Mears Fork (Haw River tributary)

Mears Fork is a 7.77 mi (12.50 km) long third order tributary to the Haw River, in Guilford County, North Carolina.

Mears Fork
Tributary to Haw River
Location of Mears Fork mouth
Mears Fork (Haw River tributary) (the United States)
Location
CountryUnited States
StateNorth Carolina
CountyGuilford
Physical characteristics
Sourcedivide between Mears Fork, Haw River, and Reedy Fork
 • locationSummerfield, North Carolina
 • coordinates36°12′32″N 079°53′57″W[1]
 • elevation878 ft (268 m)[2]
MouthHaw River
 • location
about 2 miles south of Midway, North Carolina
 • coordinates
36°14′51″N 079°47′04″W[1]
 • elevation
699 ft (213 m)[2]
Length7.77 mi (12.50 km)[3]
Basin size12.59 square miles (32.6 km2)[4]
Discharge 
 • locationHaw River
 • average14.63 cu ft/s (0.414 m3/s) at mouth with Haw River[4]
Basin features
Progressionnortheast
River systemHaw River
Tributaries 
 • leftunnamed tributaries
 • rightunnamed tributaries
BridgesStrawberry Road, Lake Brandt Road, Cedar Ridge Farm Road

Variant names

According to the Geographic Names Information System, it has also been known historically as:[1]

  • Mears Fork Creek

Course

Mears Fork rises on the divide between Mears Fork, Haw River, and Reedy Fork at Summerfield in Guilford County. Mears Fork then flows northeast to meet the Haw River about 2 miles south of Midway, North Carolina.[2]

Watershed

Mears Fork drains 12.59 square miles (32.6 km2) of area, receives about 45.7 in/year of precipitation, has a topographic wetness index of 409.05 and is about 50% forested.[4]

Natural History

The Natural Areas Inventory Guilford County, North Carolina and a later addition in 1995[5] recognized nine locations of natural significance in the Mears Fork watershed. These sites include:

  • Witty Road Wetland (County General Significant)--the location of semi-impermanent impoundment and alluvial forest.
  • Cummings Dairy Beaver Pond (County General Significant)--the location of a shrub swamp from an old beaver pond.
  • Strader Road Beaver Pond (County General Significant)--the location of a beaver pond.
  • Trailing Cedar Farm (County High Significant)--the location of wetland and forested communities with rare species.
  • Burnt Oaks (County General Significant)--the location of beaver pond wetlands and forested slopes.
  • Mears Fork at Lake Brandt Road (County High Significant)--the location of a mature Dry-Mesic Oak-Hickory Forest and Mesic Mixed Hardwood Forest.
  • Cedar Hollow Alluvial Forest (County Low Significant)--the location of Piedmont Alluvial Forest.
  • Mear Fork at Church Street (County General Significant)--the location of mature Dry-Mesic Oak-Hickory Forest.
  • Church Street Ginseng Slope (County General Significant)--the location of a mature Mesic Mixed Hardwood Forest.

References
  1. "GNIS Detail - Mears Fork". geonames.usgs.gov. US Geological Survey. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
  2. "Mears Fork Topo Map, Guilford County NC (Lake Brandt Area)". TopoZone. Locality, LLC. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
  3. "ArcGIS Web Application". epa.maps.arcgis.com. US EPA. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
  4. "Mears Fork Watershed Report". Waters Geoviewer. US EPA. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
  5. "Natural areas inventory, Guilford County, North Carolina :: State Publications". digital.ncdcr.gov. Guilford County and North Carolina Natural Heritage Foundation. Retrieved 8 October 2019.



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