 You can order a river basin map by calling (800) 482-8724!
A River basin is the portion of land drained by a river and its tributaries. It encompasses all of the land surface dissected and drained by many streams and creeks that flow downhill into one another, and eventually into one river. The final destination is an estuary or an ocean. As a bathtub catches all the water that falls within its sides, a river basin sends all the water falling on the surrounding land into a central river and out to the sea.
Everyone lives in a river basin. Even if we don't live near the water, we live on land that drains to a river or estuary or lake, and our actions on that land affect water quality and quantity far downstream. There are 17 river basins in North Carolina, draining 52,337 square miles of surface and underground waters. The topography of each basin determines the area that it drains, and whether that water - from creeks, rivers, springs, and aquifers - flows into the Atlantic Ocean or Gulf of Mexico.
Photo courtesy of Marcy Low
When rain falls on your street, roof or yard, what creek or river will it flow through on its way downhill towards the sea? When you drain your bathtub or sink, where does the water go? When you turn on your tap to get a drink of water, where does the water come from?
As an artery connects the parts of a body to one another, so a river threads together the creeks and streams, valleys and hills, lakes and underground springs that share a common assembly of water. Whatever happens to surface or groundwater in one part of the river basin will find its way to other parts. If water is diverted out of its downward course in one section, other parts will come to "know" of its absence. A river basin comes closer than any other defined area of land, with the exception of an isolated island, to meeting the definition of an ecosystem in which all things, living and non-living, are connected and interdependent.
What is the difference between a river basin and a watershed?
Both river basins and watersheds are areas of land that drain to a particular water body, such as a lake, stream, river or estuary. In a river basin, all the water drains to a large river. The term watershed is used to describe a smaller area of land that drains to a smaller stream, lake or wetland. There are many smaller watersheds within a river basin.
Check This Out!
Office of Environmental Education Interactive River Basin Map
Go to this map and click on a basin to zoom in for more detail. Click again to get to a brochure about that basin covering ecological and cultural history, pollution issues and pollution solutions!
River Basin Posters, Booklets and Inserts
Call the Office of Environmental Education to order a river basin poster at (919) 733-0711 or (877) RIVER-4-YOU or e-mail Rachel Golden at rachel.golden "at" ncdenr.gov. You may also order these materials using our online form. Click here to see the online version of the river basin booklet. There is an educational insert on each of the 17 river basins in North Carolina that fit into the back pocket of the river basin booklet. The educational inserts highlight the ecological, historical and cultural features of North Carolina's 17 river basins and describe nonpoint source pollution problems specific to each river basin. You can find out more about the Environmental Education Centers in your basin. Environmental Education Centers are wonderful resources to learn hands-on about the ecology of your basin and about your role in the ecosystem!
NC OneMap
http://www.nconemap.com/
 Just click on the NC OneMap logo to launch the program. Once launched, on the left side under the "Query" subheading, click on the mailbox icon. This allows you to type in your address. Enter your address and click the "Find Address" button. A box will come up with X and Y coordinates. Click where it says "GoTo" to zoom in to your address on the map. On the right side of the page are all of the layers you can turn on and off. NC OneMap can show you everything from river basins to elevation, landcover to weather. It's a FANTASTIC resource, and a great place to start learning about your ecological address!
For More Resources
NC Division of Water Quality - Basinwide Planning Program
http://h2o.enr.state.nc.us/basinwide/basinwide_wq_planning.htm
Basinwide water quality planning is a nonregulatory, watershed-based approach to restoring and protecting the quality of North Carolina's surface waters. Basinwide water quality plans are prepared by the NC Division of Water Quality (DWQ) for each of the 17 major river basins in the state (Figure A-1 and Table A-1). Preparation of a basinwide water quality plan is a five-year process, which is broken down into three phases (Table A-2). While these plans are prepared by the DWQ, their implementation and the protection of water quality entail the coordinated efforts of many agencies, local governments and stakeholder groups in the state. The first cycle of plans was completed in 1998, but each plan is updated at five-year intervals.
NC Division of Water Resources - River Basin Water Supply Planning
http://www.ncwater.org/basins
In order to assure that future water supply needs can be met and to identify conflicts or problems that need to be resolved, DWR will work in partnership with local governments and other water users to develop fifty-year water supply plans, starting with the Yadkin and Catawba basins, using the model of the successful pilot plan developed for the Cape Fear basin. North Carolina needs to develop the data and the analytical tools to assure that state interests are protected and that adequate provisions are made for critical water supply sources.
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