The Chowan River watershed drains 4900 square miles of land in Virginia and North Carolina, and 76 percent of that land is located in Virginia. The area is predominantly rural, with about 64 percent of the watershed forested and in wetlands, 28 percent agricultural, and 8 percent urban. About 218,000 people live in the Virginia portion of the watershed.
The Chowan River’s headwaters begin in Virginia and are comprised of the Blackwater, Nottoway and Meherrin Rivers subwatersheds. The Blackwater River originates south of the city of Petersburg and flows southeasterly for 105 miles, meeting the Nottoway River at the Virginia-North Carolina state line. The Nottoway River originates in Nottoway County, merging with the Blackwater River 155 miles downstream at the state line to form the Chowan River. The western most Meherrin River originates in Charlotte and Prince Edward counties, traveling southeasterly before joining the Chowan River approximately 12 miles below the confluence of the Blackwater and Nottoway Rivers. The Chowan River which flows for approximately 50 miles through North Carolina, and empties into the Albemarle Sound near Edenton, N.C., forming about 16 percent of the Albemarle-Pamlico estuary.
Nutrient nonpoint source pollution from agriculture and urban sources, particularly livestock operations and failing septic systems, is the main source water quality problems in the Chowan River watershed. Approximately 48 percent of total nitrogen loading 43 percent of total phosphorous in Virginia’s portion of the watershed is attributed to agricultural practices.
Contact information
DCR Watershed Office
1548 Holland Road
Suffolk, VA 23434
Phone: (757) 925-2468
Fax: (757) 925-2388
Additional resources:
Blackwater/Nottoway River Keepers Association
DCR Division of Natural Heritage
Nature Conservancy
