The Lay of the Land Chapter 1

Focus/Review Why is water so important to our state? Think about the number of times you have used water in the last 24 hours – write down some of the ways that you have used water.

Objective TLW identify and describe the geographic regions of North Carolina - Tidewater

Preview Our understanding of history depends upon our knowledge of geography. Traditional saying in North Carolina: You have to know “the lay of the land” to know where you are going. The key lesson in North Carolina geography is to learn that North Carolina is one state but has several distinct parts called regions.

Section 1: The Tidewater Region

The Tidewater Region Narrow strip of land extends along the Atlantic Ocean In the southern part of the state, the Tidewater is no more than thirty (30) miles wide In the northern part of the state, it goes back fifty (50) miles in places Land is influenced by the daily movement of the ocean’s tides Tides alter currents in streams and sounds

Barrier Islands The islands off the North Carolina coast form the beach for much of the Tidewater. They influenced life in the state from the first explorations to the present. Most are part of a long chain of sand spits called barrier islands The most famous of which, along the northern half of the state coastline, are called the Outer Banks

Barrier Islands Continue Most of the barrier islands are less than two miles across The highest point along the barrier islands is at Jockey’s Ridge Jockey’s Ridge averages about 114 feet in elevation, making it the highest natural point on the eastern seaboard

Barrier Islands Continue Cape Hatteras for centuries was known as the “graveyard of the Atlantic” because frigid Arctic water, known as the Labrador Current, collided with the warmer Gulf Stream just offshore Turbulence made for unexpected storms That is why the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse has become so legendary It served a vital purpose in world commerce The only true break in the barrier islands along the state’s shoreline is Cape Fear

Sounds Sounds are inland bodies of mixed water found through much of the Tidewater North Carolina has five major sounds going from north to south – Currituck Sound – Albemarle Sound – Pamlico Sound: deepest and largest – Core Sound – Bogue Sound

Sounds Continue Near the mouth of these rivers are located some of the oldest towns in North Carolina The towns were trading centers where goods could be transferred from river flatboats onto the schooners Sedimentation (the depositing of clay or silt or gravel) through time has kept the sounds from being deep enough for large oceangoing vessels.

Sounds Continue

Swamps A large portion of the land in the Tidewater is wetland most of the year – meaning that the soil is soaked or flooded with water Savanna is a type of habitat in the Tidewater (Savanna is where tall grass mixes with scattered longleaf and other type of pine.)

Swamps Continue The Green Swamp is the habitat for one of North Carolina’s unique plants, the Venus Fly Trap – a type of trumpet plant that catches a variety of bugs with its hair-lined “pitches”

Lakes Most of the natural lakes in North Carolina are in the Tidewater – Lake Mattamuskeet – largest; major land point for migratory birds along the Atlantic coast; and today is a wildlife refuge

Critical Thinking Pollution is a major problem with many waterways. – What are some of the possible sources of water pollution? – What can average citizens do to help with the problems? Ticket out the Door List four things you learned in this section