Northern Basin Office & Lab

Northern Basin Office & Lab

In 2023, Catawba Riverkeeper moved its Northern Basin office and lab from 305 E. Union St in Morganton, NC in the City of Morganton office complex to a shared space with Foothills Conservancy and Lake James Environmental Association at 204 Avery Ave, Morganton, NC. In this space, we are able to operate a state-certified lab for macroinvertebrate sampling and work collaboratively with partners in the region.

In the Northern Basin, we monitor, engage, and advocate for the river and waterways above Lake Norman, including Lookout Shoals Lake, Lake Hickory, Lake Rhodhiss, Lake James, and the headwaters above Lake James. You can learn more about current and potential restoration projects by exploring the Northern Catawba Basin Protection and Restoration Plan on our Northern Basin page.

For information about educational programs or kayaking opportunities in the Northern Basin, please contact Grant Buckner, the Northern Basin Director at grant@catawbariverkeeper.org.

Meet the Northern Basin Watershed Manager - Grant Buckner

As the Watershed Manager of the Northern Basin, Grant works to advance the goals of the Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation. Grant collaborates with Lake James Environmental Association, Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina, and a variety of other stakeholders to create, plan and prioritize a list of projects that will improve water quality in the Northern Basin. Additionally, he helps the Catawba Riverkeeper coordinate and implement current projects, such as the Swim Guide Program.

Grant is a native of Western North Carolina. He received his Bachelors of Science in Biology from the University of North Carolina at Asheville and his Masters of Science in Biology at the Appalachian State University. For his master’s thesis, he focused on biomonitoring using aquatic insects in Central America. Before joining the Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation, Grant worked as an Adjunct Lab Instructor in the Biology Department at Appalachian State University. Grant’s passion for protecting rivers stems from fly fishing while growing up in Western North Carolina. In his free time, Grant enjoys birding, wildlife photography, and fly fishing.