Dan River
The Dan River originates in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia and meanders east for 214 miles, crossing into North Carolina, where it joins the Roanoke River at Kerr Reservoir. Long before state boundaries or reservoirs existed, the Dan River was — and remains — a living relative to Indigenous peoples of the region. The river has sustained the Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation, the Saura, and related Siouan-speaking peoples for countless generations. The river’s banks hold ancestral village sites, burial places, fishing grounds, and ceremonial landscapes that continue to shape Indigenous cultural identity and responsibility today. For Indigenous nations, the Dan is not merely a water source or wildlife corridor; it is a living system with which reciprocal responsibilities exist.
Home to many endangered species such as the James spinymussel and the Roanoke logperch, the Dan River is full of wildlife, including freshwater mussels, otters, and migratory fish, all of which are critical to the river’s dynamic ecosystem. The Dan River is also a critical water source, supplying drinking water to nearly 1 million people along the North Carolina-Virginia border.
How long is the Dan River?
The Dan River is 214 miles long.
Where does the Dan River Begin and End?
The Dan River begins in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia and flows all the way to the Kerr Reservoir in Clarksville, Virginia.
What States Does the Dan River Flow Through?
The Dan River flows through Virginia and North Carolina.
The 2014 Duke Energy Coal Ash Spill
On February 2, 2014, approximately 39,000 tons of coal ash and 27 million gallons of wastewater were released into the Dan River due to a pipe failure at Duke Energy’s Dan River Stream Station in Eden, North Carolina. This is believed to be the third-largest coal ash spill in U.S. history, contaminating at least 70 miles of the river with toxic metals.
Federal and state agencies worked with Duke Energy to conduct a Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration (NRDAR), leading to a plan for restoration of the Dan River that would take place over a number of years. It was determined that a number of risks to the river, its wildlife, and surrounding communities existed as a result of this coal ash spill.
The Dan River listed as one of America’s Most Endangered Rivers® of 2026
The Dan River was listed as one of America’s Most Endangered Rivers® of 2026 due to the construction of two major gas pipelines that would put clean drinking water for hundreds of thousands of residents at risk, disrupt critical wildlife habitat, and desecrate Indigenous cultural sites.
Governor Spanberger of Virginia and Governor Stein of North Carolina must hold pipeline companies to the highest standards and ensure construction complies with all Clean Water Act safeguards to protect the health of the river and its communities.
Protect the Dan River
Tell Governors Spanberger and Stein to ensure Clean Water Act standards are upheld during pipeline construction and consult Indigenous communities moving forward.