Rocky River (North Carolina)

Rocky River Tributary to Pee Dee River
Map of the Pee Dee River watershed showing the Rocky River
Location of Rocky River mouth
Location
Country	United States
State	North Carolina
County	Anson Cabarrus Iredell Mecklenburg Richmond Stanly Union
Physical characteristics
Source	divide between Rocky River and Catawba River
• location	Mooresville, North Carolina
• coordinates	35°35′02″N 80°47′54″W / 35.58389°N 80.79833°W / 35.58389; -80.79833[1]
• elevation	885 ft (270 m)[2]
Mouth	Pee Dee River
• location	about 3 miles northeast of Ansonville, North Carolina
• coordinates	35°08′36″N 080°04′35″W / 35.14333°N 80.07639°W / 35.14333; -80.07639[1]
• elevation	190 ft (58 m)[1]
Length	94.16 mi (151.54 km)[3]
Basin size	1,471.3 sq mi (3,811 km2)[4]
Discharge
• location	Pee Dee River
• average	1,526.06 cu ft/s (43.213 m3/s) at mouth with Pee Dee River[4]
Basin features
Progression	Pee Dee River → Winyah Bay → Atlantic Ocean
River system	Pee Dee River
Tributaries
• left	Coddle Creek Irish Buffalo Creek Hamby Branch Dutch Buffalo Creek Little Meadow Creek Meadow Creek Camp Branch Pumpkin Creek Rock Hole Creek Island Creek Coldwater Branch Gilberts Creek Big Bear Creek Murray Branch Stillhouse Branch Spears Branch Coopers Creek Jacks Branch Hardy Creek Big Cedar Creek Little Cedar Creek
• right	Dye Creek West Branch Clarke Creek Mallard Creek Back Creek Reedy Creek Bost Creek Anderson Creek Muddy Creek Clear Creek Goose Creek Crooked Creek Grassy Creek Reason Branch Crisco Branch Cedar Branch Richardson Creek Cribs Creek Lanes Creek Little Creek Bowsaw Branch Camp Branch

The Rocky River is a 95-mile-long (153 km)^[5] river in the Piedmont region of North Carolina. It begins in Iredell County near Mooresville and flows south into Cabarrus County, where it is the principal waterway in the county. The river continues southeastward to form the line between Stanly, Union, and Anson counties. It empties into the Pee Dee River just below Norwood, North Carolina at the junction of Stanly, Montgomery, Anson, and Richmond counties, at the foot of the Uwharrie Mountains.

Efforts are being made to boost tourism, including and canoe and kayak recreation, along Rocky River "Blueway" ^[6] as part of the Carolina Thread Trail.^{[7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16]}

In 2018, the Hoosier Dam was removed from the Rocky River, reconnecting 253 miles of the upstream aquatic network to 1,100 miles of the downstream, unobstructed aquatic network. This dam removal supported habitats for two federally-listed aquatic species, the Cape Fear Shiner and Harperella^[17] and opened new Class I, Class II, and potential Class III rapids on the Rocky River.^[18]

Private, non-profit organizations have developed park lands for improved river access, but some controversy ensued.^[19][20]