Ellerbe Creek

Last updated
Ellerbe Creek
Tributary to Neuse River
2008-08-02 Ellerbe Creek trail after the rain.jpg
A wooden bridge over a tributary on the western part of the Ellerbe Creek Trail
USA North Carolina relief location map.jpg
Red pog.svg
Location of Ellerbe Creek mouth
Location
Country United States
State North Carolina
County Durham
Physical characteristics
Sourcedivide between Ellerbe Creek and Eno River
 • location Durham, North Carolina [1]
 • coordinates 36°01′32″N078°58′25″W / 36.02556°N 78.97361°W / 36.02556; -78.97361 [2]
 • elevation460 ft (140 m) [3]
Mouth Neuse River (Falls Lake)
 • location
Durham, North Carolina [1]
 • coordinates
 36°04′15″N078°47′06″W / 36.07083°N 78.78500°W / 36.07083; -78.78500 [2]
 • elevation
252 ft (77 m) [3]
Length13.04 mi (20.99 km) [4]
Basin size66.96 square miles (173.4 km2)
Discharge 
 • location Neuse River (Falls Lake)
 • average51.79 cu ft/s (1.467 m3/s) at mouth with Neuse River [5]
Basin features
Progressioneast
River system Neuse River
Tributaries 
 • leftunnamed tributaries
 • rightunnamed tributaries

Ellerbe Creek is a tributary of the Neuse River in North Carolina, USA. It is part of the Neuse River Basin, and flows for more than twenty miles through North Durham. The Ellerbe's watershed begins near Orange County north of Interstate 85, near the WDNC radio tower and Bennett Place. The creek flows through many of Durham's most historic and culturally significant areas, including Ninth Street, Downtown Durham, beneath Durham Athletic Park, The North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, the Museum of Life and Science, the old Durham Landfill, Duke University East Campus, Trinity Park, Walltown, Northgate Mall, and towards the end crosses Fishdam Road. [6] The Ellerbe eventually flows into Falls Lake, about a mile south of the Eno River.

Contents

It has been cited as the most polluted creek in The Triangle region of North Carolina. [7] A watershed improvement plan was prepared by the Brown and Caldweld firm for the City of Durham in 2010. [8]

Some say Ellerbe is a name derived from a Native American language, while others believe the creek is named after John Ellerby, an early settler. [9]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eno River</span> River in North Carolina, United States

The Eno River, named for the Eno Native Americans who once lived along its banks, is the initial tributary of the Neuse River in North Carolina, United States. Descendants of European immigrants settled along the Eno River in the latter 1740s and early 1750s, including many Quakers from Pennsylvania. Several years after the 1752 creation of Orange County, the Orange County Court of Common Pleas & Quarter Sessions selected a site along the Eno River near the homes of James Watson and William Reed as the county seat, originally naming it Corbin Town, or Corbinton, after Francis Corbin, agent and attorney to John, Earl Granville. The Court met at James Watson's home along the Eno River from 1754 through 1756, when the courthouse at Corbinton was completed. In 1759, officials changed the county seat's name from Corbinton to Childsburg, after another of Earl Granville's agents, Thomas Child. Finally, in 1766, officials changed the name to Hillsborough.

The Fisher River is a tributary of the Yadkin River in northwestern North Carolina in the United States, also draining a very small portion of southwestern Virginia. 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 "Big Fishers River," "Fish River" and "Fishe River."

The Ararat River is a tributary of the Yadkin River in southwestern Virginia and 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.

The Flat River is a river in southern Person County, North Carolina and a portion of Durham County, North Carolina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crabtree Creek (Neuse River tributary)</span> Stream in North Carolina, USA

Crabtree Creek is a tributary of the Neuse River in central Wake County, North Carolina, United States. The creek begins in the town of Cary and flows through Morrisville, William B. Umstead State Park, and the northern sections of Raleigh before emptying into the Neuse at Anderson Point Park, a large city park located in East Raleigh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abbotts Creek (North Carolina)</span> Stream in North Carolina, USA

Abbotts Creek starts in Kernersville, NC in Forsyth County and flows into High Rock Lake near Lexington, NC in Davidson County just north of Hwy 47. The section of High Rock Lake that is officially Abbotts Creeks ends near the Hwy 8 causeway, in Southmont, NC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trent River (North Carolina)</span> Stream in North Carolina, USA

The Trent River is a fresh water river of the coastal plain region of eastern North Carolina. It flows in an easterly direction from its origin approximately 15 miles (24 km) southwest of Kinston, North Carolina and traverses portions of Lenoir County, Jones County and Craven County prior to emptying into the Neuse River at New Bern, North Carolina. Trenton and Pollocksville are small towns that lie along its course. The river measures 720 yards (660 m) at its widest point and is fed by numerous fresh water branches and creeks along its length.

Little River is a 12.83 mi (20.65 km) long tributary to the Eno River in Durham County, North Carolina. Little River along with the Flat River are the major tributaries to the Eno River before it enters Falls Lake.

Brown Creek is a tributary of the Pee Dee River in south-central North Carolina and north-central South Carolina that drains Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Union County, North Carolina, and Anson County, North Carolina.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sycamore Creek (Crabtree Creek tributary)</span> Stream in North Carolina, USA

Sycamore Creek is a tributary to Crabtree Creek that rises in a pond near Lynns Crossroads in Durham County then flows southward to join Crabtree Creek in Wake County, North Carolina. Sycamore Creek flows mostly through William B. Umstead State Park. The watershed is more forested at 43% than most in the Crabtree Creek watershed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Haleys Branch (Crabtree Creek tributary)</span> Stream in North Carolina, USA

Haleys Branch is a tributary to Crabtree Creek that rises just south of the Raleigh-Durham (RDU) airport then flows south to meet Crabtree Creek in Lake Crabtree. The watershed is about 68% forested.

Turkey Creek rises in southwest Cary, North Carolina and then flows northeast to join Crabtree Creek. The watershed is about 5% forested.

House Creek is a 3.22 mi (5.18 km) long 1st order tributary of Crabtree Creek in Wake County, North Carolina.

Walnut Creek is a 17.93 mi (28.86 km) long 4th order tributary to the Neuse River in Wake County. Its source is a small pond near WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, and it flows generally eastward through several small reservoirs, including Lake Cramer in Cary as well as Lake Johnson and Lake Raleigh in Raleigh, before reaching its confluence with the Neuse just south of Poole Road in East Raleigh. The course of the creek closely parallels Interstate 40, running mostly along the north side of the freeway.

Roberson Creek is a 11.81 mi (19.01 km) long 3rd order tributary to the Haw River in Chatham County, North Carolina.

Service Creek is a 5.93 mi (9.54 km) long 2nd order tributary to the Haw River, in Alamance County, North Carolina.

Cane Creek is a 13.74 mi (22.11 km) long 4th order tributary to the Haw River, in Alamance and Orange Counties, North Carolina. This Cane Creek is on the left bank of the Haw River.

Lanes Creek is a 37.19 mi (59.85 km) long 4th order tributary of the Rocky River in south-central North Carolina that drains Union County, North Carolina, and Anson County, North Carolina.

Haven Creek is a 3.85 mi (6.20 km) long 2nd order tributary to the Haw River in Chatham County, North Carolina. The name of Haven Creek comes from Haven Estate from which it flows.

References

  1. 1 2 "Ellerbe Creek Topo Map, Durham County NC (Northeast Durham Area)". TopoZone. Locality, LLC. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
  2. 1 2 "GNIS Detail - Ellerbe Creek". geonames.usgs.gov. US Geological Survey. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
  3. 1 2 "Ellerbe Creek Topo Map, Durham County NC (Northeast Durham Area)". TopoZone. Locality, LLC. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  4. ↑ "ArcGIS Web Application". epa.maps.arcgis.com. US EPA. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
  5. ↑ "Ellerbe Creek Watershed Report". Waters Geoviewer. US EPA. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
  6. ↑ "Ellerbe Creek Watershed | Durham, NC". durhamnc.gov. Retrieved 2018-01-23.
  7. ↑ "Ellerbe Creek Nature Tour to highlight anti-pollution work | News & Observer". 2014-09-12. Archived from the original on 2018-01-23. Retrieved 2018-01-23.
  8. ↑ "ELLERBE CREEK WATERSHED MANAGEMENT IMPROVEMENT PLAN". 2010-05-01. Archived from the original on 2018-01-23. Retrieved 2018-01-23.
  9. ↑ "History of the Ellerbe Creek Watershed". Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association. Retrieved 4 July 2019.


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