4.5 River Basins
Te basin has numerous Confned Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs), primarily swine production, with 1,349 facilities and 2,179 associated waste lagoons (NCDWR 2015f) . Tese facilities, as well as several other impact factors in the basin, result in waters being rated as impaired, due to fecal coliform and enterococcus bacterial contamination, ammonia, chlorides, habitat degradation, chlorophyll a , low dissolved oxygen (DO), turbidity, nutri- ents, elevated heavy metal or cyanide levels, and other point and nonpoint pollutants (NCDWQ 2005) . While any one source may only create local impacts, the cumulative efects from multiple sources and impacts occurring throughout the basin have had a severe and long-lasting impact. Sedimentation from agriculture, forestry, and construction practices and stormwater discharge are major issues in the basin. According to an NC Department of Energy, Mineral, and Land Resources dam inventory (2014) there are at least 1,290 impoundments in the basin. Te mainstem of the Cape Fear is interrupted by three locks and dams in the middle and lower portions of the river. Te upper Cape Fear River has large barriers at Buckhorn Dam and Jordan Dam. Tere are also numerous smaller dams on the tributaries to the Cape Fear. Te consequences of these impoundments include blocked migration routes for diadromous and resident native spe- cies, reduced recolonization and dispersal potential for multiple aquatic taxa, and unnat- ural fow regimes below managed dams (Williams et al. 1993; Etnier 1997; Neves et al. 1997; Warren et al. 2000; NCWRC 2005) . Invasive species (e.g., Flathead Catfsh, Blue Catfsh, Red Swamp Crayfsh) are established in the Cape Fear River Basin and continue to negatively impact native species populations (Fuller et al. 1999; Cooper 2005) via predation and competition. Te Striped Shiner is native to other river basins in the state, but has been introduced and occurs as a nonnative species in the Cape Fear River Basin. 4.5.5.5 Recommendations Conservation priorities that apply statewide to all river basins are presented in Section 4.5.3.3. Priority watersheds identifed in the Cape Fear River Basin are shown in Figure 4.10 and a list of the priority 12-digit HUCs is included in Appendix J.
Basin Specifc Recommendations
Surveys. Surveys need to focus on aquatic snails, crayfsh, mussels, and fsh believed to be declining or dependent on at-risk or sensitive communities (NCWRC 2005) . Conduct distri- bution and status surveys for priority species (see Table 4.49) such as the Ironcolor Shiner, Carolina Redhorse, and Atlantic Pigtoe.
519
2015 NC Wildlife Action Plan
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online