Haw River

Haw River
Tributary to Cape Fear River
Convergence of the Haw River and Great Alamance Creek in Swepsonville, NC
Map of the Cape Fear drainage basin showing Haw River
EtymologyEastern Sioux for piedmont or foothill
Native namesak'yápha: (Catawba)
Location
CountryUnited States
StateNorth Carolina
RegionForsyth County, North Carolina, Guilford County, North Carolina, Alamance County, North Carolina, Chatham County, North Carolina, Orange County, North Carolina
CitiesHaw River, North Carolina, Swepsonville, North Carolina
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationNear Kernersville, Forsyth County, North Carolina, United States
 • coordinates36°9′46″N 80°1′59.09″W / 36.16278°N 80.0330806°W / 36.16278; -80.0330806
 • elevation1,007 ft (307 m)
MouthCape Fear River
 • location
Chatham County, North Carolina, United States
 • coordinates
35°35′46.2″N 79°3′9.1″W / 35.596167°N 79.052528°W / 35.596167; -79.052528
 • elevation
154 ft (47 m)
Length110 mi (180 km)
Basin size1,707 sq mi (4,420 km2)
Discharge 
 • locationCape Fear River
 • average1,727.41 cu ft/s (48.915 m3/s) at mouth with Cape Fear River River[1]
Basin features
Tributaries 
 • leftRock Branch, Troublesome Creek, Little Troublesome Creek, Giles Creek, Stony Creek, Boyds Creek, Back Creek, Haw Creek, Meadow Creek, Motes Creek, Cane Creek, Collins Creek, Terrells Creek, Wilkinson Creek, Pokeberry Creek, New Hope River, Shaddox Creek
 • rightMears Fork, Benaja Creek, Candy Creek, Rose Creek (NC), Reedy Fork, Travis Creek, Service Creek, Great Alamance Creek, Varnals Creek, Marys Creek, Cane Creek (NC), Big Branch, Terrell Creek (NC), Dry Creek, Brooks Creek, Haven Creek, Roberson Creek, Stinking Creek

The Haw River is a tributary of the Cape Fear River, approximately 110 mi (177 km) long, that is entirely contained in north central North Carolina in the United States. It was first documented as the "Hau River" by John Lawson, an English botanist, in his 1709 book "A New Voyage to Carolina." The name is shortened from Saxapahaw, from the Catawban /sak'yápha:/, "piedmont, foothill", from /sak/, "hill", plus /yápha:/, "step".[2] The river gives its name to a small town that formed on its banks.

  1. ^ "Haw River Watershed Report". Waters Geoviewer. US EPA. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
  2. ^ Bright, William (2004). Native American placenames of the United States. University of Oklahoma Press. pp. 165, 425. ISBN 978-0-8061-3598-4. Retrieved 10 April 2011.