In late July and early August, 1968, a study was conducted to predict the quality of Northeast Cape Fear River waters to be impounded in Kornegay Reservoir, Duplin County, North Carolina. This study was requested by the Corps of Engineers because the highly colored river water will inundate rich organic soils and vegetation that may leach undesirable materials and affect water quality adversely for fish propagation, wildlife, flow augmentation, water supply, and recreation. To assess the magnitude of the problem and to predict the effects of removal of vegetation and soils from the reservoir site, chemical and biological conditions of the Northeast Cape Fear River were compared with those of two small reservoirs with highly colored influents near Wilson, N. C.