4.5 River Basins
T ABLE 4.56 Water quality classifcation and rating information for the French Broad River Basin
Percent (Basin Waters)
Percent (Basin Waters)
Classifcations
Freshwater Miles
Freshwater Acres
Total Basin Waters*
8,390
—
1,946
— 19
HQW ORW
698 657
8 8
377
0
0
Percent (Monitored Waters)
Percent (Monitored Waters)
Use Ratings
Freshwater Miles
Freshwater Acres
Total Named Waters
3,995
— 23
2,032 1,645
— 81 — — 19
Supporting Impaired Not Rated
908 252
6
— —
35
<1 70
No Data
2,801
387
* Total Basin Waters estimated from National Hydrography Dataset (NHD), April 2015 (EPA 2014b) .
North Carolina Division of Water Resources’ trout water designation (Tr) is a supplemen- tal classifcation that protects freshwaters for natural propagation of trout and survival of stocked trout on a year-round basis. Tere are about 2,545 miles of streams in the French Broad River Basin designated as trout waters. Tis is not the same as the Commission’s des- ignated public Mountain Trout Waters, which is used to designate waters that support trout and are open to public fshing. Tere are a total of 50,117 acres of HQW Special Management Strategy Areas (SMSAs) in the basin: the East Fork and West Fork of the French Broad River; Crab, Williamson, Laurel, and Catheys creeks; and Rocky, Rockbrook Camp, and Keystone Camp branches (NCDWR 2015c) . Tere are 231,580 acres of ORW SMSAs for Big Laurel and Spring creeks, South Toe River and Tributaries Area, Cataloochee Creek Area, South Fork Mills River, and Rough Creek Area. Tere are also 163,614 acres of HQW SMSAs that span the Little Tennessee and French Broad River Basins. Te SMSAs require site-specifc provisions to protect resource values (e.g., no new discharges or expansion of existing discharges) (see 15A NCAC 02B.0225). 4.5.8.3 Aquatic Species Tere are 26 SCGN in the basin: 2 amphibian species, 1 crayfsh, 19 freshwater fshes, and 4 freshwater mussel species. Appendix G provides a list of SGCN and other priority species for which there are knowledge gaps or management concerns. Appendix H identifes SGCN associated with aquatic communities found in this river basin. Table 4.57 identifes the SGCN found in the French Broad River Basin.
541
2015 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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