Chapter 4 Habitats
Based on the 2011 National Land Cover Dataset, land use in the basin was estimated to be 6% forested, 20% agricultural, 33% wetland, 4% urban or developed, and less than 1% grassland (MRLC 2011; Yin et al. 2013) . Land in the basin is very flat, and geology consists of alternating layers of sand, silt, clay, and limestone. Low flows over the warmest months of the year limits the ability of streams in the basin to maintain high DO levels. Nearly 22% of the land in the basin is classified as a national wildlife refuge (Alligator River, Currituck, Great Dismal Swamp, Mackay Island, Pea Island, and Pocosin Lakes). Lake Phelps, located in Pettigrew State Park, is the state’s second largest natural lake at 16,000 acres. Additionally, the basin contains the 70-mile-long Cape Hatteras National Seashore. The basin contains all or portions of 13 NCWRC game lands (including Buckridge, Gull Rock, New Lake, Northwest River Marsh, and Roanoke Island Marshes), representing over 103,838 acres (5% of the basin). Some of these game lands include Black Bear Management Units, and waterfowl impoundments are located on the North River, Futch, and Lantern Acres game lands in the basin. 4.5.14.2 Aquatic Resource Conditions Waterbodies in the basin exhibit a broad range of conditions, from the brackish waters of the Albemarle Sound to the tidal freshwater marshes of the upper Currituck to the freshwater rivers and streams throughout. Unique in this basin is Phelps Lake, a large shallow natural lake located in Pettigrew State Park. Segments of the Alligator, Little, North, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Scuppernong, and Yeopim rivers and many of their tributaries, Phelps Lake, Swan Creek Lake, and Sandy Ridge Gut have been designated as High Quality Waters (HQW) or Outstanding Resource Waters (ORW) ( NCDEQ 2025f,g) . The NCDWR assigns best-use classifications to state waters, monitors them to determine if they are supporting their use classification(s) and assigned use-support ratings. These ratings are published in the most recent 303(d) impaired waterbodies list (USEPA 2014a; NCDWR 2015a, NCDEQ 2025h) . There 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) . These areas require site-specific provisions to protect resource values (no new discharges or expansion of existing discharges) (see 15A NCAC 02B.0225). There are approximately 43 miles of freshwater streams classified as Nutrient Sensitive Waters (NSW) in the Pasquotank River Basin (NCDWR 2015a, NCDEQ 2025f,g) . The NSW classification applies to Black Walnut Swamp and the portions of Edenton Bay, Pembroke Creek, Pollock Swamp, and Queen Anne Creek in the basin (NCDWR 2015c,d) . This classification is intended for those waters that need additional nutrient management due to greater vulnerability to excessive aquatic vegetation growth (NCDWR 2007c) . The NC Division of Marine Fisheries (NCDMF) classifies coastal waters for shellfish harvesting by means of a sanitary survey, which includes a shoreline survey of sources of pollution, a hydrographic and meteorological survey, and a bacteriological survey of growing waters (NCDMF
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2025 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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