Chapter 4 Habitats
reported the state is the third fastest growing state when compared to the rest of the nation (NCOSBM 2024) .
Urban centers in the Piedmont rely on surface water withdrawn from reservoirs or directly from the Neuse River (about two-thirds of the total demand on the basin), while rural areas and communities in the Coastal Plain rely more on ground water (NCDWR 2015c) . As is the case in the Cape Fear River Basin, current drinking water supplies and wastewater treatment capacities may not be sufficient to meet demands caused by population growth, and new infrastructure will be needed to meet these demands. Development and the related need for additional infrastructure will result in increased stresses on already impaired aquatic resources. The loss of natural areas and increase in impervious surfaces that result from rapid population growth cause increased sediment runoff from construction. More homes mean an increase in lawn fertilizer runoff. Heavy metal runoff contributes to elevated mercury levels in fish tissue. These point and nonpoint runoff sources accumulate in the Pamlico Sound, where researchers at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington found one-third of the sediments contaminated with chemicals and toxic metals (Powell 1999) . Invasive Species. Hydrilla was a problem in the Eno River watershed in the upper Neuse River basin. The Eno River Hydrilla Management Task Force was formed in 2013, and the partnership determined herbicides would be the best control agent against hydrilla. Treatment applied from 2015 to 2019 was largely successful for the treated section of the Eno River. However, infested areas downstream from Falls Lake continue to be an issue (NCDEQ 2024d) . 4.5.12.5 Basin Specific Recommendations Conservation priorities that apply statewide to all river basins are presented in Section 4.5.3. Priority 12-digit HUCs identified in the Neuse River Basin are shown in Figure 4.5.12-2 at the end of this section. 4.5.12.5.1 Surveys Surveys are systematic and scientific methods of collecting information about the distribution, abundance, and ecology of wildlife or their habitats in a specific area at a specific time. A habitat survey is a method of gathering information about the ecology of a site. The results of a habitat survey provide basic ecological information that can be used for biodiversity conservation, planning and/or management, including targeting of more detailed botanical or zoological investigations (Smith et al. 2011) . Repeated surveys using the same methods can provide information about conditions and changes to species assemblages and habitat composition over time. Priorities for conducting distributional and status surveys need to focus on species believed to be declining or mainly dependent on at-risk or sensitive communities.
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2025 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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