4.5 River Basins
4.5.19 White Oak River Basin 4.5.19.1 River Basin Description
Te White Oak River Basin lies entirely within the Coastal Plain, and is composed of four small river systems (New River, White Oak River, Newport River, and North River), which all drain south directly into the Atlantic Ocean and associated sounds. Te White Oak River is approximately 40 miles long and is a blackwater river. Tis basin encompasses 1,382 square miles, making it the smallest basin contained entirely within the state. Tere are 1,571 stream miles, 3,777 acres of freshwater lakes and impoundments, and 132 miles of Atlantic coastline in the basin (NCDWR 2015d, 2015j) . Due to the location and size of this basin, there is a relatively small amount of freshwater habitat available, but what is available has the characteristics typical of Coastal Plain streams: meandering waters associated with swamps, hardwood bottomlands, and wetland communities (NCDWQ 2007d) . Land use in the basin is 25% forested, 32% wetland, 12% urban or developed, 3% grassland, and 11% agricultural (MRLC 2011) . Public lands make up a large portion of this basin and include all or portions of the Croatan National Forest, Hofman State Forest, Rocky Run, Stones Creek, Carteret County and White Oak River Game Lands, and Camp Lejeune. Te estimated 2010 human population was 336,209, which represents an increase of more than 40% since 1990 and signifcantly exceeds predicted increases (USCB 2012; NCDWR 2015j) . Te White Oak River Basin is located mostly in Onslow County and the southern portions of Jones, Craven, and Carteret counties. All or parts of 16 municipalities are located in the basin, including Jacksonville, Newport, Morehead City, and Beaufort. Figure 4.37 depicts the geographic location of the basin. 4.5.19.2 Aquatic Resource Conditions Tere are a number of impaired streams in this drainage, totaling 169.3 miles (NCDWR 2014a) . Tere are 68 water bodies (stream reaches, intracoastal waterways, sounds, bays) that have an Outstanding Resource Waters (ORW) classifcation and 187 water bodies that have a High-Quality Waters (HQW) classifcation, because they either have excellent water quality or they are a signifcant resource to humans and/or wildlife (NCDWQ 2015d) . Te southernmost sections of the New, White Oak, and Newport rivers, and the entirety of the North River drainage, have supplemental classifcations as HQW or ORW. Tere are ORW Special Management Strategy Areas in the basin for Western Bogue Sound and Bear Island Area (19,859 acres); Roosevelt Natural Areas (561 acres); and Stump Sound Area (4,355 acres) (NCDWR 2015c) . Tese areas require site-specifc provisions to protect resource values (no new discharges or expansion of existing discharges) (see 15A NCAC 02B.0225).
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2015 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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