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Home My WebLink Aboutchapter 20 subbasin -20 Chapter 20 Cape Fear River Subbasin 03-06-20 Including: Black River, Colly Creek, Moores Creek and Singletary Lake 20.1 Subbasin Overview Subbasin 03-06-20 is in the coastal plain and drains wetland areas with tannin stained streams. There are also acidic streams draining natural bay lakes. Most of the watershed is forested with some agriculture present. Population is expected to grow by 55,000 people in counties with portions or all of their areas in this subbasin by 2020. There are two individual NPDES wastewater discharge permits in this subbasin with a permitted flow of 0.82 MGD (Figure 23). The largest is White Lake WWTP (0.8 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 20.4 for other waters. There are 18 registered swine operation in this subbasin. There was one benthic community sample (Figure 23 and Table 23) collected during this assessment period. Data were also collected from three ambient monitoring stations including two LCFRP (Appendix V) stations and one DWQ ambient station. One lake was also monitored. 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. Subbasin 03-06-20 at a Glance Land and Water Area Total area: 343 mi2 Land area: 338 mi2 Water area: 5 mi2 Population Statistics 2000 Est. Pop.: 14,421people Pop. Density: 42 persons/mi2 Land Cover (percent) Forest/Wetland: 77.9% Surface Water: 0.8% Urban: 0.2% Cultivated Crop: 18.0% Pasture/Managed Herbaceous: 3.1% Counties Bladen, Pender and Sampson Municipalities Atkinson and White Lake 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 20 – Cape Fear River Subbasin 03-06-20 193 AU Number Description Length/AreaClassification CAPE FEAR 03-06-20 AL Rating REC RatingStationYear/ParameterResult % Exc Aquatic Life Assessment ResultStation Recreation Assessment Stressors Sources SubbasinTable 23 Black River 18-68b From Subbasin 19/20 boundary to Cape Fear River 40.5 FW MilesC Sw ORW NR NDBA636 NCE Low DO 10.2 BA638 NCE Low DO 28.1 BA636 NCE BA638 NCE Colly Creek 18-68-17 From source to Black River 34.9 FW MilesC Sw NR SBA634 NCE Low pH 87.5 BA634 NCE Low pH Unknown Moores Creek 18-68-18a From source to Buxton Branch 13.0 FW MilesC Sw S ND BB244 /2003M 18-68-18b From Buxton Branch to Black River 9.9 FW MilesC Sw ND ND Singletary Lake 18-68-17-5-1 From source to Lake Drain 576.0 FW AcresB Sw NR NDBL34 NCE Low pH 100 Low pH Unknown 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 13.0 FW Milesm NR 75.4 FW Milesm NR 576.0 FW Acresm NR 2.5 FW Milese ND 143.8 FW Miles Recreation Rating Summary 34.9 FW MilesSm 199.8 FW MilesND 576.0 FW AcresND Fish Consumption Rating Summary 50.4 FW MilesIm 184.3 FW MilesIe 576.0 FW AcresIe CAPE FEAR Subbasin 03-06-20 20.2 Use Support Assessment Summary Use support ratings were assigned for waters in subbasin 03-06-20 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 WS classified waters (1.1 miles) 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 88.4 stream miles (37.7 percent) and 576 freshwater acres (100 percent) monitored during this assessment period in the aquatic life category. There were no Impaired stream miles identified as Impaired in this category. 20.3 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. 20.3.1 Moores Creek [AU# 18-68-18a and b] Current Status Moores Creek [18-68-18a] from source to Buxton Branch (13 miles) is Supporting aquatic life because of a Moderate benthic community rating at site BB244. This stream has generally good habitat for a swamp stream. Moores Creek [18-68-18b] from Buxton Branch to the Black River (9.9 miles) is Impaired on a monitored basis in the fish consumption category. 2005 Recommendations DWQ will continue to monitor Moores Creek. Segment 18-68-18b will be added to the 303(d) list of Impaired waters. 20.4 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 Chapter 20 – Cape Fear River Subbasin 03-06-20 196 section are identified by assessment unit number (AU#). See overview for more information on AU#s. 20.4.1 Black River [AU# 18-68b] Current Status and 2005 Recommendations The Black River from the subbasin boundary to Cape Fear River (40.5 miles) is Not Rated for aquatic life because dissolved oxygen was below 4 mg/l in 10 and 28 percent of samples at sites BA636 and BA638. The Black River is classified as C Sw ORW+, which acknowledges natural characteristics of swamps such as low dissolved oxygen as well as outstanding resources. DWQ will continue to monitor the Black River watershed. 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. Water Quality Initiatives In 1998, The Nature Conservancy received a $2,000,000 CWMTF grant to acquire 9,000 acres in this watershed along the Black and South River (Chapter 34). 20.4.2 Colly Creek [AU# 18-68-17] Current Status and 2005 Recommendations Colly Creek from source to the Black River (34.9 miles) is Not Rated for aquatic life because pH was below 6 in 88 percent of samples at site BA634. Colly Creek is classified as C Sw, which acknowledges natural characteristics of swamps such as low pH. Colly Creek is Supporting recreation because no criteria were exceeded at site BA634; however, the White Lake WWTP (NC0023353) had significant violations of fecal coliform bacteria permit limits during the assessment period. DWQ will continue to monitor the Colly Creek watershed. The NPDES compliance process will be used to address the significant permit violations noted above. 20.4.3 Lake Drain [AU# 18-68-17-1] Current Status and 2005 Recommendations Lake Drain from Black Lake to Colly Creek (2.5 miles) is Not Rated for aquatic life on an evaluated basis because the Bay Tree Lakes WWTP (NC0036404) had significant violations of biological oxygen demand permit limits during the assessment period that could have negatively impacted aquatic life. The NPDES compliance process will be used to address the significant permit violations noted above. 20.4.4 Singletary Lake [AU# 18-68-17-5-1] Current Status and 2005 Recommendations Singletary Lake (576 acres) is Not Rated for aquatic life because pH was below the standard during lake monitoring in 2003. Singletary Lake is classified as B Sw, which acknowledges natural characteristics of swamps such as low pH. Chlorophyll a was noted to be higher than in previous years as well. DWQ will continue to monitor the lake. Chapter 20 – Cape Fear River Subbasin 03-06-20 197