South Fork Catawba River facts for kids

Quick facts for kids South Fork Catawba River
Show map of North Carolina Show map of the United States Location of South Fork Catawba River mouth
Other name(s)	Tributary to Catawba River
Country	United States
State	North Carolina
County	Catawba Gaston Lincoln
City	Lincolnton McAdenville Cramerton Belmont
Physical characteristics
Main source	confluence of Henry Fork and Jacob Fork about 2 miles west of Startown, North Carolina 798 ft (243 m) 35°38′09″N 081°18′29″W / 35.63583°N 81.30806°W / 35.63583; -81.30806
River mouth	Catawba River Lake Wylie 569 ft (173 m) 35°08′59″N 081°01′58″W / 35.14972°N 81.03278°W / 35.14972; -81.03278
Length	54.96 mi (88.45 km)
Basin features
Progression	southeast
River system	Catawba River
Basin size	660.78 square miles (1,711.4 km2)
Tributaries	Left: Henry Fork Clark Creek Muddy Creek Lithia Branch Hoyle Creek Right: Jacob Fork Pott Creek Howards Creek Indian Creek Beaverdam Creek Sulphur Branch Rattle Shoal Creek Coley Creek Long Creek DuHarts Creek
Waterbodies	Lake Wylie
Bridges	NC 10, Blackburn Bridge Road, Reepsville Road, S Grove Street, US 321, Laboratory Road, South Fork Road, Long Shoals Road, US 321, S Lincoln Street, Hardin Road, Philadelphia Church Road, Dallas Stanley Highway, Stanley-Spencer Mountain Road, I-85, Hickory Grove Road, US 74, North Main Street, Armstrong Ford Road, Armstrong Road

The South Fork Catawba River (better known as the South Fork River) begins south of Hickory, North Carolina just northwest of the intersection of US Highway 321 and North Carolina Highway 10, at the confluence of the Henry Fork and Jacob Fork. The South Fork Catawba River travels 48.5 miles, passing along the communities of Lincolnton, High Shoals, McAdenville, and Cramerton, to Lake Wylie where its now submerged confluence with the Catawba River lies near the North Carolina and South Carolina border.

Signage on roadways crossing the river acknowledge it as the "South Fork River".

The river is part of the Santee River Watershed.

Variant names

According to the Geographic Names Information System, it has also been known historically as:

• Little Catawba River
• South Fork
• South Fork River
• South Fork of the Catawbaw River