4.5 River Basins
quality or they are a signifcant resource to humans or wildlife (NCDWQ 2015d) . Tere are ORW Special Management Strategy Areas in the basin for Britton Creek (425 acres); Fires Creek area (14,858 acres); Gipp Creek area (1,693 acres); and Tusquitee Creek area (19,561 acres) (NCDWR 2015c) . Tese areas require site-specifc provisions to protect resources (e.g., no new discharges or expansion of existing discharges) (see 15A NCAC 02B.0225). Detailed information on water quality parameters in the Hiwassee River Basin is available online from NCDWR Basin Planning Branch (http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/wq/ps/bpu). Table 4.59 provides summary information on water quality classifcations and use-support ratings in the basin. Another supplemental classifcation is NCDWR’s trout water designation (Tr), which protects freshwaters for natural propagation of trout and survival of stocked trout on a year-round basis. Tere are about 306 stream miles in the Hiwassee River Basin designated as trout waters. Tis is not the same as the Commission’s designated public Mountain Trout Waters, which is used to designate waters that are open to public trout fshing. 4.5.9.3 Aquatic Species Tere are 24 SGCN in the basin: 2 aquatic amphibian species; 2 aquatic snail species; 5 crayfsh species; 10 freshwater fsh species; and 5 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 4.60 identifes SGCN found in the Hiwassee River Basin.
T ABLE 4.59 Water quality classifcation and rating information for the Hiwassee River Basin
Percent (Basin Waters)
Percent (Basin Waters)
Classifcations
Freshwater Miles
Freshwater Acres
Total Basin Waters* Classifed Waters
2,068 1,277
— 62
10,583
— 92 — —
9,742
HQW ORW
71 55
3 3
— —
Percent (Basin Waters)
Percent (Basin Waters)
Use Ratings
Freshwater Miles
Freshwater Acres
Total Named Waters
934 185
— 20
10,357 10,315
— 99 — — <1
Supporting Impaired Not Rated
44 13
5 1
— — 42
No Data
692
74
* Total Basin Waters estimated from National Hydrography Dataset (NHD), April 2015 (EPA 2014b) .
552
2015 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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