The North Fork of the New River suffers from decades of environmental neglect. Poor water flow, toxic sludge accumulation, and ongoing trash accumulation have turned a public resource into an ecological hazard.
The water quality in the North Fork is severely compromised by a combination of physical and historical factors:
Unlike the main river, the North Fork has poor tidal exchange and circulation. Because shallow areas have not been dredged, water pools and stagnates, compounding the concentration of pathogens and pollutants.
For decades, the North Fork was used as an unregulated disposal corridor for industrial run-off, human sewage overflows, and animal waste. A thick layer of toxic organic sludge sits on the riverbed, continuously degrading water quality and generating noxious gases.
Floatable trash, plastic bottles, and urban debris regularly collect in the slow-moving eddies of the North Fork. Without regular trash collection boats or debris traps, garbage remains trapped along the shorelines.
"Restoring water quality, flow, and vegetation will turn the North Fork into a beautiful asset for recreation and community enjoyment."