Chapter 4 Habitats
Water Quality. There are 43 permitted Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) in the Chowan River Basin with 83 waste lagoons associated with the facilities (NCDEQ 2024c) . Waste from these sites contains high levels of nutrients (e.g., nitrogen and phosphorus), in addition to fecal coliform bacteria, and many chemical compounds, such as antibiotics or hormone products used in commercial feeding operations (NCDEQ 2024c) . Animal-waste lagoons and spray fields that discharge near or into aquatic environments through runoff, percolation into groundwater, and volatilization of ammonia and the release of bacterial contamination can significantly degrade water quality and endanger human and animal health (Mallin 2003; Mallin and Cahoon 2003) . Chronic episodes of hypoxia exist in the Chowan River and its tributaries in most years during seasonally hot weather. Dissolved oxygen levels frequently fall below 3.0 mg/l, which negatively affects aquatic biota. Cyclonic events and their accompanying rainfall, storm surge, inundation, and flushing of bottomland swamp habitats have occurred repeatedly within the basin since 1995. These tropical events exacerbate an already fragile summer ecosystem, which leads to lower DO levels that can produce major fish and mussel kills within the basin (NCDWQ 2007a) . Soil erosion and runoff of fertilizer and animal waste caused by farming have been concerns within the basin. However, farmers have taken positive steps to reduce runoff effects, which have resulted in 123,244 fewer tons of eroding soils each year (NCOEE 2025) . Water Use. There are no interbasin transfers between the Chowan and other river basins. Water withdrawals occur primarily for agricultural purposes (NCDWQ 2007a) . Nonpoint pollution sources that degrade water quality include agriculture, animal operations, urban development, forestry operations, stormwater discharge, rural residential development, hydrologic modifications, and septic systems. Point pollution sources in the basin may include municipality wastewater treatment plants, industrial facilities, and urban and industrial stormwater systems. Development. As the counties in the Chowan River Basin continue to grow along the inner waterways, there will likely be a loss of natural areas and an increase in the amount of impervious surface associated with new homes and businesses. According to 2025-to-2060 growth projects from the NC Office of State Budget and Management, most counties in the basin will experience less than 10 % growth overall (NCOSBM 2025). However, Hertford County is predicted to have a 28% rate of growth by 2060. Climate Change. Sea level rise has the potential to dramatically alter North Carolina’s coast and estuary systems. Coastal infrastructure, residential properties and industry are threatened, and water quality conditions will change (NCDEQ 2020) . It is virtually certain that sea level along the North Carolina coast will continue to rise due to expansion of ocean water from warming and melting of ice on land, such as the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets (Kunkel et al. 2020) . Although regional changes in temperature can vary from global changes, it is very likely that North Carolina temperatures will also increase substantially in all seasons (Kunkel et al. 2020) . Heavy precipitation accompanying hurricanes that pass near or over North Carolina is very likely to
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2025 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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