General Introduction The New River is thought to be one of the oldest rivers in the world with an estimated age of 300 million years. This clear and non-polluted river begins as two streams
on the west side of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Watauga County. The North Fork and
South Fork converge along Ashe-Alleghany County as the
New River. This river flows northward into Virginia and loops back southward
into North Carolina twice before going back north into Virginia. In 1998, President Clinton named the New River an American Heritage River. This honor is one that has only been given to 14 other rivers in the entire country. This single honor gives the river special federally funded as well as community funded initiatives for protecting the river and its wildlife. This river is also classified by
the state as Outstanding Resource
Waters because of its recreational
and ecological importance and its
excellent water quality.
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Fun FactMore bog turtles live in the New River Basin than any other river basin in the state. Weighing only 4 ounces, the bog turtle is one of the rarest turtles in North America and is federally listed as a threatened species.
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