Morganton is a city in and county seat of Burke County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 17,474 at the 2020 census. Morganton is approximately 75 miles (121 km) northwest of Charlotte and 57 miles (92 km) east of Asheville.

The Catawba River is a major river located in the Southeastern United States. It originates in Western North Carolina and flows into South Carolina, where it later becomes known as the Wateree River. The river is approximately 220 miles (350 km) long. It rises in the Appalachian Mountains and drains into the Piedmont, where it has been impounded through a series of reservoirs for flood control and generation of hydroelectricity. The river is named after the Catawba tribe of Native Americans, which lives on its banks. In their language, they call themselves "yeh is-WAH h’reh", meaning "people of the river."