Environmentally Speaking

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’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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

The DWR Biological Assessment Branch benthic biologists have discovered new species of macroinvertebrates through their work of collecting samples of small aquatic animals that live on the bottom of streams, rivers and swamps. The biologists sample for these critters because their presence – or lack of it – is an indicator of the health and cleanliness of the water they live in.

Through a collaborative research project funded in 2022 by the National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) Science Collaborative, a team of researchers is assessing the use of uncrewed aircraft systems or drones for monitoring oyster reefs. This multi-reserve undertaking is the “Collaborative Development Of Novel Remote Sensing Workflows For Assessing Oyster Reef Structural And Demographic Characteristics To Inform Management And Restoration”.

Learn how to eat oysters safely this season!

Spread the word! The North Carolina Coastal Reserve & National Estuarine Research Reserve has four internship positions open. Interested applicants can learn more about the Reserve on our website and our social media channels.