Sound Rivers has joined the podcasting craze with “Sound Rivers: Riverkeeping Tales from the Neuse & Tar-Pamlico.” Join podcast host Vail Rumley (also Sound Rivers’ communications director) on a journey through stories from the field, from the lab and even from the courtroom — all the work Sound Rivers’ Riverkeepers and staff do to keep your rivers fishable, swimmable and drinkable for all.

Each quarter we’ll have a new episode tackling a wide array of issues, from pollution investigations to green stormwater infrastructure, climate change to bad legislation. If it impacts your waterways, we’ll be talking about it!

“Sound Rivers: Riverkeeping Tales from the Neuse & Tar-Pamlico” is now available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music (just search for the title).

Episode 1: The Story of Blounts Creek

This is the story of Blounts Creek, a pristine, peaceful tributary of the Pamlico River in Beaufort County, North Carolina, and the decade-long battle to prevent a mining company from destroying it. 
In 2011, environmental nonprofit Sound Rivers’ staff discovered plans for a limestone mine — plans that included using Blounts Creek to discharge up to 12 million gallons of fresh water into the brackish headwaters of the creek every day. 
At risk was an entire ecosystem. 
In this episode, you’ll hear about the grassroots movement  founded to protect the creek, its habitats, fisheries and wildlife for future generations and the legal battle that would start on the banks of the creek and end in the highest court in North Carolina.
Featuring Blounts Creek resident Bob Daw, one of the founders of Save Blounts Creek, and former Pamlico-Tar Riverkeeper, now Sound Rivers executive director, Heather Deck, the Story of Blounts Creek takes on decisions made by the state to potentially destroy what it’s meant to protect, in direct conflict with the Clean Water Act; the efforts by a giant corporation to deprive North Carolina residents of access to the courts; and how a community continues to rise up against  what could be a devastating wrong.

Help support the fight for Blounts Creek by donating to Sound Rivers today!  

Episode 2: To Swim, Drink, Fish

This episode is all about Swim Guide: what it is, how it works, where it started and what it takes to keep it running ALL summer long! 
Since 2017, Sound Rivers has been a part of Swim Guide, sampling and testing popular recreational sites on the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico and sharing the results with anyone who wants to know where it’s safe to swim. But we didn’t start this program. And we’re not the only ones doing it.  Swim Guide is a worldwide phenomena.
Featuring Sound Rivers Program Director Clay Barber and Volunteer Coordinator Emily Fritz, and special guest Gregary Ford from SWIM DRINK FISH, this episode dives deep into Swim Guide and its role in helping us resolve real pollution problems on the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico.

Give a gift to support Swim Guide today!

Episode 3: Muddied Waters

In this episode, Sound Rivers’ Neuse Riverkeeper Samantha Krop takes a deep dive into the No. 1 pollutant in North Carolina waterways: sediment.
It’s dirt, it’s natural, so why is so much of it ending up in, and harming, streams, creeks and rivers? Samantha explains how sediment pollution happens, where it’s happening, what it harms, who’s responsible and why not much is being done to stop it in “Muddied Waters.”

*There is one correction we’d like to make to the Muddied Waters podcast: the particles of soil in southeast Durham were said to be 2 mm in size; they are actually .002 mm (way smaller!).

Episode 4: Investigation: Sound Rivers

In “Investigation: Sound Rivers,” Water Quality Specialist Taylor Register takes you on a behind-the-scenes look at pollution investigations. Hunting down the source, breaking out DNA kits, forging unexpected partnerships and venturing into uncharted territory, Taylor takes a deep dive into what it takes to solve these waterborne whodunits and get the problem fixed.

Featuring two recent cases — one open-and-shut, the other ongoing — “Investigation: Sound Rivers” explains how this Riverkeeping team pins down oft elusive sources and finds solutions to keep the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico fishable, swimmable and drinkable for all.

Episode 5: What About Wetlands?

“What About Wetlands,” takes a walk through wetlands: where they are, what determines a wetland, the important role they play in ecosystems and the imminent threats they face.

Featuring Neuse Riverkeeper Samantha Krop and wetlands expert David Lekson, “What About Wetlands” takes listeners on a journey through the type of wetlands found in the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico watersheds and why they are vital to water quality — and everything that relies on clean water and flood mitigation.

“Our wetlands are in peril,” Samantha said. “The best way to protect what’s left of our wetlands is to make the public, and our decision-makers, understand their importance and value both to our natural ecosystems and our communities.”

Samantha delves into threats to wetlands, while David provides a wealth of information on wetlands identification. A retired field office chief for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, David adds 40 years of regulatory and field experience in wetland delineation education and training to the episode.