On the evening of Monday, Sept. 15, the Kathleen Clay Edwards Family Branch Library in Greensboro will host an event meant to educate, engage and hopefully inspire local residents to get involved in protecting something people in the area depend on – the drinking water.

The one-hour program, which is called “Deep River Stories: Science, Stewardship, and Sustainability,” will take place from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. and is open to all ages. Speakers will include Riverkeeper leaders Stephanie Stephens and Dr. Patricia Gray, as well as Steve Drew, the former director of Greensboro Water Resources.

The event will explore the past, present and future of the Deep River, which is part of the Cape Fear River Basin and which serves as a major source of drinking water for the region.

The September 15 presentation is being held at the library at 1420 Price Park Road in Greensboro. Registration is required and those interested can sign up by sending an email to melanie.buckingham@greensboro-nc.gov.

The Deep River originates in the Piedmont and flows for roughly 125 miles through six counties – Forsyth, Guilford, Randolph, Moore, Lee and Chatham – before joining with the Haw River to form the Cape Fear River at Moncure.

The river carries with it a history of pollution going back more than two centuries: PFAS contamination –often called “forever chemicals”—has become a modern concern in many parts of the basin, including downstream in Wilmington.

 The Greensboro event will include discussion of how those issues affect the watershed and what’s currently being done to address them.

The talk will also highlight ways the public can get involved.

Organizers say they’re not just looking to lecture the public; they want to engage.

Attendees will also hear how the Deep River Riverkeeper group is using paddle programs, art, music and even recordings of various biodiversity sounds to connect citizens with the river and its rich ecosystem.

The group behind the event, Deep River Riverkeeper, is based in Jamestown and works throughout the entire Deep River region. It’s a nonprofit focused on improving, restoring and advocating for better water quality across the area’s watershed.

In its promotional materials, the organization states: “Deep River Riverkeeper seeks to restore, protect, and preserve the health of the Deep River of North Carolina, including its watershed and tributaries. We do this through advocacy using education, science and public participation. We advocate for and work to ensure the Deep River’s well-being as a vital, healthy, life sustaining source for all.”

In addition to education and outreach, the group performs water-quality monitoring, partners with local universities and brings on interns to help foster long-term stewardship of the water supply. The group, which recently became affiliated with the Waterkeeper Alliance, has been building partnerships with environmental programs at UNCG and Duke.

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