Why NC's flooding won't stop & keeping the Catawba River safe [Podcast. Ep. 549]

North Carolina has been slammed by relentless storms and flooding—and it’s not over yet. In this episode of the Carolina Weather Group, we sit down with Brandon Jones, the Catawba Riverkeeper, to talk about protecting our rivers, why heavy rainfall leads to dangerous water pollution, and how you can help keep local waterways clean. We also check in with Tim Buckley, Chief Meteorologist at WFMY in Greensboro, to break down the recent North Carolina flooding, the impact of Tropical Storm Chantal, and why weather forecasting gets so tricky this time of year. Key topics in this episode: How rainfall triggers pollution and E. coli spikes in local lakes and rivers The history and mission of the Catawba Riverkeeper organization Flooding aftermath from Tropical Storm Chantal Urban vs rural flash flooding across the Carolinas The problem with slow-moving storms and why forecasting them is difficult How you can volunteer for river cleanups and citizen science projects Upcoming Carolina Weather Group events 🌊 Learn more or get involved: Catawba Riverkeeper Website ➡️ https://catawbariverkeeper.org Report Harmful Algal Blooms ➡️ Search "NC DEQ Algal Bloom Report" 🎥 Join us weekly for the Carolina Weather Group - your trusted source for weather, science, and environmental news across the Southeast. 0:00 Welcome and Show Open 2:05 Meet Brandon Jones, Catawba Riverkeeper 5:15 Why Safe Swimming Water Matters 8:30 Testing for E. coli & Water Safety in NC 10:45 How Rainfall Triggers Pollution Spikes 12:00 Recent NC Flooding: Durham, Greensboro & Beyond 13:00 River Cleanup After Hurricanes 15:30 How Rivers Change After Floods 18:00 Infrastructure Challenges Along NC Rivers 19:10 How to Volunteer for River Sweep 20:30 Citizen Science & Algal Bloom Reports 26:00 Flash Flooding in Central NC: Why It’s So Dangerous 28:00 How Tropical Storm Chantal Fueled Record Rainfall 34:00 Explaining the Stuck Weather Pattern 39:00 Water Supply Issues After Flooding 42:00 River Basin Map: Where All This Water Goes 47:00 Final Thoughts & Wrap Up 📹 Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmhGiYbMDccQcdSjpf87nGg/join 🧢 MERCH: https://rstrm.io/e/YDmSpk 💸 LEAVE A TIP: https://streamelements.com/carolinawxgroup/tip 🎙️ SUBSCRIBE TO OUR PODCAST: https://anchor.fm/carolinaweather 🔔 SUPPORT US ON PATREON: https://patreon.com/carolinaweathergroup 💻 VISIT OUR WEBSITE: https://carolinaweathergroup.com The Carolina Weather Group operates a weekly talk show of the same name. Broadcasting each week from the Carolinas, the show is dedicated to covering weather, science, technology, and more with newsmakers from the field of atmospheric science. With co-hosts across both North Carolina and South Carolina, the show may closely feature both NC weather and SC weather, but the topics are universally enjoyable for any weather fan. Join us as we talk about weather, the environment, the atmosphere, space travel, and all the technology that makes it possible.