4.5 River Basins
Location of the Pasquotank River Basin
F IGURE 4.27
Ridge Gut have been designated as High Quality Waters (HQW) or Outstanding Resource Waters (ORW) (NCDWR 2015j, 2015c) . Te NCDWR assigns best-use classifcations to state waters, monitors them to determine if they are supporting their use classifcation(s), and assigned use-support ratings. Tese ratings are published in the most recent 303(d) impaired waterbodies list (EPA 2014a; NCDWR 2015a) . Table 4.74 provides information on water quality classifcations and use-support ratings in the basin. Tere are ORW Special Management Strategy Areas in the basin for Lake Phelps Area (15,926 acres) and Alligator River Area (61,608 acres) (NCDWR 2015c) . Tese areas require site-specifc provisions to protect resource values (no new discharges or expansion of exist- ing discharges) (see 15A NCAC 02B.0225). Tere are approximately 43 miles of freshwater streams classifed as nutrient-sensitive waters (NSW) in the Pasquotank River Basin (NCDWR 2015a) . Te NSW classifcation applies to Black Walnut Swamp and the portions of Edenton Bay, Pembroke Creek, Pollock Swamp, and Queen Anne Creek in the basin (NCDWR 2015c, 2015d) . Tis classifcation is intended for those waters that need additional nutrient manage- ment due to greater vulnerability to excessive aquatic vegetation growth (NCDWQ 2007c).
Te NC Division of Marine Fisheries (NCDMF) classifes coastal waters for shellfsh har- vesting by means of a sanitary survey, which includes a shoreline survey of sources of
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2015 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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