RADFORD, Va., July 7 -- Radford University issued the following news release:
Katie Purnell grew up on the rivers of western North Carolina, camping, swimming,
hiking, committing to memory every rock and every tree that lined their banks.
"But now it's all different," she said of the area's streams and surrounding areas.
"And it's devastating to see."
Katie Purnell collected water samples from rivers in Southwest Virginia, Northeast
Tennessee and Wester North Carolina, including Shuford Creek in Burnsville, North
Carolina, which feeds into the South Toe River.
In late September 2024, Hurricane Helene ripped through the southeastern United States,
causing widespread catastrophic damage along its path. The Category 4 storm produced
tornad...