Sound Rivers: Riverkeeping Tales from the Neuse & Tar-Pamlico

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It’s become a rite of passage: Sound Rivers’ Riverkeepers kayaking their entire rivers. In October 2025, Pamlico-Tar Riverkeeper Katey Zimmerman, Water Quality Specialist Taylor and Volunteer Coordinator Emily Fritz embarked on a once-in-a-lifetime, 170-mile paddle down the Tar River from Oxford to Washington.

Three women, one river and a 12-day journey from the rolling hills of the Piedmont to the Pamlico’s coastal plain. But just like the Tar River, their trip takes unexpected twists and turns. Piedmont to Pamlico features this intrepid trio recounting their epic adventure and the lessons learne...

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In honor of Indigenous Peoples Month

Sound Rivers’ seventh podcast, “Indigen-US,” features Gray Parsons, a descendant of the Mattamuskeet and Machapunga people of what is today Hyde County. Parsons is the president/founder of Secotan Alliance, and has dedicated his life and artistry to advocating for living sustainably and in balance with Mother Earth.

Born and raised in Washington, North Carolina, his relationship with the natural world, and the Pamlico River, was established at an early age. A published author, poet, singer and drummer, Parsons’ compositions reflect a deep belief i...

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Fran. Floyd. Irene. Matthew. Florence. Helene. 

If the list of names strikes a chord, then you know North Carolina’s recent hurricane history. North Carolina’s hurricane history is established ... and long. But in the past few decades, the cycle of hurricanes has changed, and shows no sign of letting up.

The cycle is changing because our climate is changing.

“Storm Warning” features Dr. Hans Paerl, Kenan Professor of Marine and Environmental Sciences at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill’s Institute of Marine Scie...

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What about wetlands? Find out in Sound Rivers’ latest podcast episode!

Sound Rivers’s podcast episode, “What About Wetlands,” takes a walk through some North Carolina wetlands: where they are, what determines a wetland, the important role they play in our 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 from clean water to...

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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...

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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...

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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 Vo...

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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, fisher...