Appendix V Other Data

Appendix V

Other Water Quality Data
in the
New River Basin

Appendices

Other Water Quality Research

North Carolina actively solicits "existing and readily available" data and information for each
basin as part of the basinwide planning process. Data meeting DWQ quality assurance
objectives are used in making use support determinations. Data and information indicating
possible water quality problems are investigated further. Both quantitative and qualitative
information are accepted during the solicitation period.

High levels of confidence must be present in order
for outside quantitative information to carry the same
weight as information collected from within DWQ.
This is particularly the case when considering waters
for the Impaired categories in the Integrated Report.
Methodology for soliciting and evaluating outside
data is presented in North Carolina’s 2002
Integrated Report
http://h2o.enr.state.nc.us/tmdl/2002%20Integrated%20Rept.pdf.
The next data solicitation period for the New River is
planned for Fall 2007.

Any data submitted to DWQ from other water
sampling programs conducted in the New River
basin have been reviewed. Data that meet quality
and accessibility requirements were considered for
use support assessments and the 303(d) list. These
data are also used by DWQ to adjust the location of
biological and chemical monitoring sites. In
particular, DWQ has reviewed and considered information developed through the Volunteer
Water Information Network (VWIN) as managed by the University of North Carolina Asheville
(UNCA) Environmental Quality Institute (EQI). Other programs or research that developed data
or information are presented in individual subbasin chapters.
DWQ data solicitation includes
the following:

• Information, letters and photographs
regarding the use of surface waters for
boating, drinking water, swimming,
aesthetics and fishing.
• Raw data submitted electronically and
accompanied by documentation of
quality assurance methods used to collect
and analyze the samples. Maps showing
sampling locations must also be included.
• Summary reports and memos, including
distribution statistics and accompanied
by documentation of quality assurance
methods used to collect and analyze the
data.

Contact information must accompany all
submitted data and information.

Each county with monitoring stations has a coordinator to organize and train volunteers and to
ensure that all stations are monitored monthly. In the New River basin, the National Committee
for the New River (NCNR) initiated a monitoring program on five streams within Ashe County,
which includes the headwaters of North Fork New River. The locations are listed in the
following table. The locations generally agree with DWQ ambient monitoring stations or benthic
sampling sites; however, the data was not used for use support determinations.

VWIN has collected one year of monthly data for these streams. This provides a good base of
information, but it does not capture the variety of weather and other events that may affect
stream water quality. Parameters monitored include major nutrients, turbidity, suspended solids,
pH, alkalinity, conductivity and heavy metals such as zinc, copper and lead. The subbasin
chapters discuss streams where VWIN monitoring revealed water quality impacts.

A-V-1

A-V-2
County Stream
Name
Sampling
Location
Ashe Helton Creek Near Confluence with North Fork New River (SR 1538)
Big Horse Creek Near Confluence with North Fork New River
(SR 1514 and NC 194)
Buffalo Creek Near Confluence with North Fork New River
(NC 194 and SR 1351)
Big Laurel Creek Near Confluence with North Fork New River
(NC 88 and SR 1315)
North Fork New River Near Confluence with Three Top Creek (NC 88)