Roaring River (North Carolina)
Encyclopedia
The Roaring River is a tributary
of the Yadkin River
in northwestern North Carolina
in the United States
. Via the Yadkin it is part of the watershed
of the Pee Dee River
, which flows to the Atlantic Ocean
. According to the Geographic Names Information System
, it has also been known historically as "Roaring Creek." The river's name comes from its headwaters in the Blue Ridge Mountains, where it flows through a series of small waterfalls.
The Roaring River and its headwater tributaries (its East, Middle and West Prongs) all flow for their entire lengths in Wilkes County
, rising in the Blue Ridge Mountains
near and around Stone Mountain State Park
. Below the confluence of its principal tributaries, the Roaring River flows southeastwardly to its confluence with the Yadkin River, about 4 mi (6 km) south-southwest of Ronda
. The river gives its name to the community of Roaring River, a village located at the mouth of the river.
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the Yadkin River
Yadkin River
The Yadkin River is one of the longest rivers in North Carolina, flowing . It rises in the northwestern portion of the state near the Blue Ridge Parkway's Thunder Hill Overlook. Several parts of the river are impounded by dams for water, power, and flood control. The river becomes the Pee Dee...
in northwestern North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Via the Yadkin it is part of the watershed
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
of the Pee Dee River
Pee Dee River
The Pee Dee River, also known as the Great Pee Dee River, is a river in North Carolina and South Carolina. It originates in the Appalachian Mountains in North Carolina, where its upper course above the mouth of the Uwharrie River is known as the Yadkin River. It is extensively dammed for flood...
, which flows to the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
. According to the Geographic Names Information System
Geographic Names Information System
The Geographic Names Information System is a database that contains name and locative information about more than two million physical and cultural features located throughout the United States of America and its territories. It is a type of gazetteer...
, it has also been known historically as "Roaring Creek." The river's name comes from its headwaters in the Blue Ridge Mountains, where it flows through a series of small waterfalls.
The Roaring River and its headwater tributaries (its East, Middle and West Prongs) all flow for their entire lengths in Wilkes County
Wilkes County, North Carolina
Wilkes County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The 2000 U.S. Census listed the county's population at 65,632; the 2010 U.S. Census listed the population at 69,340...
, rising in the Blue Ridge Mountains
Blue Ridge Mountains
The Blue Ridge Mountains are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains range. This province consists of northern and southern physiographic regions, which divide near the Roanoke River gap. The mountain range is located in the eastern United States, starting at its southern-most...
near and around Stone Mountain State Park
Stone Mountain State Park
Stone Mountain State Park is a North Carolina state park in Alleghany and Wilkes Counties, North Carolina in the United States.-Size and location:Located in Wilkes and Alleghany counties of North Carolina, it covers 13,747 acres ....
. Below the confluence of its principal tributaries, the Roaring River flows southeastwardly to its confluence with the Yadkin River, about 4 mi (6 km) south-southwest of Ronda
Ronda, North Carolina
Ronda is a town in Wilkes County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 560 at the 2000 census. Ronda was named after a nearby estate called "Roundabout", which was the residence of Benjamin Cleveland, a locally prominent planter and a colonel in the North Carolina militia during the...
. The river gives its name to the community of Roaring River, a village located at the mouth of the river.