Press Spotlight: The WRC in the News

In the last couple of weeks, the Water Resources Center and its affiliates have been highlighted throughout different news outlets. We are thrilled to share the accomplishments of our hardworking students, staff, and faculty!

Dive into the articles and news packages below to discover more about our work and how we are making a difference in water resources in eastern North Carolina.

PBS Special: Do oyster farms affect coastal habitats?

Dr. James W. Morley and CCEDS NRT student Andrew McMains were featured in a PBS North Carolina documentary about oyster farms. Together, the two researchers are using innovative tools to assess the influence of oyster farms on North Carolina’s estuarine coast and its resident fish population.

Speaking with PBS reporter Frank Graff about their work, McMains said, was very enjoyable and thought it was interesting to see how he turned the research projects into a cohesive story. “It is of course always exciting when you are able to share things that you have learned in research with the public, and even more exciting when they think it is interesting too,” McMains said.

Dr. James W. Morley said the growing oyster mariculture industry in North Carolina offers new options for supporting local seafood. For him “research is helping to understand how growing numbers of oyster farms might also affect estuarine habitats.” Morley said this feature on Sci NC really did a good job synthesizing results from multiple projects he and others have worked on.

Please click on the picture below to be redirected to the PBS special. 

ECU News Services: Researching Green Infrastructure

ECU faculty and WRC affiliates Dr. Michael O’Driscoll and Adriana Peralta have been working with CCEDS NRT student Colin Finlay on stormwater management within the city of Greenville. The ECU News Services wrote an article explaining their current research.

In 2020, Dr. O’Driscoll and the city of Greenville collaborated to install regenerative stormwater conveyance (RSC) infrastructure near Town Creek. RSCs, designed to manage stormwater, not only divert runoff but also treat it by filtering pollutants like sediment and excess nitrogen.

Now, an in-depth assessment of the RSC’s performance and effectiveness in Greenville is underway, led by Finlay along with Dr. Peralta. Their research, funded with $12,000 from ECU’s Water Resources Center and the North Carolina Water Resources Research Institute, aims to evaluate the impact of RSCs on stormwater management.

Please click on the picture below to be redirected to the ECU News Services article. 

WNCT: Community Coffee Hour

WNCT featured the first Community Coffee Hour of this year which took place on Feb. 23, 2024, at Awaken Coffee in Greenville.

The WRC collaborates with Coalition Against Racism and the North of the River Association to provide a space and time where community members can come together and chat about environmental issues, network, and share their knowledge. These Community Coffee Hours are ought to happen once a month at a different location.

Please click on the picture below to be redirected to the WNCT news package.

NCSeaGrant: Shifting Shores

North Carolina Sea Grant, in collaboration with Carteret Community College and researchers from East Carolina University, along with the Coastal Federation, N.C. Division of Coastal Management, and the N.C. Coastal Reserve, are undertaking a 4-year project to explore effective strategies for increasing the utilization of natural and nature-based techniques. This year, Carteret Community College introduces the “Living Shoreline Academy,” a new certification program catering to coastal property owners, engineers, and marine contractors.

CCEDS NRT student Megan Geesin and advisor Dr. Rachel Pittman were featured in both a NCSeaGrant video , as well as a connected article.

Please click on the picture below to be redirected to the NCSeaGrant video or read the article.

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