4.5 River Basins
alteration can cause fash fooding which further accelerates streambank erosion and channel degradation.
Tere are signifcant impacts to native aquatic communities in the Broad River Basin from impoundments; however, they are not as widespread as in some of the other basins in the Mountain ecoregion (e.g., Hiwassee, Little Tennessee, and Catawba). Lake Lure, Kings Mountain, and Lake Adger impoundments appear to have the greatest impact on aquatic resources. Impacts include thermal and hydrologic alteration to tailwaters, water qual- ity and quantity issues associated with nonexistent or inadequate fow, direct efects of impoundment, fragmentation of upstream populations, and loss of genetic diversity caused by barriers between populations. Several existing impoundments are used for water supply and new impoundments are pro- posed within the basin for the same reason. As human population increases in the region, water supply is an increasing burden on surface waters. Water withdrawals, impound- ments, and interbasin water transfers can signifcantly alter habitats for native aquatic species. Nonnative species in the Broad River Basin include the Rusty Crayfsh, Asian Clam, Common Carp, Channel Catfsh, Smallmouth Bass, Muskellunge, Rainbow and Brown trout, and Warpaint Shiner. Some reservoirs have landlocked populations of introduced Blueback Herring and Alewife, anadromous species that normally migrate between fresh and coastal waters in areas where they are native. Te Safron Shiner is native to other river basins in the state, but has been introduced and occurs as a nonnative species in the Broad River Basin. Nonnative vegetation can also negatively impact native aquatic communities. Tis includes both aquatic and riparian plant species and nonnative plant pathogens that can alter ripar- ian vegetation and afect aquatic habitats (e.g., Hemlock Wooly Adelgid). Presently, specifc impacts from nonnative species in the Broad River Basin are unclear and more information is needed to inform appropriate management actions. 4.5.4.5 Recommendations Conservation priorities that apply statewide to all river basins are presented in Section 4.5.3.3. Priority watersheds identifed in the Broad River Basin are shown in Figure 4.8 and a list of the priority 12-digit HUCs is included in Appendix J.
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2015 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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