Chapter 4 Habitats
4.5.7 Chowan River Basin 4.5.7.1 River Basin Description
The Chowan River headwaters begin in Virginia; the mainstem river is formed at the confluence of the Nottoway, Meherrin, and Blackwater rivers near the border of Virginia and North Carolina. The waters in the North Carolina portion of the basin flow southeast to the Albemarle Sound. As the 12th largest river basin in the state, the Chowan River Basin is one of the smaller basins with a watershed of nearly 1,300 square miles in the state (NCDWR 2021) . The basin contains about 1,124 miles of freshwater streams, 1,787 acres of lakes and impoundments, and 16,500 acres of estuarine waters (NCDEQ 2025e). The North Carolina portion of the basin includes all or part of five counties: Northampton, Hertford, Gates, Bertie and Chowan. There are 19 municipalities in the basin and the largest are Edenton, Ahoskie, and Murfreesboro. The 2010 census estimates the population is just over 95,000 people (NCDEQ 2021) Figure 4.5.7-1 depicts the geographic location of the basin.
Figure 4.5.7-1 Location of the Chowan River Basin.
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2025 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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