safety vests, gloves, and a good time. We will need some volunteers to clean up the interior of the ditch. So if you have your waiters or waterproof boots bring them! As always remember to dress appropriately, bring sunscreen, and water. We hope to see you out there!
Please register beforehand here.

May Third Saturday Paddle: Keg & Shark's Tooth Island
2022-05-21 07:30 - 14:00 | River Road Park, 6500 River Road, Wilmington, NC, 28412, United States
Register here.
Join us as we continue to explore the Cape Fear River by boat! This month we will be paddling around Keg Island and Shark’s Tooth Island. This will be an out and back paddle so there will be no shuttle. We will be departing from River Road Park. You can either meet us at the CFRW office at 7:30 for a caravan to River Rd Park, or you can meet us there at 8:15am.
We encourage all paddlers to wear a PFD, and we require all paddlers using CFRW boats to wear one. Other items to remember include sunscreen, hat, sunglasses, water, snack and water shoes if you would like to explore the beaches where oyster shells are present.
*Strong wind and foul weather can effect this paddle more than others due to its location. We will be monitoring the forecast and if predictions indicate that their will be strong winds we will likely cancel this paddle. If we cancel we will notify those who have signed up by email on Friday night or Saturday morning.
We have a limited number of boats available for rent for CFRW members ($15 per boat; includes PFD and paddle). If you would like to rent a boat please indicate such during your registration. You can register here.
If you would like to join or renew before the paddle, you can click here to join or renew or call Audrey at 910-762-5606. To help River Watch continue to bring you great programs like our Paddle Series and Educational Seminars, we ask you make a $10 donation either online with your registration or by bringing cash or check to the paddle on Saturday. THANK YOU!
If you need help the day of please call Kemp at 910-264-8036. Conditions may change in the period leading up to the paddle. Please check your email the night before and the morning of the paddle to ensure that the paddle has not been cancelled.

April/May Book Club
2022-05-28 10:30 - 12:30 | Pomegranate Books, 4418 Park Ave, Wilmington, NC, 28403, United States
Thanks to everyone who attended the last meeting to discuss River-Horse: A Journey Across America by William Least Heat-Moon, and a special thanks to member Fred Bingham for leading it!
Our book selection for April/May 2022 is a deep dive into environmental history from the formation of the U.S. Constitution to the national tragedy of Hurricane Katrina and water wars out West titled, The Source: How Rivers Made America and America Remade Its Rivers by Doyle Martin
“America has more than 250,000 rivers, coursing over more than 3 million miles and serving as integral trade routes, borders, passageways, sewers, and sinks. Over the years, based on our shifting needs and values, we have harnessed their power with water-wheels and dams, straightened them for ships, drained them with irrigation canals, set them on fire, and even attempted to restore them. This environmental history tells the story of America and its rivers, from the U.S. Constitution’s roots in interstate river navigation, the origins of the Army Corps of Engineers, the discovery of gold in 1848, and the construction of the Hoover Dam and the TVA during the New Deal, to the failure of the levees in Hurricane Katrina and the water wars in the west. Along the way, it explores how rivers have often been the source of arguments at the heart of the American experiment―over federalism, sovereignty and property rights, taxation, regulation, conservation, and development.”
Our next meeting is scheduled for Saturday, May 28, 2022 at 10:30AM outside at Pomegranate Books (Weather Permitting).
CFRW Book Club members receive a 15% discount at Pomegranate Books (910) 452-1107.

State of the River
2022-06-01 08:00 - 13:35 | CFCC’s Windell Daniels Hall, 502 N Front St, Wilmington, NC, 28401, United States
We hope that you can attend our first ever State of the River form! This event is free and open to all and vegetarian/vegan breakfast and lunch will be provided.
Space is limited! Please make sure to register for this event so that we can get a head count. You can register HERE.
Our primary goals in hosting this event are 1) to educate the public and decision-makers and 2) effect change. We think this event will provide attendees a useful opportunity to learn from experts and also discuss and brainstorm – face-to-face – on ways we can work together to address some of the challenges facing our basin and the state as a whole.
The State of the River will be held on Wednesday, June 1st, at CFCC’s Windell Daniels Hall, downtown Wilmington overlooking the Cape Fear River. Doors open at 8:00am.
Please review the timeline of events for the day:

8:00 – 8:30 a.m. – Doors open. Please check in at our membership table. Complimentary pastries and coffee will be provided
8:30 – 8:50 – Video message from the Attorney General Josh Stein followed by opening remarks from the President of the NC NAACP Deborah Dix-Maxwell
8:50-9:05 – Introduction by Cape Fear Riverkeeper Kemp Burdette
9:05-9:40 – CFRW Board Member and UNCW Senior Lecturer Roger Shew presents on Lower Cape Fear River Estuary Current Status and Future Projections
9:40-10:15 – Cape Fear River Partnership Coordinator and Coastal Scientist Dawn York presents on Returning Fish to Historical Spawning Grounds and gives an update on partnership efforts
10:15-10:25 – Break
10:25-11:00 – CFRW Executive Director Dana Sargent presents on PFAS Contamination
11:00-11:35 – Cape Fear Riverkeeper Kemp Burdette presents on Contamination from Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations
11:35-12:35 – Complimentary Lunch (vegetarian) & networking
12:35-1:35 – Panel discussion and Q&A featuring Sherri White-Williamson (Environmental Justice Policy Director at NC Conservation Network), Kerri Allen (Coastal Advocate and Senior Manager at NC Coastal Federation), Jean Zhuang (Staff Attorney at Southern Environmental Law Center), and Dr. Detlef Knappe (Distinguished Professor at NC State University)
1:35-1:45 – Closing remarks and call to action by NC Black Alliance/Democracy Green’s Deputy Director La’Meshia Whittington

If you would like to support this event, please consider making a donation or becoming a CFRW member.
Looking forward to seeing you soon!
The Cape Fear River Watch Team
P.S. If you’re not already, we’d love to have you follow us on Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter and sign up for our eNewsletter!

June Second Saturday Cleanup
2022-06-11 09:00 - 11:00 | Railroad Tracks 3rd-17th, 811 Martin St, Wilmington, NC, 28401, United States
Please register in advance here!
We will once again be partnering with Keep New Hanover Beautiful to host our monthly second Saturday cleanup on June 11th from 9-11am.
We are going to focus our efforts on the Greenfield Lake Watershed by cleaning up the railroad tracks that run from 3rd to 17th St. The railroad tracks, the roadway, and the storm drains will all need to be cleaned.
To arrive, navigate to 811 Martin St. This address will lead you to the Good Shepherd Center. Please don’t park in their parking lot – rather, park on either 8th St or Martin St. Look for the CFRW cleanup signs!
There is potential for some of our houseless community members to be in the area of our cleanup. Please be respectful of their space and belongings. If you see something that may be someone’s personal belongings, please leave it be. We will provide pickers, bags, safety vests, gloves, and a good time. We will need some volunteers to clean up the interior of the ditch. So if you have your waders or tall rubber boots, bring them! As always remember to dress appropriately, bring sunscreen, and water. We hope to see you out there!

Leland Community Cleanup
2022-06-18 09:00 - 11:00 | S. Navassa Rd, 152 S Navassa Rd, Leland, NC, United States
Help us clean up S Navassa Rd in the Sturgeon Creek watershed! This cleanup will be located at the site of the future Sturgeon Creek Park!
Navigate to 152 S Navassa Rd – look for CFRW cleanup signs! We will provide everything you need in terms of cleanup supplies: pickers, gloves, buckets, and bags. Be sure that you bring plenty of water and sun protection. Hope to see you there!
Please register beforehand here!

Third Saturday Paddle Series: Black River
2022-07-16 08:30 - 15:00 | Hunt’s Bluff Wild Life Boat Ramp, 352 Hunts Bluff Rd, Kelly, NC, 28448, United States
PLEASE REGISTER HERE

Meet at the CFRW office at 617 Surry St. at 8:30 am
OR, at the put in at Hunt’s Bluff at 9:30 am.

After an easy 4-5 mile paddle we will take out near Point Caswell on Estate Road.
All paddlers should wear a PFD and those using CFRW boats are required to wear a PFD. Other items to consider bringing: sunscreen, hat, sunglasses, water, snack and water shoes.
Need a boat?

Boat rentals are for members only with a suggestion donation of: $25
Non-members are encourage to join today!
Boat rental choices offered during online registration are first-come, first-served and include single or tandem kayaks and canoes.
Once you receive your email confirmation, your boat has been confirmed and we will see you the day of the paddle.
Please be aware that this paddle will require shuttling, so you will be in a car with others. Please bring your mask if that would make you feel more comfortable, or arrange to shuttle with family or friends.

Have a boat?

Please consider a donation of at least $10 during online registration or bring a check or cash with you on the day of the event.

If you need help the day of the paddle, please call Kemp at 910-264-8036.

June/July Book Club
2022-07-23 10:30 - 12:00 | Pomegranate Books, 4418 Park Ave, Wilmington, NC, 28403, United States
Our next book selection is The Exploration of the Colorado River and Its Canyons by John Wesley Powell.

This book is a story about a “journey no human being had ever made before” and copies are NOW AVAILABLE at Pomegranate Books for a 15% discount!

Legendary pioneer John Wesley Powell’s The Exploration of the Colorado River and Its Canyons is a first-person account of his crew’s unprecedented odyssey along the Green and Colorado Rivers and through the Grand Canyon. A bold foray into the heart of the American West’s final frontier, the expedition was achieved without benefit of modern river-running equipment, supplies, or a firm sense of the region’s perilous topography and the attitudes of the native inhabitants.”

Our next meeting is scheduled for Saturday, July 23, 2022…10:30AM outside at Pomegranate Books (Weather Permitting).

August Second Saturday Cleanup
2022-08-13 09:00 - 11:00 | Railroad at N 30th St., 2929 Princess Place Dr., Wilmington, NC, 28401, United States
Cape Fear River Watch is excited to partner with Keep New Hanover Beautiful for our Second Saturday Cleanup on August 13th! The cleanup will take place in the Smith Creek Watershed at the intersection of Princess Place Dr. and 30th from 9:00am-11:00am. We will be heading East and West along the railroad tracks. Parking is available at 2929 Princess Pl Dr, Wilmington, NC 28405. Just look for the CFRW cleanup signs! CFRW will provide pickers, bags, gloves, and safety vests. As always remember to dress appropriately and bring water. We hope to see you out there!
Please register beforehand here.

Third Saturday Paddle: Burnt Mill to Smith Creek
2022-08-20 07:30 - 12:00 | Archie Blue Community Park, 1601 Wynnwood St., Wilmington, NC, 28401, United States
Meet at the CFRW office at 617 Surry St. at 7:30 am
OR, at the put in at Archie Blue Community Park at 8:10 am.

All paddlers should wear a PFD and those using CFRW boats are required to wear a PFD. Other items to consider bringing: sunscreen, hat, sunglasses, water, snack and water shoes.
Need a boat?

Boat rentals are for members only with a suggestion donation of: $25
Non-members are encourage to join today!
Boat rental choices offered during online registration are first-come, first-served and include single or tandem kayaks and canoes.
Once you receive your email confirmation, your boat has been confirmed and we will see you the day of the paddle.

Have a boat?

Please consider a donation of at least $10 during online registration or bring a check or cash with you on the day of the event.

If you need help the day of the paddle, please call Kemp at 910-264-8036.
Please register by noon on Friday, August 19th. REGISTER HERE.

August Bonus Cleanup
2022-08-20 09:00 - 11:00
We have a special project we are working on for the next couple of months. There is a location in the Smith Creek Watershed that is in dire need of cleaning up. We approximate 5,000 – 6,000lbs of litter in this location. Because of the large amount of trash and debris, we anticipate that this will take 3 cleanups, with the first being held on Saturday, August 20th from 9-11am. This is going to be a joint effort project with multiple groups involved. The area was previously inhabited by some unhoused folks so special conditions apply to this cleanup. We will list those below. Also if you choose to help with this cleanup you MUST call/text/email Rob Clark, our Water Quality Programs Manager, before the cleanup. He would like to discuss some things that will make this cleanup unique. He can be reached at 910-409-2186 or rob@cfrw.us. Please reach out to him Monday-Friday from 9:00am-5:00pm. With the amount of litter in this area we will also be asking people to bring certain items if they have the means of doing so. These items will also be listed below. We know it is a lot to ask for our volunteers to do back-to-back cleanups, but this is an opportunity to remove a large amount of litter from the Smith Creek Watershed and almost double the amount of trash we have already collected this year! As always CFRW will provide pickers, bags, gloves, and safety vests. Please don’t forget to check the lists below and prepare accordingly. We look forward to seeing you all out there.

Cleanup Requirements
-Cleanup participants must be 18 or up.
-Close toed shoes are required.
-Must call Rob at 910-409-2186 prior to cleanup to discuss cleanup.

Items Needed For Cleanup
-Truck and Trailer (to haul trash)
-Wheelbarrow’s
-Cut resistant gloves (if you have them)
-Shovels
-Bugspray

Pint Night & Membership Raffle Drive!
2022-08-31 17:00 - 20:00 | Wilmington Brewing Company, 800 S Kerr Ave, Wilmington, NC, 28403, United States
We hope you can join us at Wilmington Brewing Company’s new Venue on Wednesday, August 31st, from 5-8pm. This evening will be our very final push for our membership raffle! That night, Wilmington Brewing has generously offered to donate $1 per pint of a selected beer to Cape Fear River Watch. As well, anybody who joins or renews their membership that night will have the chance to win not only a boat ride on the Cape Fear, but also a selection of Wilmington Brewing and CFRW swag!
Additionally, there will be live music by Perry Smith and the food truck of the night is Latin Foodies Food Truck. We hope to see you there!

September First Saturday Seminar
2022-09-03 08:00 - 10:30 | Cape Fear River Watch Headquarters, 617 Surry Street, Wilmington, NC, 28405, United States
A History of Greenfield Lake with Travis Gilbert
We hope you can join us for our September First Saturday Seminar! Travis Gilbert, Executive Director of the Historic Wilmington Foundation will be sharing about the history of Greenfield Lake, from centuries ago to today.

Our doors will open at 8am for coffee and pancakes and our seminar will begin at 9am. You can also join our seminar virtually via Zoom.
Register for ZOOM ONLY here: https://bit.ly/FirstSatZOOM

No pre-registration required for in-person attendees.

The seminar will be held at the CFRW office located at 617 Surry St. We hope to see you there!

September Second Saturday Cleanup
2022-09-10 09:00 - 11:00 | Front St & Greenfield St, 110 Greenfield St, Wilmington, NC, 28401, United States
Cape Fear River Watch is excited to partner with Keep New Hanover Beautiful for our Second Saturday Cleanup on September 10th! The cleanup will take place in a section that drains directly into the Cape Fear River, drainage ditches that run parallel with Front St. at the intersection of Greenfield St. We have had a lot of rain recently which has deposited trash in this area. The cleanup will take place from 9:00am-11:00am. Parking is available at 110 Greenfield St. Just look for the CFRW cleanup signs! CFRW will provide pickers, bags, gloves, and safety vests. As always remember to dress appropriately and bring water. We hope to see you out there!
Please register beforehand here!

Third Saturday Paddle: Northeast Cape Fear River
2022-09-17 07:30 - 14:00 | Cape Fear River Watch Headquarters, 617 Surry Street, Wilmington, NC, 28405, United States
Join the CFRW paddlers as we explore the Northeast Cape Fear River between Sawpit Landing (off White Stocking Road) and the Shaw Highway Wildlife ramp. This is a great section of river with a textbook example of an oxbow lake, several nice coves, and a few creeks to poke our heads into. The trip is 5-6 miles depending on how much exploring you do (and how straight you can paddle).

Learn more and register here.

September Bonus Cleanup
2022-09-17 08:30 - 11:00

Chemours Wants to Expand!?! Show up at Bladen Community College to voice your opposition!
2022-09-20 17:00 - 19:00 | Bladen Community College, 7418 NC Hwy 41W, Dublin, NC, 28332, United States
Chemours has been running ads trying to convince us that they’re ‘Good Neighbors.’ We think that contaminating the drinking water for 510,000 people (and counting) is not neighborly. The neighborly thing to do would be to shut the plant down. BUT, we have found out that Chemours is planning the opposite.
They’re planning to EXPAND manufacturing at the Fayetteville Works site.
The consent order (put in place after we sued them) requires they hold TWO public meetings on this – one for impacted communities near the facility and one near impacted downstream communities.
The meeting for impacted communities near the facility will be held at Bladen Community College on Tuesday, September 20, 2022, from 5 pm – 7 pm.
Chemours Plant Manager Dawn Hughes said, “We’re proud of the role we play… and we’re eager to explain the plans for our future with our neighbors.”
These are “open houses” and Hughes stated in an announcement that they “…plan to communicate [how these expansions] will make a positive impact across our community.”
They will not be providing an opportunity for public comment.
CFRW wants to shift that agenda.
Will you commit to showing up at Bladen Community College, September 20, 5-7 pm?
Sign up today to get upcoming emails providing more details on this event.
If you are interested in attending the meeting for impacted downstream communities, held at the Leland Cultural Arts Center on Wednesday, September 21st from 5-7pm, click here.

Chemours Wants to Expand!?! Show up at Leland Community College to voice your opposition!
2022-09-21 17:00 - 19:00 | Leland Cultural Arts Center, 1212 Magnolia Village Way, Leland, NC, 28451, United States
Chemours has been running ads trying to convince us that they’re ‘Good Neighbors.’ We think that contaminating the drinking water for 510,000 people (and counting) is not neighborly. The neighborly thing to do would be to shut the plant down. BUT, we have found out that Chemours is planning the opposite.
They’re planning to EXPAND manufacturing at the Fayetteville Works site.
The consent order (put in place after we sued them) requires they hold TWO public meetings on this – one for impacted communities near the facility and one near impacted downstream communities.
The meeting near impacted downstream communities will be held at the Leland Cultural Arts Center, on Wednesday, September 21, 2022, from 5 pm – 7 pm.
Chemours Plant Manager Dawn Hughes said, “We’re proud of the role we play… and we’re eager to explain the plans for our future with our neighbors.”
These are “open houses” and Hughes stated in an announcement that they “…plan to communicate [how these expansions] will make a positive impact across our community.”
They will not be providing an opportunity for public comment.
CFRW wants to shift that agenda.
Will you commit to showing up at the Leland Cultural Arts Center, September 21, 5-7 pm?
Sign up today to get upcoming emails providing more details on these events.
If you are interested in attending the meeting for impacted communities near the facility, held at Bladen Community College on Tuesday, September 20th from 5-7pm, click here.

August/September Book Club
2022-09-24 10:30 - 12:00 | Pomegranate Books, 4418 Park Ave, Wilmington, NC, 28403, United States
Our next book selection is Rising Tide: The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 And How It Changed America by John M. Barry. Copies will be available at Pomegranate Books for a 15% discount!
An American epic of science, politics, race, honor, high society, and the Mississippi River, Rising Tide tells the riveting and nearly forgotten story of the greatest natural disaster this country has ever known — the Mississippi flood of 1927.
Our next meeting is scheduled for Saturday, September 24, 2022 at 10:30AM outside at Pomegranate Books (Weather Permitting).

October First Saturday Seminar
2022-10-01 08:00 - 10:30 | Cape Fear River Watch Headquarters, 617 Surry Street, Wilmington, NC, 28405, United States
Join us at 617 Surry St. on Saturday, October 1st for an educational seminar presented by Andy Wood. Doors open at 8am for pancakes and coffee; seminar begins at 9am.
Magnificent Rescue: Protecting Biodiversity at Ecosystem Scale
Cape Fear River swamps and other wetland habitats are imperiled by river dredging, the wood pellet industry, and an expanding ocean. This engaging program explores the environmental challenges our species must meet head-on for the sake of future generations—ecologically, economically, and politically—with attention to protecting the living nuts and bolts holding-together our Starship life-support system.
Andy Wood is a biologist and conservation educator. His career includes 12 years as Education Curator with the NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher and 11 years as State Education Director with the National Audubon Society. As director of Coastal Plain Conservation Group, Andy is focused on preventing unfettered habitat loss and extinction of southeast North Carolina plants and wildlife. Andy is otherwise an environmental consultant with his wife Sandy’s company, Habitats Gardens, LLC.
Pre-registration not required. We will record this event and share to our Youtube channel.

Clean Water Act 50th Anniversary Celebration
2022-10-04 17:00 - 20:00 | Flytrap Brewing, 319 Walnut Street, Wilmington, NC, 28401, United States
Join us on Tuesday, October 4th from 5-8pm at FlyTrap Brewing to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Clean Water Act! That night, FlyTrap will generously donate $1 per pint of a selected beer to CFRW, Wheelz Pizza will fire up their oven to sling some pies, and our friends the Smoky Dunes will provide the vibes!

We will also hold a raffle featuring items from local businesses including Great Outdoor Provision Company, Seabird, Luna Caffe, Gravity Records, and more!

The Clean Water Act was a first-of-its-kind environmental federal legislation that came about during the birth of the American environmentalism movement, along with the Clean Air Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the Environmental Protection Agency. It established precedent-setting pollution standards and provides legal standing to citizens allowing them to advocate directly on behalf of their waterways.

To date, it has made meaningful strides in cleaning American waterways and helped us achieve significant restoration, protection, and cleanup of severe pollution problems. Unfortunately, there has been an erosion of the Act’s strength and it has never been fully implemented and enforced as Congress intended.

Join us to celebrate the historic wins of the Clean Water Act to sustain us for the fight ahead!

October Second Saturday Cleanup: Willard Pond
2022-10-08 09:00 - 11:00 | Willard Pond, 1528 S 16th St, Wilmington, NC, 28401, United States
Please register beforehand here.
Cape Fear River Watch is excited to partner with Keep New Hanover Beautiful for our Second Saturday Cleanup on October 8th! The cleanup will take place in the Greenfield Lake Watershed. We will be focusing our efforts on Willard Pond and the connecting wetlands. The cleanup will take place from 9:00am-11:00am. Parking is available along Willard St. An address that will get you close is 1528 S 16th St, Wilmington, NC 28401. Just look for the CFRW cleanup signs! CFRW will provide pickers, bags, gloves, and safety vests. As always remember to dress appropriately and bring water. We hope to see you out there!

3rd Saturday Paddle: CANCELLED
2022-10-15 08:00 - 12:00 | 617 Surry Street, Wilmington, NC, 28401, United States
This event has been cancelled.

2022 LakeFest at Greenfield Lake
2022-10-22 10:00 - 14:00 | Greenfield Lake Boathouse, 302 Willard St., Wilmington, NC, 28401, United States
Join us Saturday, October 22nd from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm at Greenfield Lake to celebrate science, nature, and wildlife!
Come out for a day of learning and fun! LakeFest is hosted in partnership by the Cape Fear River Watch and City of Wilmington Parks & Recreation. The day will be full of games & activities, live animals, nature tours & paddle boat rides, face painting, crafts, and more! Meet and learn from many different Wilmington and surrounding area organizations.
Located at Greenfield Lake Park (298 Park St.) next to the Playground & Tennis Courts

Lakefest

1st Saturday Seminar: Restoring Wilmington's Waterways
2022-11-05 08:00 - 10:30 | Cape Fear River Watch Headquarters, 617 Surry Street, Wilmington, NC, 28405, United States
Speaker: Anna Reh-Gingerich, Watershed Coordinator – Heal Our Waterways Program with City of Wilmington Stormwater Services
Topic: Restoring Wilmington’s Waterways through Stormwater Solutions
Anna’s presentation will introduce the goals of the Heal Our Waterways Program and walk through a variety of “Creek-Friendly Practices” property owners can incorporate around their homes and businesses.
About the speaker: Anna is the Watershed Coordinator for the City of Wilmington and manages the City’s ‘Heal Our Waterways Program’ for Bradley Creek and Hewletts Creek. After receiving an M.S. in Coastal and Ocean Policy in 2016 from UNC-Wilmington, she moved to Richmond, Virginia and worked for the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality in a water quality policy role for several years. The pull of the ocean and love of Wilmington brought her back to the area and to her current position where she enjoys promoting simple solutions for stormwater pollution within the community.
Note: Pre-registration not required. In-person only. Coffee and pancakes at 8am, presentation begins at 9am. The recording will be available online within the next couple of weeks.

GenX Exposure Study Blood PFAS Results Webinar
2022-11-09 18:00 - 20:00 | Online, NC, United States
In case you missed the last webinar, the study team is hosting another! Join the live webinar on November 9th at 6pm. No need to pre-register; the public is invited to join the webinar here.
About: In late 2020, researchers from NC State started collecting new data for their GenX Exposure Study, which has since evolved into a health study. They enrolled over 1,000 participants in their study, community members from New Hanover and Brunswick Counties, the Fayetteville private well community, and Pittsboro, NC. They are now sharing those results with participants and the general public, and invite you to join in to learn.

2nd Saturday Cleanup: Squash Branch
2022-11-12 09:00 - 11:00 | Greenfield Lake-Northern Finger, 1626 Lake Branch Dr, Wilmington, 28401
REGISTER HERE.
CFRW will be partnering with Keep New Hanover Beautiful to host a cleanup of Greenfield Lake’s Squash Branch on Saturday, November 12h from 9-11am.
This area will require some kayaks, so if you have your own kayak please feel free to bring it! We will also bring some for volunteers to use. Parking can be found along Lake Branch Dr. across from Lake Forest Baptist Church (1626 Lake Branch Dr.). Look for the CFRW & KNHB cleanup signs! We will provide pickers, bags, safety vests, gloves, and a good time. The areas along the banks can get a bit mucky so if you have waterproof boots bring them! As always remember to dress appropriately, bring sunscreen, and water. We hope to see you out there!
