| Northeast Cape Fear River | |
| Name Other: | Tributary to Cape Fear River |
| Map Size: | 300 |
| Pushpin Map: | USA North Carolina#USA |
| Pushpin Map Size: | 300 |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location of Northeast Cape Fear River mouth |
| Subdivision Type1: | Country |
| Subdivision Name1: | United States |
| Subdivision Type2: | State |
| Subdivision Name2: | North Carolina |
| Subdivision Type3: | Counties |
| Subdivision Name3: | Duplin Lenoir New Hanover Pender Wayne |
| Length: | 131.25miles[1] |
| Discharge1 Location: | Cape Fear River |
| Discharge1 Avg: | 2090.03cuft/s at mouth with Cape Fear River[2] |
| Source1: | divide between Northeast Cape Fear River and Goshen Swamp |
| Source1 Location: | about 1 mile southeast of Mount Olive, North Carolina |
| Source1 Coordinates: | 35.1719°N -78.0433°W[3] |
| Source1 Elevation: | 146feet[4] |
| Mouth: | Cape Fear River |
| Mouth Location: | Wilmington, North Carolina |
| Mouth Coordinates: | 34.2411°N -77.9539°W |
| Mouth Elevation: | 0feet |
| Progression: | Cape Fear River → Atlantic Ocean |
| River System: | Cape Fear River |
| Tributaries Left: | Poley Branch Jumping Run Great Branch Matthews Creek Burn Coat Creek White Oak Branch Tandam Branch Jump and Run Branch Limestone Creek Muddy Creek Cypress Creek Holly Shelter Creek Ashes Creek Lillington Creek Harrisons Creek Island Creek Ness Creek Smith Creek |
| Tributaries Right: | Rattlesnake Branch Polly Run Creek Mire Branch Beaverdam Branch Horsepen Branch Sandy Run Camp Branch Housland Branch Goshen Swamp Grey Run Welch Branch Dark Branch Grove Creek Stocking Head Creek Island Creek Oakie Branch Rockfish Creek Washington Creek Lewis Creek Watermelon Run Burgaw Creek Cypress Creek McIntire Creek Pike Creek Old Creek Turkey Creek Long Creek Cowpen Branch Tonys Creek Lagoon Creek |
Northeast Cape Fear River is a 131.2miles long 5th order tributary to the Cape Fear River in southeastern North Carolina.
According to the Geographic Names Information System, it has also been known historically as:[3]
Northeast Cape Fear River rises about 1 mile southeast of Mount Olive, North Carolina in Wayne County and about 10miles south of Goldsboro and then flows south to the Cape Fear River at Wilmington, North Carolina.[4] On its course it flows past Albertson, Hallsville, and Chinquapin. In Pender County near the Atlantic coast, it passes along the west side of Angola Swamp and Holly Shelter Swamp. It joins the Cape Fear River on the north end of Wilmington, forming an estuary that emerges at Cape Fear. The lower 50 mi (80 km) of the river is tidal.
Northeast Cape Fear River drains of area, receives about 53.8 in/year of precipitation, and has a wetness index of 593.72 and is about 19% forested.[2]
The river and its valley are home to a variety of interesting and uncommon flora and fauna, including the palmetto, cypress, alligator, pileated woodpecker, venus flytrap, and bowfin.