The Watauga River Basin
By: Matthew McLaurin
Location
Headwaters and Mouth
The Headwaters of The Watauga River are located just below the Boone Lake in Tennessee. The Mouth of the river is located by Grandfather Mountain State Park.
Map of the Watauga river basin
Pollution Sources
Non-point Pollution
One source of non-point pollution is local Christmas tree farming that uses powerful herbicides and pesticides. A way to stop this pollution is to use Eco-friendly or biodegradable herbicides and pesticides.
Point Pollution
Over all the Watauga River Basin has been classified as High-Quality Waters. This river basin doesn't have really any point pollution source at all.
About the Watauga River Basin
The Watauga river basin is made up of 279 miles of streams and rivers. There are many people that live in the Watauga river basin area. In total there are 25,329 people living in the Watauga river basin area. There are many different interesting places and important land forms in this water basin, some examples are:
1) Located in the southwest corner of the basin there's a mountain known as Roan Mountain, this mountain contains many rare communities such as bogs and wetlands.
2) One of the most beautiful places along the Watauga River is the Watauga River Gorge which is where the river drops sharply upon entering Tennessee. This spot is also very popular for white water rafting.
3) Located on Grandfather Mountain there is a forest which is almost entirely made up of the globally endangered Spruce-fir tree species.
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Plant Life in the Watauga river basin
sphagnum moss
This is a moss that grows on the tops of the mountain bogs.
Cherry Birch tree
Jewelweed
Animal Life In The Watauga River Basin
North Carolina Flying Squirrel
Virginia Big Eared Bat
Bog Turtle
This species of turtle is endangered because it lives in the bogs. These bogs are becoming more and more scarce.