The Cape Fear River and its tributaries are an invaluable natural resource available to the citizens of North Carolina. It is the largest and most industrialized river system in our state and has tributaries in 29 of our 100 counties. The Cape Fear River Basin extends from the headwaters north of Greensboro to the river's mouth in Southport, and the river proper is about 200 miles in length. Twenty-seven percent of our state's population resides within the Cape Fear River Basin. The Cape Fear River system provides freshwater for business and residential uses, routes for water borne transportation, various recreational opportunities, critical wildlife and fisheries habitat, as well as a number of other functions and benefits.