15A NCAC 02B .0307. NEW RIVER BASIN

(a)  Effective February 1, 1976, the adopted classifications assigned to the waters within the New River Basin are set forth in the New River Basin Schedule of Classifications and Water Quality Standards, which may be inspected at the following places:

(1)           the Internet at http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/wq/ps/csu/rules;  and

(2)           the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources:

(A)          Asheville Regional Office

                2090 US Highway 70

                Swannanoa, North Carolina;

(B)          Winston‑Salem Regional Office

                585 Waughtown Street

                Winston‑Salem, North Carolina; and

(C)          Division of Water Quality

                Central Office

                512 North Salisbury Street

                Raleigh, North Carolina.

(b)  Unnamed Streams. Such streams entering the State of Tennessee are classified "C."

(c)  The New River Basin Schedule of Classifications and Water Quality Standards was amended effective:

(1)           August 10, 1980 (see Paragraph (d) of this Rule);

(2)           April 1, 1983 (see Paragraph (e) of this Rule);

(3)           February 1, 1986 (see Paragraph (f) of this Rule);

(4)           August 1, 1989 (see Paragraph (g) of this Rule);

(5)           August 1, 1990 (see Paragraph (h) of this Rule);

(6)           August 3, 1992 (see Paragraph (i) of this Rule);

(7)           February 1, 1993 (see Paragraph (j) of this Rule);

(8)           August 1, 1998 (see Paragraph (k) of this Rule);

(9)           November 1, 2007 (see Paragraph (l) of this Rule);

(10)         December 1, 2010 (see Paragraph (m) of this Rule); and

(11)         July 3, 2012 (see Paragraph (n) of this Rule).

(d)  The Schedule of Classifications and Water Quality Standards for the New River Basin was amended effective August 10, 1980 as follows:

(1)           South Fork New River [Index No. 10-1-(1)] from the confluence of the Middle Fork South Fork New River and the East Fork South Fork New River to Winkler Creek was reclassified from Class C to Class A-II;

(2)           Middle Fork South Fork New River [Index Nos. 10-1-2-(6) and 10-1-2-(14)] from Brown Branch to the South Fork New River was reclassified from Class C and C Trout to Class A-II and A-II Trout;

(3)           East Fork South Fork New River [Index Nos. 10-1-3-(1) and 10-1-3-(7)] was reclassified from Class C and C Trout to Class A-II and A-II Trout; and

(4)           Winkler Creek [Index No. 10-1-4-(2) from Boone water supply intake dam to Watauga County SR 1549 and Flannery Fork [Index No. 10-1-4-3-(2)] from the dam at Camp Sky Ranch Bathing Lake to Winkler Creek were reclassified from Class C Trout to Class A-II Trout.

(e)  The Schedule of Classifications and Water Quality Standards for the New River Basin was amended effective April 1, 1983 as follows: Naked Creek [Index No. 10-1-32] was reclassified from Class C Trout to Class C.

(f)  The Schedule of Classifications and Water Quality Standards for the New River Basin was amended effective February 1, 1986 with the reclassification of all Class A-I and A-II streams to Class WS-I and WS-III in the New River Basin.

(g)  The Schedule of Classifications and Water Quality Standards for the New River Basin was amended effective August 1, 1989 as follows: South Fork New River [Index No. 10‑1‑(30)] from Dog Creek to New River and all tributary waters were reclassified from Class C‑trout and Class C to Class B‑trout and B.

(h)  The Schedule of Classifications and Water Quality Standards for the New River Basin was amended effective August 1, 1990 as follows:

(1)           New River [Index No. 10] from the confluence of the North and South Forks New River to the last point at which the New River crosses the North Carolina/Virginia State line was reclassified from Class C to Class C HQW;

(2)           South Fork New River [Index Nos. 10-1-(14.5), 10-1-(26), 10-1-(30), and 10-1-(33.5)] from Elk Creek to the confluence of the New River and North Fork New River was reclassified from Class C, B and WS-III to Class C HQW, B HQW and WS-III HQW;

(3)           Howard Creek [Index Nos. 10-1-9-(1) and 10-1-9-(6)] from source to the South Fork New River was reclassified from Class WS-III Trout and C Trout to Class WS-III Trout HQW and C Trout HQW;

(4)           Big Horse Creek [Index No. 10-2-21-(5.5)] from North Carolina/Virginia State line to lower Ashe County SR 1361 bridge was reclassified from Class C Trout to Class C Trout HQW; and

(5)           Little River [Index No. 10-9-(11.5)] from N.C. Hwy. 18 bridge to the North Carolina/Virginia State line was reclassified from Class C to Class C HQW.

(i)  The Schedule of Classifications and Water Quality Standards for the New River Basin was amended effective August 3, 1992 with the reclassification of all water supply waters (waters with a primary classification of WS-I, WS-II or WS-III).  These waters were reclassified to WS-I, WS-II, WS-III, WS-IV or WS-V as defined in the revised water supply protection rules, (15A NCAC 02B .0100, .0200 and .0300) which became effective on August 3, 1992.  In some cases, streams with primary classifications other than WS were reclassified to a WS classification due to their proximity and linkage to water supply waters.  In other cases, waters were reclassified from a WS classification to an alternate appropriate primary classification after being identified as downstream of a water supply intake or identified as not being used for water supply purposes.

(j)  The Schedule of Classifications and Water Quality Standards for the New River Basin was amended effective February 1, 1993 as follows:

(1)           the South Fork New River (Index No. 10-1-33.5) from Dog Creek to the New River was reclassified from Class B HQW to Class B ORW;

(2)           the New River (Index No. 10) from  the confluence of the North And South Fork New Rivers to the last point at which it crosses the North Carolina/Virginia State line was reclassified from Class C HQW to Class C ORW; and

(3)           Old Field Creek (Index No. 10-1-22) from Call Creek to the South Fork New River, and Call Creek (Index No. 10-1-22-1) from its source to Old Field Creek were reclassified from Class WS-IV Trout to Class WS-IV Trout ORW.

(k)  The Schedule of Classifications and Water Quality Standards for the New River Basin was amended effective August 1, 1998 with the revision to the primary classification for a portion of the South Fork New River [Index No. 10-1 (20.5)] from Class WS-IV to Class WS-V.

(l)  The Schedule of Classifications and Water Quality Standards for the New River Basin was amended effective November 1, 2007 with the reclassification of Bluff Mountain Fen near Buffalo Creek [Index No. 10-2-20] to Class WL UWL as defined in 15A NCAC 02B .0101. The North Carolina Division of Water Quality maintains a Geographic Information Systems data layer of the UWL.

(m)  The Schedule of Classifications and Water Quality Standards for the New River Basin was amended effective December 1, 2010 with the reclassification of the North Fork New River [Index Nos. 10-2-(1), 10-2-(12)] and its tributaries from C+, C+ Trout and C Trout HQW to C ORW and C Trout ORW with the exception of the following:

(1)           Index Nos. 10-2-21-9, 10-2-21-(8), 10-2-(11) and 10-2-20 were reclassified from C+ and C Trout + to C HQW and C Trout HQW; and

(2)           Little Buffalo Creek and Claybank Creek (Index Nos. 10-2-20-1 and 10-2-20-1-1) did not qualify for the ORW or HQW designation; however, these waters shall be managed in the same way as the downstream designated HQW areas.

(n)  The Schedule of Classifications and Water Quality Standards for the New River Basin was amended effective July 3, 2012 as follows:

(1)           the portion of the South Fork New River [Index No. 10-1-(14.5)] from the Town of Boone's intake, located nearly 0.5 miles upstream of SR 1100, to 875 feet downstream of SR 1351 from C HQW to WS-IV CA HQW;

(2)           the portion of the South Fork New River [Index No. 10-1-(14.5)] from 875 feet downstream of SR 1351 to Elk Creek from C HQW to WS-IV HQW; and

(3)           the portion of the South Fork New River [Index No. 10-1-(3.5)] from Elk Creek to 1.75 miles upstream of SR 1351 from C+ to WS-IV +.

 

History Note:        Authority G.S. 143‑214.1; 143‑215.1; 143‑215.3(a)(1);

Eff. February 1, 1976;

Amended Eff. July 3, 2012; December 1, 2010; November 1, 2007; August 1, 1998; February 1, 1993; August 3, 1992; August 1, 1990; August 1, 1989.