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Data Driven is a two-part series about the industry powering the rise of artificial intelligence. This is Part 1, in which Pamlico-Tar Riverkeeper Katey Zimmerman talks about environmental impacts, the need for transparency for an industry that sometimes seems to be cloaked in secrecy and how regulations are needed to guide responsible data center development.

In Part 2, we talk to Chatham County Commissioner Karen Howard. Chatham County was one of the first local governments in North Carolina to establish a two-year moratorium on the construction of data centers. We’ll hear from her about why Chatham County put a hold on the process and what local governments should be considering when considering data center proposals.

Listen to Data Driven to learn about the potential impacts on clean water and communities and what’s driving the backlash against the proliferation of proposals for hyperscale data centers across North Carolina.

This is Data Driven, Part 1.

You can join the fight to keep the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico fishable, swimmable and drinkable for all.

• Visit soundrivers.org to learn more about what we do and how you can help protect clean water.
• Leave a comment about our podcast. We love feedback!
• Sign up for our weekly eNews to have all of Sound Rivers' latest news, events and volunteer opportunities delivered straight to your inbox!
• Follow us on social media at @soundriversnc
• Want to support our work? Donate today!

Founded in 1980-81, Sound Rivers is one of the oldest grassroots conservation organizations in North Carolina. Sound Rivers monitors and protects two watersheds, covering nearly a quarter of the state. With Riverkeepers on the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico rivers, our mission is to preserve the waterways’ health and the health of the people who rely on them through science-based advocacy and environmental justice.

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It’s become a rite of passage: Sound Rivers’ Riverkeepers kayaking their entire rivers. In October 2025, Pamlico-Tar Riverkeeper Katey Zimmerman, Water Quality Specialist Taylor Register and Volunteer Coordinator Emily Fritz embarked on a once-in-a-lifetime, 170-mile paddle down the Tar River from Oxford to Washington.

Three women, one river and a 12-day journey from the rolling hills of the Piedmont to the Pamlico’s coastal plain. But just like the Tar River, their trip takes unexpected twists and turns. Piedmont to Pamlico features this intrepid trio recounting their epic adventure and the lessons learned along the way.

You can join the fight to keep the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico fishable, swimmable and drinkable for all.

• Visit soundrivers.org to learn more about what we do and how you can help protect clean water.
• Leave a comment about our podcast. We love feedback!
• Sign up for our weekly eNews to have all of Sound Rivers' latest news, events and volunteer opportunities delivered straight to your inbox!
• Follow us on social media at @soundriversnc
• Want to support our work? Donate today!

Founded in 1980-81, Sound Rivers is one of the oldest grassroots conservation organizations in North Carolina. Sound Rivers monitors and protects two watersheds, covering nearly a quarter of the state. With Riverkeepers on the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico rivers, our mission is to preserve the waterways’ health and the health of the people who rely on them through science-based advocacy and environmental justice.

Send us Fan Mail

In honor of Indigenous Peoples Month

Sound Rivers’ seventh podcast, “Indigen-US,” features Gray Parsons, a descendant of the Mattamuskeet and Machapunga people of what is today Hyde County. Parsons is the president/founder of Secotan Alliance, and has dedicated his life and artistry to advocating for living sustainably and in balance with Mother Earth.

Born and raised in Washington, North Carolina, his relationship with the natural world, and the Pamlico River, was established at an early age. A published author, poet, singer and drummer, Parsons’ compositions reflect a deep belief in the fact that all humans have indigenous origins: “All of our ancestries include people who at some point in their development understood and practiced a deep reverence for that which sustained their lives.”

In “Indigen-US,” Parsons shares his story, his artistry and his views on what prevents the collective “US” from reestablishing a “righteous relationship with Mother Earth.”

This is Indigenous Voices, the first in a new Sound Rivers’ podcast series honoring the culture, history and people of Native American descent in the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico watersheds.

You can join the fight to keep the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico fishable, swimmable and drinkable for all.

• Visit soundrivers.org to learn more about what we do and how you can help protect clean water.
• Leave a comment about our podcast. We love feedback!
• Sign up for our weekly eNews to have all of Sound Rivers' latest news, events and volunteer opportunities delivered straight to your inbox!
• Follow us on social media at @soundriversnc
• Want to support our work? Donate today!

Founded in 1980-81, Sound Rivers is one of the oldest grassroots conservation organizations in North Carolina. Sound Rivers monitors and protects two watersheds, covering nearly a quarter of the state. With Riverkeepers on the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico rivers, our mission is to preserve the waterways’ health and the health of the people who rely on them through science-based advocacy and environmental justice.

Send us Fan Mail

Fran. Floyd. Irene. Matthew. Florence. Helene.

If the list of names strikes a chord, then you know North Carolina’s recent hurricane history. North Carolina’s hurricane history is established ... and long. But in the past few decades, the cycle of hurricanes has changed, and shows no sign of letting up.

The cycle is changing because our climate is changing.

“Storm Warning” features Dr. Hans Paerl, Kenan Professor of Marine and Environmental Sciences at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill’s Institute of Marine Sciences. He’s spent nearly 50 years researching the effects of human and climatic change of water quality and what that means for estuarine and coastal waters.

In this episode, Dr. Paerl takes us from the big picture of climate change and global warming to its effects on the coming storms and the impacts to water quality.

You can join the fight to keep the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico fishable, swimmable and drinkable for all.

• Visit soundrivers.org to learn more about what we do and how you can help protect clean water.
• Leave a comment about our podcast. We love feedback!
• Sign up for our weekly eNews to have all of Sound Rivers' latest news, events and volunteer opportunities delivered straight to your inbox!
• Follow us on social media at @soundriversnc
• Want to support our work? Donate today!

Founded in 1980-81, Sound Rivers is one of the oldest grassroots conservation organizations in North Carolina. Sound Rivers monitors and protects two watersheds, covering nearly a quarter of the state. With Riverkeepers on the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico rivers, our mission is to preserve the waterways’ health and the health of the people who rely on them through science-based advocacy and environmental justice.

Send us Fan Mail

What about wetlands? Find out in Sound Rivers’ latest podcast episode!

Sound Rivers’s podcast episode, “What About Wetlands,” takes a walk through some North Carolina wetlands: where they are, what determines a wetland, the important role they play in our ecosystems and the imminent threats they face.

Featuring Neuse Riverkeeper Samantha Krop and wetlands expert David Lekson, “What About Wetlands” takes listeners on a journey through the type of wetlands found in the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico watersheds and why they are vital to water quality — and everything from clean water to flood mitigation.

“Our wetlands are in peril,” Samantha said. “The best way to protect what's left of our wetlands is to make the public, and our decision-makers, understand their importance and value both to our natural ecosystems and our communities.”

Samantha delves into threats to wetlands, while David provides a wealth of information on wetlands identification. A retired field office chief for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, David adds 40 years of regulatory and field experience in wetland delineation education and training to the episode.

You can join the fight to keep the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico fishable, swimmable and drinkable for all.

• Visit soundrivers.org to learn more about what we do and how you can help protect clean water.
• Leave a comment about our podcast. We love feedback!
• Sign up for our weekly eNews to have all of Sound Rivers' latest news, events and volunteer opportunities delivered straight to your inbox!
• Follow us on social media at @soundriversnc
• Want to support our work? Donate today!

Founded in 1980-81, Sound Rivers is one of the oldest grassroots conservation organizations in North Carolina. Sound Rivers monitors and protects two watersheds, covering nearly a quarter of the state. With Riverkeepers on the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico rivers, our mission is to preserve the waterways’ health and the health of the people who rely on them through science-based advocacy and environmental justice.

Send us Fan Mail

In Investigation: Sound Rivers, Water Quality Specialist Taylor Register takes you on a behind-the-scenes look at pollution investigations. Hunting down the source, breaking out DNA kits, forging unexpected partnerships and venturing into uncharted territory, Taylor takes a deep dive into what it takes to solve these waterborne whodunits and get the problem fixed.

Featuring two recent cases — one open-and-shut, the other ongoing — Investigation: Sound Rivers explains how this Riverkeeping team pins down oft elusive sources and finds solutions to keep the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico fishable, swimmable and drinkable for all.

You can join the fight to keep the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico fishable, swimmable and drinkable for all.

• Visit soundrivers.org to learn more about what we do and how you can help protect clean water.
• Leave a comment about our podcast. We love feedback!
• Sign up for our weekly eNews to have all of Sound Rivers' latest news, events and volunteer opportunities delivered straight to your inbox!
• Follow us on social media at @soundriversnc
• Want to support our work? Donate today!

Founded in 1980-81, Sound Rivers is one of the oldest grassroots conservation organizations in North Carolina. Sound Rivers monitors and protects two watersheds, covering nearly a quarter of the state. With Riverkeepers on the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico rivers, our mission is to preserve the waterways’ health and the health of the people who rely on them through science-based advocacy and environmental justice.

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, Sound Rivers' Neuse Riverkeeper Samantha Krop takes a deep dive into the No. 1 pollutant in North Carolina waterways: sediment.
It's dirt, it's natural, so why is so much of it ending up in, and harming, streams, creeks and rivers? Samantha explains how sediment pollution happens, where it's happening, what it harms, who's responsible and why not much is being done to stop it in "Muddied Waters."

*There is one correction we'd like to make to the Muddied Waters podcast: the particles of soil in southeast Durham were said to be 2 mm in size; they are actually .002 mm (way smaller!).

You can join the fight to keep the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico fishable, swimmable and drinkable for all.

• Visit soundrivers.org to learn more about what we do and how you can help protect clean water.
• Leave a comment about our podcast. We love feedback!
• Sign up for our weekly eNews to have all of Sound Rivers' latest news, events and volunteer opportunities delivered straight to your inbox!
• Follow us on social media at @soundriversnc
• Want to support our work? Donate today!

Founded in 1980-81, Sound Rivers is one of the oldest grassroots conservation organizations in North Carolina. Sound Rivers monitors and protects two watersheds, covering nearly a quarter of the state. With Riverkeepers on the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico rivers, our mission is to preserve the waterways’ health and the health of the people who rely on them through science-based advocacy and environmental justice.

Send us Fan Mail

This episode is all about Swim Guide: what it is, how it works, where it started and what it takes to keep it running ALL summer long!
Since 2017, Sound Rivers has been a part of Swim Guide, sampling and testing popular recreational sites on the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico and sharing the results with anyone who wants to know where it's safe to swim. But we didn't start this program. And we're not the only ones doing it. Swim Guide is a worldwide phenomena.
Featuring Sound Rivers Program Director Clay Barber and Volunteer Coordinator Emily Fritz, and special guest Gregary Ford from SWIM DRINK FISH, this episode dives deep into Swim Guide and its role in helping us resolve real pollution problems on the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico.

You can join the fight to keep the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico fishable, swimmable and drinkable for all.

• Visit soundrivers.org to learn more about what we do and how you can help protect clean water.
• Leave a comment about our podcast. We love feedback!
• Sign up for our weekly eNews to have all of Sound Rivers' latest news, events and volunteer opportunities delivered straight to your inbox!
• Follow us on social media at @soundriversnc
• Want to support our work? Donate today!

Founded in 1980-81, Sound Rivers is one of the oldest grassroots conservation organizations in North Carolina. Sound Rivers monitors and protects two watersheds, covering nearly a quarter of the state. With Riverkeepers on the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico rivers, our mission is to preserve the waterways’ health and the health of the people who rely on them through science-based advocacy and environmental justice.