Staunton River is also the name of the northern political district of Pittsylvania County, Virginia, where a large section of the river serves as the boundary between Campbell County, Virginia (to the north) and Pittsylvania County (to the south).
The Roanoke River State Trail is a paddle trail which follows the lower portion of the river, from Roanoke Rapids to the Albemarle Sound.[4][5]
The river has its headwaters in the Blue Ridge Mountains in southwestern Virginia at Lafayette in Montgomery County where the North Fork and South Fork of the river merge. The North Fork, approximately 30 miles (48 km) long, rises between two mountain ridges and flows initially southwest, then loops back to the northeast. The South Fork, approximately 20 miles (32 km) long, rises in several streams in the mountains on the border of Floyd, Roanoke, and Montgomery counties and flows generally north, joining the North Fork from the south.
The combined stream flows northeast between mountain ridges through the Roanoke Valley, approximately 10 miles (16 km) to Salem, then east through the city of Roanoke, emerging from a gorge in the Blue Ridge Mountains southeast of Roanoke and forming the boundary between Franklin and Bedford counties. The river flows generally east-southeast across the Piedmont of southern Virginia and enters northeastern North Carolina, passing north of Roanoke Rapids at the fall line. The river flows southeast in a zigzag course across the coastal plain through the Roanoke River National Wildlife Refuge and then briefly turns north as it enters Batchelor Bay on the western end Albemarle Sound. The Roanoke River is also known as the Staunton River for 80 miles between Smith Mountain Lake and convergence with the Dan River at Kerr Lake.
The river is impounded in six locations. The first is the Niagara Dam just south of the City of Roanoke in Roanoke County adjacent to the town of Vinton. It was constructed in 1906 to supply power for the Roanoke Electric Car streetcar system, and is currently owned and operated by Appalachian Power. It is then impounded twice in succession in the Piedmont of southwestern Virginia downstream from Roanoke to form the Smith Mountain Lake and Leesville Lake reservoirs. Farther downstream in southern along the North Carolina border, the river is impounded by the John H. Kerr Dam to form the expansive Kerr Lake. In northeastern North Carolina, three miles (4.8 km) west of Roanoke Rapids, the river is impounded to form the Lake Gaston reservoir, and is impounded a final time to form Roanoke Rapids Lake.
The Roanoke River valley was the homeland of various Native Americans, mostly Virginia Siouan, such as the Occaneechi (today part of the Haliwa-Saponi) and the Tutelo. The name Roanoke is derived from rawrenok, an Algonquian word for wampum. The deadly spring floods earned it the name "River of Death".[6] The river's lower course began to be settled by Virginians about the middle of the 17th century, in what was known as the Albemarle Settlements. The upper reaches of the Roanoke River were explored by fur trading parties sent by Abraham Wood in the late 17th century, but these were not settled by English until the early 18th century.
The Roanoke River was prone to serious flooding prior to the completion of the John H. Kerr Dam in 1953. Construction of the dam was precipitated by the 1940 South Carolina hurricane, which caused record flooding in the Roanoke River basin and led to calls for better flood control mechanisms.
In 1997, the non-profit Roanoke River Partners formed to create a paddle trail along the river in North Carolina. The group established a system of river accesses and camping platforms between Roanoke Rapids and the Albemarle Sound, known as the Roanoke River Paddle Trail.[5]
On November 18, 2021, the North Carolina General Assembly passed a law adding the Roanoke River Paddle Trail as its twelfth State Trail.[4]
^(PDF). www.deq.state.va.us/vrrbac/. Virginia Roanoke River Basin Advisory Committee. Archived from the original on 2011-07-18.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
^"Staunton River". www.dgif.virginia.gov/fishing/waterbodies/display.asp?id=175. Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.
^ ab "Session Law 2021-180" (PDF). Raleigh, North Carolina: General Assembly of North Carolina. November 18, 2021. Section 14.7.(g). Retrieved November 30, 2021. The General Assembly authorizes the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources to add the Roanoke River Paddle Trail in Halifax, Northampton, Bertie, Martin, and Washington Counties to the State Parks System as a State trail[.]
^ ab "About RRP". Windsor, North Carolina: Roanoke River Partners. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
^"The Roanoke Super Highway". www.unctv.org. UNC-TV. Archived from the original on 2004-12-30.
^Roanoke 2007-03-24 at the Wayback Machine, Visit Roanoke, Virginia Website
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Roanoke River.
Roanoke River Basin Association
Roanoke River Partners
March 03, 2023
roanoke, river, nohk, runs, miles, long, through, southern, virginia, northeastern, north, carolina, united, states, major, river, southeastern, united, states, drains, largely, rural, area, coastal, plain, from, eastern, edge, appalachian, mountains, southeas. The Roanoke River ˈ r oʊ e ˌ n oʊ k ROH e nohk runs 410 miles 660 km long 1 through southern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina in the United States 2 A major river of the southeastern United States it drains a largely rural area of the coastal plain from the eastern edge of the Appalachian Mountains southeast across the Piedmont to Albemarle Sound An important river throughout the history of the United States it was the site of early settlement in the Virginia Colony and the Carolina Colony An 81 mile 130 km section 3 of its lower course in Virginia between the Leesville Lake and Kerr Lake is known as the Staunton River pronounced ˈ s t ae n t en as is the Shenandoah Valley city of that name It is impounded along much of its middle course to form a chain of reservoirs Roanoke RiverStaunton RiverRoanoke River in the Wasena neighborhood of Roanoke VirginiaMap of the Roanoke River watershedLocationCountryUnited StatesStateVirginia North CarolinaPhysical characteristicsSourceConfluence of North and South Forks locationLafayette Virginia coordinates37 14 15 N 80 12 49 W 37 23750 N 80 21361 W 37 23750 80 21361 elevation1 194 ft 364 m MouthAlbemarle Sound locationPlymouth North Carolina coordinates35 56 33 N 76 41 42 W 35 94250 N 76 69500 W 35 94250 76 69500 Coordinates 35 56 33 N 76 41 42 W 35 94250 N 76 69500 W 35 94250 76 69500 elevation0 ft 0 m Length410 mi 660 km Basin size9 680 sq mi 25 100 km2 Discharge locationRoanoke Rapids 133 6 mi 215 0 km from the mouth average7 802 cu ft s 220 9 m3 s minimum818 cu ft s 23 2 m3 s maximum261 000 cu ft s 7 400 m3 s Basin featuresProgressionAlbemarle SoundTributaries leftBig Otter River Falling River rightDan RiverStaunton River is also the name of the northern political district of Pittsylvania County Virginia where a large section of the river serves as the boundary between Campbell County Virginia to the north and Pittsylvania County to the south The Roanoke River State Trail is a paddle trail which follows the lower portion of the river from Roanoke Rapids to the Albemarle Sound 4 5 Contents 1 Description 2 History 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksDescription EditThe river has its headwaters in the Blue Ridge Mountains in southwestern Virginia at Lafayette in Montgomery County where the North Fork and South Fork of the river merge The North Fork approximately 30 miles 48 km long rises between two mountain ridges and flows initially southwest then loops back to the northeast The South Fork approximately 20 miles 32 km long rises in several streams in the mountains on the border of Floyd Roanoke and Montgomery counties and flows generally north joining the North Fork from the south The combined stream flows northeast between mountain ridges through the Roanoke Valley approximately 10 miles 16 km to Salem then east through the city of Roanoke emerging from a gorge in the Blue Ridge Mountains southeast of Roanoke and forming the boundary between Franklin and Bedford counties The river flows generally east southeast across the Piedmont of southern Virginia and enters northeastern North Carolina passing north of Roanoke Rapids at the fall line The river flows southeast in a zigzag course across the coastal plain through the Roanoke River National Wildlife Refuge and then briefly turns north as it enters Batchelor Bay on the western end Albemarle Sound The Roanoke River is also known as the Staunton River for 80 miles between Smith Mountain Lake and convergence with the Dan River at Kerr Lake The river is impounded in six locations The first is the Niagara Dam just south of the City of Roanoke in Roanoke County adjacent to the town of Vinton It was constructed in 1906 to supply power for the Roanoke Electric Car streetcar system and is currently owned and operated by Appalachian Power It is then impounded twice in succession in the Piedmont of southwestern Virginia downstream from Roanoke to form the Smith Mountain Lake and Leesville Lake reservoirs Farther downstream in southern along the North Carolina border the river is impounded by the John H Kerr Dam to form the expansive Kerr Lake In northeastern North Carolina three miles 4 8 km west of Roanoke Rapids the river is impounded to form the Lake Gaston reservoir and is impounded a final time to form Roanoke Rapids Lake History Edit Replica of the Roanoke River Lighthouse built at Plymouth North Carolina The Roanoke River valley was the homeland of various Native Americans mostly Virginia Siouan such as the Occaneechi today part of the Haliwa Saponi and the Tutelo The name Roanoke is derived from rawrenok an Algonquian word for wampum The deadly spring floods earned it the name River of Death 6 The river s lower course began to be settled by Virginians about the middle of the 17th century in what was known as the Albemarle Settlements The upper reaches of the Roanoke River were explored by fur trading parties sent by Abraham Wood in the late 17th century but these were not settled by English until the early 18th century In 1883 the small town of Big Lick on the river was selected as a major shops and terminal point for the new Norfolk and Western Railway to meet the Shenandoah Valley Railroad Big Lick was renamed Roanoke for the river that bisected it as the surrounding Roanoke County had been in 1838 7 The Roanoke River was prone to serious flooding prior to the completion of the John H Kerr Dam in 1953 Construction of the dam was precipitated by the 1940 South Carolina hurricane which caused record flooding in the Roanoke River basin and led to calls for better flood control mechanisms In 1997 the non profit Roanoke River Partners formed to create a paddle trail along the river in North Carolina The group established a system of river accesses and camping platforms between Roanoke Rapids and the Albemarle Sound known as the Roanoke River Paddle Trail 5 On November 18 2021 the North Carolina General Assembly passed a law adding the Roanoke River Paddle Trail as its twelfth State Trail 4 See also EditList of North Carolina rivers List of Virginia rivers South Atlantic Gulf Water Resource RegionReferences Edit Roanoke River Basin PDF www deq state va us vrrbac Virginia Roanoke River Basin Advisory Committee Archived from the original on 2011 07 18 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint bot original URL status unknown link Roanoke River Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Retrieved January 3 2017 Staunton River www dgif virginia gov fishing waterbodies display asp id 175 Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries a b Session Law 2021 180 PDF Raleigh North Carolina General Assembly of North Carolina November 18 2021 Section 14 7 g Retrieved November 30 2021 The General Assembly authorizes the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources to add the Roanoke River Paddle Trail in Halifax Northampton Bertie Martin and Washington Counties to the State Parks System as a State trail a b About RRP Windsor North Carolina Roanoke River Partners Retrieved June 28 2021 The Roanoke Super Highway www unctv org UNC TV Archived from the original on 2004 12 30 Roanoke Archived 2007 03 24 at the Wayback Machine Visit Roanoke Virginia WebsiteExternal links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Roanoke River Roanoke River Basin Association Roanoke River Partners Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Roanoke River amp oldid 1099790479, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
