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Home My WebLink Aboutchapter 19 subbasin -19 Chapter 19 Cape Fear River Subbasin 03-06-19 Including: Black River, Six Runs Creek, Great Coharie Creek and Little Coharie Creek 19.1 Subbasin Overview Subbasin 03-06-19 is in the coastal plain and drains many wetlands with tannin stained slow-moving streams. Most of the watershed is forested with some agriculture present and very few urban areas. Development is occurring near Clinton. Population is expected to grow by 70,000 people in counties with portions or all of their areas in this subbasin by 2020. Subbasin 03-06-19 at a Glance Land and Water Area Total area: 739 mi2 Land area: 737 mi2 Water area: 2 mi2 Population Statistics 2000 Est. Pop.: 46,801people Pop. Density: 63 persons/mi2 Land Cover (percent) Forest/Wetland: 87% Surface Water: <1% Urban: <1% Cultivated Crop: <1% Pasture/Managed Herbaceous: 12% Counties Bladen, Duplin, Johnston, Pender and Sampson Municipalities Clinton, Garland, Harrels, Magnolia, Newton Grove, Roseboro, Salemburg, Turkey and Warsaw There are eight individual NPDES wastewater discharge permits in this subbasin with a permitted flow of 6.8 MGD (Figure 22). The largest is Clinton WWTP (5 MGD). Refer to Appendix VI and Chapter 30 for more information on NPDES permit holders. Issues related to compliance with NPDES permit conditions are discussed below in Section 19.3 for Impaired waters. There are 374 registered swine operations in this subbasin. Issues related to agricultural activities are discussed below in Section 19.5. There were five benthic community samples (Figure 22 and Table 22) collected during this assessment period. Data were also collected from nine ambient monitoring stations including three LCFRP (Appendix V) stations and six DWQ ambient stations. Refer to the 2003 Cape Fear River Basinwide Assessment Report at http://www.esb.enr.state.nc.us/bar.html and Appendix IV for more information on monitoring. Waters in the following sections are identified by assessment unit number (AU#). This number is used to track defined segments in the water quality assessment database, 303(d) Impaired waters list and the various tables in this basin plan. The assessment unit number is a subset of the DWQ index number (classification identification number). A letter attached to the end of the AU# indicates that the assessment is smaller than the DWQ index segment. No letter indicates that the assessment unit and the DWQ index segment are the same. Chapter 19 – Cape Fear River Subbasin 03-06-19 186 AU Number Description Length/AreaClassification CAPE FEAR 03-06-19 AL Rating REC RatingStationYear/ParameterResult % Exc Aquatic Life Assessment ResultStation Recreation Assessment Stressors Sources SubbasinTable 22 Black River 18-68a From source to Subasin 19/20 boundary 31.9 FW MilesC Sw ORW S SBA616 NCE BB128 /2002E BB128 /1998G BA616 NCE Great Coharie Creek (Blackmans Pond) 18-68-1 From source to Black River 42.6 FW MilesC Sw NR SBA599 NCE Low DO 44.8 BA601 NCE Low DO 16.9 BA599 NCE BA601 NCE Low Dissolved Oxygen Unknown Little Coharie Creek (Sinclair Lake) 18-68-1-17a From source to SR 1240 28.6 FW MilesC Sw NR SBA592 NCE Low DO 44.8 BA596 NCE Low DO 14.3 BA592 NCE BA596 NCE 18-68-1-17b From SR 1240 to Great Coharie Creek 12.2 FW MilesC Sw S SBA603 NCE BB259 /2003G Six Runs Creek 18-68-2-(0.3) From source to Quewiffle Swamp 26.0 FW MilesC Sw NR SBA608 NCE Low DO 55.2 BA608 NCE 18-68-2-(11.5) From Quewiffle Swamp to Black River 11.7 FW MilesC Sw ORW S SBA612 NCE BA615 NCE BB348 /2003G BB348 /1998GF BA612 NCE BA615 NCE Stewarts Creek 18-68-2-10 From source to Six Runs Creek 15.5 FW MilesC Sw S ND BB343 /2003G BB343 /2003NR Unnamed Tributary at Magnolia 18-68-2-10-3-1 From source to Millers Creek 2.5 FW MilesC Sw NR NR BB44 /2000NR CAPE FEAR Subbasin 03-06-19 AU Number Description Length/AreaClassification CAPE FEAR 03-06-19 AL Rating REC RatingStationYear/ParameterResult % Exc Aquatic Life Assessment ResultStation Recreation Assessment Stressors Sources SubbasinTable 22 AL - Aquatic Life BF - Fish Community Survey E - Excellent S - Supporting, I - Impaired REC - Recreation BB - Benthic Community Survey G - Good NR - Not Rated BA - Ambient Monitoring Site GF - Good-Fair NR*- Not Rated for Recreation (screening criteria exceeded) BL- Lake Monitoring F - Fair ND-No Data Collected to make assessment S- DEH RECMON P - Poor NI - Not Impaired CE-Criteria Exceeded > 10% and more than 10 samples Miles/Acres S- Severe Stress NCE-No Criteria Exceeded FW- Fresh Water M-Moderate Stress S- Salt Water N- Natural Results Aquatic Life Rating Summary S 71.3 FW Milesm NR 99.7 FW Milesm ND 338.4 FW Miles Recreation Rating Summary 153.0 FW MilesSm 8.8 FW MilesNR e 347.6 FW MilesND Fish Consumption Rating Summary 74.5 FW MilesIm 434.9 FW MilesIe CAPE FEAR Subbasin 03-06-19 19.2 Use Support Assessment Summary Use support ratings were assigned for waters in subbasin 03-06-19 in the aquatic life, recreation, fish consumption and water supply categories. All waters are Impaired on an evaluated basis in the fish consumption category because of fish consumption advice that applies to the entire basin. In the water supply category, all waters are Supporting on an evaluated basis based on reports from DEH regional water treatment plant consultants. Refer to Appendix X for a complete list of monitored waters and more information on Supporting monitored waters. There were 171 stream miles (33.6 percent) monitored during this assessment period in the aquatic life category. There were no Impaired stream miles identified as Impaired in this category. 19.3 Status and Recommendations of Previously and Newly Impaired Waters The following waters were either identified as Impaired in the previous basin plan (2000) or are newly Impaired based on recent data. If previously identified as Impaired, the water will either remain on the state’s 303(d) list or will be delisted based on recent data showing water quality improvements. If the water is newly Impaired, it will likely be placed on the 2006 303(d) list. The current status and recommendations for addressing these waters are presented below, and each is identified by an assessment unit number (AU#). Refer to the overview for more information on AUs. Information regarding 303(d) listing and reporting methodology is presented in Appendix VII. 19.3.1 Black River [AU# 18-68a] Current Status and 2005 Recommendations The Black River from source to the subbasin boundary (31.9 miles) is Supporting aquatic life because of an Excellent benthic community rating at site BB128. This site has been Excellent, except after hurricanes. The river has a very diverse benthic community. This portion of the Black River is supplementally classified as Outstanding Resource Waters (ORW). This segment is Impaired on a monitored basis in the fish consumption category and will be added to the 303(d) list of Impaired waters. 19.3.2 Stewarts Creek River [AU#18-68-2-10] and UT at Magnolia [18-68-2-10-3-1] 2000 Recommendations The 2000 basinwide plan recommended that Stewarts Creek be resampled. It was also recommended that the Magnolia WWTP be monitored as repairs are made to the collection system. Magnolia WWTP discharges into an UT in the headwaters of Stewarts Creek. Current Status Stewarts Creek from source to Six Runs Creek (15.5 miles) is Supporting aquatic life because of a Good benthic community rating at site BB343. The UT from source to Millers Creek (2.5 miles) is Not Rated for aquatic life because a benthic community rating could not be assigned at site BB44. A stressor study in 2003 found swampy conditions in Stewarts Creek and many Chapter 19 – Cape Fear River Subbasin 03-06-19 190 blockages due to debris and aquatic weeds. Nitrogen levels were slightly elevated. A long-term study found that the benthic community had recovered after impacts from hurricanes in 1996. Magnolia WWTP has made repairs that have greatly reduced sanitary overflows into Stewarts Creek. The town received $3 million from CG&L in 2001 to replace the WWTP and for a reuse project. 2005 Recommendations DWQ will continue to monitor the Stewarts Creek watershed. Stewarts Creek will be recommended for removal from the 303(d) list. 19.4 Status and Recommendations for Waters with Noted Impacts The surface waters discussed in this section are not Impaired. However, notable water quality problems and concerns have been documented for some waters based on this assessment. While these waters are not Impaired, attention and resources should be focused on these waters to prevent additional degradation or facilitate water quality improvement. Waters in the following section are identified by assessment unit number (AU#). See overview for more information on AU#s. 19.4.1 Great Coharie Creek [AU# 18-68-1] Current Status and 2005 Recommendations Great Coharie Creek from source to Black River (42.6 miles) is Not Rated for aquatic life because dissolved oxygen was below 4 mg/l in 45 and 17 percent of samples at sites BA599 and BA601. Great Coharie Creek is classified as C Sw, which acknowledges natural characteristics of swamps such as low dissolved oxygen. DWQ will continue to monitor the Great Coharie watershed. Great Coharie Creek is Impaired on a monitored basis in the fish consumption category and will be added to the 303(d) list of Impaired waters. Water Quality Initiatives The Town of Garland received a $45,000 CWMTF (Chapter 34) grant to install generators to prevent overflows during power outages at pump stations and the WWTP. The NCEEP has also preserved 154,000 linear feet of stream in this watershed (Chapter 34). 19.4.2 Little Coharie Creek [AU# 18-68-1-17a and b] Current Status and 2005 Recommendations Little Coharie Creek [18-68-1-17a] from source to SR 1240 (28.6 miles) is Not Rated for aquatic life because dissolved oxygen was below 4 mg/l in 45 and 14 percent of samples at sites BA592 and BA596. Little Coharie Creek is classified as C Sw, which acknowledges natural characteristics of swamps such as low dissolved oxygen. Little Coharie Creek [18-68-1-17b] from SR 1240 to Great Coharie Creek (12.2 miles) is Supporting because of a Good benthic community rating at site BA259 and because no criteria were exceeded at site BA603. DWQ will continue to monitor the Little Coharie watershed. Chapter 19 – Cape Fear River Subbasin 03-06-19 191 19.4.3 Millers Creek [AU# 18-68-2-10-3] Current Status and 2005 Recommendations Millers Creek from source to Stewarts Creek (6.3 miles) is Not Rated for recreation on an evaluated basis because the Magnolia WWTP (NC0020346) had significant violations of fecal coliform bacteria permit limits during the last two years of the assessment period. The NPDES compliance process will be used to address the significant permit violations noted above. 19.4.4 Six Runs Creek [AU# 18-68-2-(0.3) and (11.5)] Current Status and 2005 Recommendations Six Runs Creek [18-68-2-(0.3)] from source to Quewhiffle Swamp (26 miles) is Not Rated for aquatic life because dissolved oxygen was below 4 mg/l in 55 percent of samples at site BA608. Six Runs Creek is classified as C Sw, which acknowledges natural characteristics of swamps such as low dissolved oxygen. Six Runs Creek [18-68-2-(11.5)] from Quewhiffle Swamp to Black River (11.7 miles) is Supporting because of a Good benthic community rating at site BA348 and because no criteria were exceeded at sites BA612 and BA615. DWQ will continue to monitor the Six Runs Creek watershed. Chapter 19 – Cape Fear River Subbasin 03-06-19 192