Chapter 4 Habitats
Federal Status
State Status
Common Name
Scientific Name
REPTILES Carolina Swamp Snake Carolina Saltmarsh Snake Diamondback Terrapin
Seminatrix pygaea paludis Nerodia sipedon williamengelsi
SC SC
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Malaclemys terrapin
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Liodytes rigida
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Glossy Crayfish Snake
Farancia erytrogramma
Rainbow Snake
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4.5.19.4 Threats Affecting Aquatic Species Pollution. Impacts affecting species and their habitats within the White Oak River Basin include nonpoint sources of pollution resulting from inadequate management practices related to agriculture, forestry, construction, and stormwater discharges. Sedimentation due to erosion is one of the most significant causes of habitat loss in this and all other North Carolina river basins. The NCDWR publishes a list of streams, rivers, reservoirs and other water bodies in North Carolina considered to be “impaired,” or that do not meet water quality standards for the classification for intended uses. The draft 303(d) list for 2024 contains 18,941 acres of impaired waters in the White Oak River Basin. Many of the impaired waters are listed because of shellfish growing area impacts from fecal coliform exceedances and sanitary surveys. The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program controls water pollution by regulating point sources, such as industrial, municipal, and other facilities that discharge pollutants into surface waters. Point source water pollution can include toxic compounds and elements such as ammonia, chlorine, and mercury. Individual permits are written to address the specific design and applicable water quality standards to an individual facility, while general permits authorize a category of discharges within a geographical area (USEPA 2015) . In the White Oak River Basin, there are 37 individual NPDES permits and 14 general permits (NCDWQ 2015i,j) . Four of the individual permits are for major discharges from industrial processes and commercial facilities or municipal wastewater treatment plans that discharge one million gallons per day or more. Water Quality. There are 42 permitted Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) in the White Oak River Basin, with 60 associated waste lagoons (NCDEQ 2024c) . Most are located in the northwestern portion of the basin along the New and White Oak rivers. Waste from these sites contains high levels of nutrients (e.g., nitrogen and phosphorus) in addition to fecal coliform bacteria and any chemical compounds, such as antibiotics or hormone products used in commercial feeding operations (NCDWR 2015b) . Animal-waste lagoons and spray fields that discharge near or into aquatic environments through runoff, percolation into groundwater, and
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2025 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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