River Name | Approximate Length Within NC (miles) | Pronunciation | Cities |
---|---|---|---|
Alligator | 46.7 | - | - |
Ararat | 33 | AIR-a-rat | Mount Airy |
Bay | 18.2 | - | Bayboro, Stonewall, Vandemere |
Black | 50 | - | Ingold, Ivanhoe |
Broad | 52.4 | - | - |
Brunswick | 6 | - | Navassa |
Calabash | 7.3 | CALA-bash | Calabash |
Cane | 36.4 | - | - |
Cape Fear | 202 | - | Lillington, Erwin, Fayetteville, Elizabethtown, Wilmington, Bald Head Island |
Cashie | 55 | kuh-SHY | Windsor |
Catawba | 149.4 | ka-TAW-ba | Old Fort, Morganton, Hickory, Mount Holly, Belmont |
Chattooga | 10.7 | cha-TOO-ga | Cashiers |
Cheoah | 20 | CHI-oh-wa | Robbinsville |
Chowan | 48.3 | cho-WAHN | Winton |
Cullasaja | 5 | COOL-uh-SAY-ja | Franklin, Highlands |
Dan | 98.7 | - | Danbury, Madison, Eden |
Davidson | 10.6 | - | - |
Deep | 125 | - | Randleman, Franklinville, Ramseur |
Elk | 14.7 | - | Banner Elk |
Eno | 40 | - | Hillsborough, North Durham |
First Broad | 60 | - | Lawndale, Shelby |
Fisher | 42.2 | - | - |
Flat | 5.7 | - | - |
French Broad | 114.2 | - | Hot Springs, Marshall, Asheville, Mills River, Etowah, Brevard |
Green | 52 | - | - |
Haw | 110 | HAH | Altamahaw-Ossipee, Burlington, Graham, Saxapahaw |
Hiwassee | 57.7 | high-WAHS-ee | Murphy |
Horsepasture | 15.1 | HORSE-pass-chur | - |
Hungry | 8.5 | - | - |
Hyco | 4.9 | HIGH-co | - |
Johns | 27.3 | - | - |
Linville | 30 | LINN-vill | Linville |
Little (Perquimans/Pasquotank Counties) | 19.9 | - | - |
Little (Moore/Cumberland/Harnett Counties) | 67.7 | - | Whispering Pines, Fort Bragg |
Little (Durham County) | 12.6 | - | - |
Little (Transylvania County) | 19 | - | - |
Little (Burke County) | 5.1 | - | - |
Little (Franklin/Wake/Johnston/Wayne Counties) | 82.8 | - | Youngsville, Goldsboro |
Little (Randolph/Montgomery/Richmond Counties) | 60 | - | Asheboro |
Little (Alleghany County) | 30.6 | - | Sparta |
Little Tennessee | 48.4 | - | Franklin |
Lockwood Folly | 14.2 | LOCK-wood-FA-lee | - |
Lumber | 80 | LUM-burr | Pembroke, Lumberton, Boardman, Fair Bluff |
Meherrin | 45.6 | ma-HAIR-in | Murfreesboro |
Mills | 12.1 | - | Mills River |
Mitchell | 21.5 | - | - |
Nantahala | 40 | NAN-ta-HAY-la | - |
Neuse | 275 | NOOSE | Smithfield, Goldsboro, Kinston, New Bern |
New (Northwestern NC) | 4.5 | - | - |
New (Southeastern NC) | 50 | - | Jacksonville |
Newport | 12 | - | Newport |
Nolichucky | 9.9 | NOLA-chuck-ee | - |
North | 18 | - | - |
North Toe | 63.3 | - | Spruce Pine |
Northeast Cape Fear | 130 | - | Castle Hayne, Wilmington |
Northwest | 18 | - | - |
Oconaluftee | 17.9 | o-CON-a-LUFF-tee | Cherokee |
Pamlico | 30.5 | PAM-li-co | Washington, Aurora |
Pasquotank | 40.6 | PASS-kwo-tank | Elizabeth City |
Pee Dee | 57.1 | - | - |
Perquimans | 30.7 | per-KWI-mens | Winfall, Hertford |
Pigeon | 55.6 | PI-jun | Clyde, Canton |
Pungo | 30.6 | PUN-go | Belhaven |
Reddies | 15.5 | RED-ees | North Wilkesboro |
Roanoke | 130 | ROW-a-noke | Roanoke Rapids, Halifax, Williamston, Jamesville, Plymouth |
Roaring | 11.9 | - | - |
Rocky | 95 | - | Mooresville, Concord, Fairview |
Scuppernog | 20.2 | SCUP-er-nog | Columbia |
Shalotte | 7.2 | sha-LOAT | Shalotte |
Smith | 5.1 | - | Eden |
South | 84 | - | Falcon, Autryville |
South Fork (Catawba) | 48.5 | - | Lincolnton, High Shoals, McAdenville, Cramerton |
South Toe | 32.5 | - | - |
Swannanoa | 22 | swan-na-NO-uh | Asheville, Black Mountain |
Tar | 215 | - | Louisburg, Rocky Mount, Tarboro, Princeville, Greenville |
Toxaway | 7.5 | TOCKS-away | - |
Trent | 100 | - | Trenton, Pollocksville, River Bend, Trent Woods, New Bern |
Tuckasegee | 60 | tuck-a-SEE-jee | Cullowhee, Dillsboro, Bryson City |
Uwharrie | 60 | you-WARR-ee | Trinity |
Valley | 40 | - | Topton, Andrews, Marble, Murphy |
Waccamaw | 44.6 | WOK-a-ma | - |
Watauga | 25.7 | wa-TAW-ga | - |
White Oak | 40 | - | Swansboro |
Wiccacon | 21 | WICK-ca-conn | - |
Yadkin | 215 | YAD-ken | Wilkesboro, North Wilkesboro, Ronda, Elkin-Jonesville, Clemmons |
Name | Acreage | Type | Pronunciation | Counties | Mean Depth | Max Depth | Surface Elevation | Shoreline Miles | Residence Time (Days) | Settlements | Year | Owner |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Albemarle Sound | 403795 | Estuarine | ALBA-marr-ill | Bertie, Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Tyrrell, Washington | 15 | 18 | 0 | 500 | 45 | Albemarle Beach, Edenton, Mackeys, Pea Ridge, Point Harbor, Powells Point | 000 | - |
Back Sound | 11907 | Estuarine | - | Carteret | 000 | 000 | 000 | 000 | 000 | Harkers Island | 000 | - |
Bogue Sound | 24832 | Estuarine | BOAG | Carteret | 000 | 000 | 000 | 000 | 000 | Atlantic Beach, Broad Creek, Emerald Isle, Indian Beach, Morehead City, Pine Knoll | 000 | - |
Core Sound | 69604 | Estuarine | - | Carteret | 000 | 000 | 0 | 000 | 000 | Atlantic, Sealevel, Stacy | 000 | - |
Croatan Sound | 24718 | Estuarine | CROW-a-tan | Dare | 000 | 000 | 0 | 000 | 000 | Manns Harvor | 000 | - |
Currituck Sound | 76242 | Estuarine | KERR-eh-TUCK | Currituck, Dare | 5 | 13 | 0 | 000 | 270 | Duck, Grandy, Harbinger, Jarvisburg | 000 | - |
Pamlico Sound | 1155500 | Estuarine | PAM-lih-CO | Carteret, Dare, Hyde, Pamlico | 16 | 24 | 0 | 000 | 330 | Avon, Buxton, Engelhard, Frisco, Hatteras, Middletown, Portsmouth, Ocracoke, Salvo, Stumpy Point, Waves | 000 | - |
Roanoke Sound | 28534 | Estuarine | ROW-uh-NOKE | Dare | 000 | 000 | 000 | 000 | 000 | Manteo, Wanchese | 000 | - |
Great Lake | 2965 | Natural | - | Craven | 9 | 0 | 23 | 8 | 86 | - | 000 | - |
Lake Mattamuskeet | 40276 | Natural | MATTA-mus-KEET | Hyde | 2.5 | 5 | 3 | 56.5 | 880 | New Holland | 000 | - |
Lake Phelps | 15814 | Natural | FELPS | Washington, Tyrrell | 4 | 9 | 7 | 19 | 983 | - | 000 | - |
Pungo Lake | 2223 | Natural | - | Hyde, Washington | 17 | 000 | 000 | 8 | 723 | - | 000 | - |
Lake Waccamaw | 8938 | Natural | WAKA-mah | Columbus | 7.5 | 11 | 43 | 14 | 223 | Lake Waccamaw Township | 000 | - |
Badin Lake | 5350 | Reservoir | BAY-din | Davidson, Montgomery, Rowan, Stanly | 90 | 190 | 540 | 116 | 000 | Badin | 1917 | Alcoa |
Belews Lake | 3846 | Reservoir | beh-LOOS | Forsyth, Guilford, Rockingham, Stokes | 35 | 130 | 732 | 37 | 588 | Belews Creek | 1973 | Duke |
Lake Chatuge | 7200 | Reservoir | sha-TOOG | Clay | 46 | 145 | 1923 | 69 | 314 | - | 1942 | TVA |
Falls Lake | 12410 | Reservoir | - | Durham, Granville, Wake | 108 | 000 | 243 | 111 | 692 | Falls, New Light, Stony Hill | 1983 | USACE |
Fontana Lake | 10230 | Reservoir | fawn-TAN-a | Graham, Swain | 135 | 440 | 1707 | 238 | 000 | Fontana Dam | 1944 | TVA |
Lake Gaston | 20300 | Reservoir | GAS-tunn | Halifax, Northampton, Warren | 40 | 96 | 201 | 350 | 000 | Elams, Henrico | 1963 | Dominion |
Lake Glenville | 1470 | Reservoir | - | Jackson | 000 | 121 | 3492 | 26 | 000 | Erastus, Glenville | 1941 | Alcoa |
Harris Lake | 4100 | Reservoir | - | Chatham, Wake | 17 | 59 | 230 | 43 | 414 | - | 1983 | CPAL |
Lake Hickory | 4223 | Reservoir | - | Alexander, Burke, Catawba, Caldwell | 40 | 101 | 939 | 53 | 29 | Bethlehem, Hickory, Northlakes | 1927 | Duke |
High Rock Lake | 15180 | Reservoir | - | Davidson, Rowan | 30 | 52 | 614 | 365 | 26 | Cotton Grove, Feezor, Southmont | 1928 | Alcoa |
Lake Hiwassee | 6275 | Reservoir | hi-WASS-ee | Cherokee | 142 | 309 | 1476 | 163 | 81 | - | 1940 | TVA |
Hyco Lake | 3750 | Reservoir | HIGH-co | Caswell, Person | 21 | 30 | 412 | 160 | 000 | Williamsville | 1965 | CPAL |
Lake James | 6812 | Reservoir | - | Burke, McDowell | 65 | 150 | 1211 | 150 | 176 | Nebo | 1923 | Duke |
Jordan Lake | 13940 | Reservoir | - | Chatham, Durham | 14 | 38 | 224 | 83 | 660 | Bells, Seaforth, Wilsonville | 1982 | USACE |
Kerr Lake | 48900 | Reservoir | CAR | Vance, Warren | 30 | 101 | 300 | 850 | 000 | - | 1952 | USACE |
Mayo Lake | 2800 | Reservoir | - | Person | 30 | 000 | 437 | 86 | 000 | - | 000 | CPAL |
Mountain Island Lake | 3281 | Reservoir | - | Gaston, Mecklenburg | 27 | 000 | 667 | 61 | 8 | Mountain Island | 1924 | Duke |
Nantahala Lake | 1605 | Reservoir | NAN-ta-HAY-la | Clay, Macon | 000 | 250 | 926 | 43 | 000 | - | 1942 | NPALC |
Lake Norman | 32510 | Reservoir | - | Catawba, Iredell, Lincoln, Mecklenburg | 33.5 | 110 | 758 | 520 | 207 | Cornelius, Davidson, Denver, Governors Island, Huntersville, Mooresville, Sherrills Ford, Terrell, Troutman, Westport | 1964 | Duke |
Lake Rhodhiss | 3060 | Reservoir | ROAD-hiss | Burke, Caldwell | 42 | 52 | 305 | 90 | 18 | Granite Falls, Morganton, Valdese | 1925 | Duke |
Lake Santeetlah | 2881 | Reservoir | san-TEET-la | Graham | 57 | 213 | 1941 | 76 | 000 | Lake Santeetlah Township | 1928 | - |
Lake Tillery | 5260 | Reservoir | - | Montgomery, Stanly | 33 | 72 | 278 | 117.8 | 8.6 | - | 1928 | CPAL |
W. Kerr Scott Reservoir | 1475 | Reservoir | - KERR - - | Wilkes | 000 | 177 | 1054 | 24 | 259 | - | 1962 | USACE |
Lake Wylie | 12139 | Reservoir | WHY-lee | Gaston, Mecklenburg | 23 | 94 | 569 | 325 | 28 | Charlotte, India Hook, Steele Creek, Tega Cay | 1904 | CPC |
North Carolina contains some of the greatest geographical diversity confined within a single state of any state in the nation. With mountains, the Piedmont, and the coastal plain, this diverse geography yields diverse river systems and distribution of water throughout the state. Check out the below tables for a broad overview of the state's rivers and then the state's major bodies of water.