It grows among rocks in close association with streams and rivers. The northern portion of the watershed is confined by steep forested ridges. There is very little development in this area. The southern portion is flatter and agriculture extends into the flood plain. Sedimentation is high in this part of the river.
Agriculture is the primary land use throughout the valley and includes some managed forestland.
Industrial use in the watershed is limited to a few granite quarries. The watershed remains in a largely natural state. Its position in the Piedmont with the Appalachians to the north and the coastal plain to the south allows for a highly diverse assemblage of plant and animal communities. It provides habitat for deer, turkeys, bobcats, foxes, beavers, otters, muskrats, quail, dove, mallards, wood ducks, turtles, crayfish and many others. The Threat Many of the Broad River's problems are attributed to agricultural practices.