Organized in 2004, the Contentnea Creek Paddle Club promotes paddling activities, the development of creekside facilities, and practices environmental stewardship within the Contentnea Creek watershed. Ours is a casual group. Please feel free to suggest paddles!

You will be hard pressed to find as beautiful and remote feeling a stream with such easy access and solitude. The stream is often surrounded by wetlands which discourages activity near the stream and when there is activity, it is more often than not, a farmer's field. The primary issues with water quality are linked to agricultural run-off but urbanization will be creeping up in terms of importance in the future.

Keep an eye out for notes about working on snags or clean-up activities on the creek! The Contentnea is a meandering stream flowing primarily though the sandy substrate of Eastern North Carolina flood plains. As such, it is normal, and healthy, for the large trees that often line the creek to fall into it. The trees provide the only hard substrate for invertebrates and provide cover for fish. Unfortunately, they also fall across the stream in many cases, blocking boats. Folks in canoes and kayaks have a relatively easy time in terms of portaging around or over, but going for a drag down the creek can be a drag. If you are in the mood to do some clean up, please feel free to post your interest - we can come up with gloves and bags for you to use.

On the Contentnea -- check the Hookerton gage before heading out. If the flow is below 4.5 to 5 feet, you might want to consider paddling upstream on the Buckhorn or Wiggins Mills reservoirs or downstream from Edwards Bridge or Grifton.

This photo is of the Contentnea just below Speights Bridge in Greene County.

Hookerton USGS real time gage:
http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nc/nwis/uv?cb_00060=on&cb_00065=on&format=gif_default&period=31&site_no=02091500