4.5 River Basins
• Eradicate or control invasive and injurious nonnative species within lentic and lotic systems.
• Support county soil and water conservation measures such as BMP recommendations to address sediment and erosion related to agricultural activities. • Work through the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) relicensing process and other opportunities to mitigate negative impacts from hydropower development and support mitigation and restoration eforts.
• Increase stormwater management, erosion control, and education along with associ- ated inspections of all sites with potential for erosion.
• Evaluate regulatory issues and develop rules that address water quality issues and other threats to priority species and habitats.
• Work through site-specifc management plans to protect and conserve waters contain- ing federally listed species.
• Support implementation of low-impact development and better stormwater manage- ment through program coordination, cooperative projects, and technical guidance.
• Support clean-up eforts and stricter regulation of Confned Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) in addition to promoting best management practices (BMPs) and improve- ments for animal waste treatment. • Identify specifc priority areas for habitat conservation and restoration. Criteria include areas with high species diversity, rare species, and endemic species; specifc areas that are critical to the survival of priority species (e.g., particular streams or spawning sites); and areas recognized by previous national and/or regional prioritization eforts. • Support incentive and information programs that help reduce sedimentation and ero- sion (e.g., fencing livestock from streams, improve tilling practices), minimize pesticide and herbicide use, modernize wastewater treatment facilities, and so forth. • Prioritize education measures to prevent the introduction or spread of invasive non- native species, particularly crayfshes, Zebra Mussels, and land-locked river herring species (e.g., Blueback Herring, Alewife), as well as nonnative and invasive aquatic and riparian plants. Conservation Programs and Partnerships. Conservation programs, incentives, and part- nerships should be utilized to the fullest extent in order to preserve high-quality resources and protect important natural communities. Protective measures that utilize existing
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2015 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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