15A NCAC 02B .0311. CAPE FEAR RIVER BASIN

(a)  Effective February 1, 1976, the adopted classifications assigned to the waters within the Cape Fear River Basin are set forth in the Cape Fear 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)          Winston‑Salem Regional Office

                585 Waughtown Street

                Winston‑Salem, North Carolina

(B)          Fayetteville Regional Office

                225 Green Street

                Systel Building Suite 714

                Fayetteville, North Carolina

(C)          Raleigh Regional Office

                3800 Barrett Drive

                Raleigh, North Carolina

(D)          Washington Regional Office

                943 Washington Square Mall

                Washington, North Carolina

(E)           Wilmington Regional Office

                127 Cardinal Drive Extension

                Wilmington, North Carolina

(F)           Division of Water Quality

                Central Office

                512 North Salisbury Street

                Raleigh, North Carolina.

(b)  The Cape Fear River Basin Schedule of Classification and Water Quality Standards was amended effective:

(1)           March 1, 1977;

(2)           December 13, 1979;

(3)           December 14, 1980;

(4)           August 9, 1981;

(5)           April 1, 1982;

(6)           December 1, 1983;

(7)           January 1, 1985;

(8)           August 1, 1985;

(9)           December 1, 1985;

(10)         February 1, 1986;

(11)         July 1, 1987;

(12)         October 1, 1987;

(13)         March 1, 1988;

(14)         August 1, 1990.

(c)  The Schedule of Classifications and Water Quality Standards for the Cape Fear River Basin was amended effective June 1, 1988 as follows:

(1)           Cane Creek [Index No. 16‑21‑(1)] from source to a point 0.5 mile north of N.C. Hwy. 54 (Cane Reservoir Dam) including the Cane Creek Reservoir and all tributaries has been reclassified from Class WS‑III to WS‑I.

(2)           Morgan Creek [Index No. 16‑41‑1‑(1)] to the University Lake dam including University Lake and all tributaries has been reclassified from Class WS‑III to WS‑I.

(d)  The Schedule of Classifications and Water Quality Standards for the Cape Fear River Basin was amended effective July 1, 1988 by the reclassification of Crane Creek (Crains Creek) [Index No. 18‑23‑16‑(1)] from source to mouth of Beaver Creek including all tributaries from C to WS‑III.

(e)  The Schedule of Classifications and Water Quality Standards for the Cape Fear River Basin was amended effective January 1, 1990 as follows:

(1)           Intracoastal Waterway (Index No. 18‑87) from southern edge of White Oak River Basin to western end of Permuda Island (a line from Morris Landing to Atlantic Ocean), from the eastern mouth of Old Topsail Creek to the southwestern shore of Howe Creek and from the southwest mouth of Shinn Creek to channel marker No. 153 including all tributaries except the King Creek Restricted Area, Hardison Creek, Old Topsail Creek, Mill Creek, Futch Creek and Pages Creek were reclassified from Class SA to Class SA ORW.

(2)           Topsail Sound and Middle Sound ORW Area which includes all waters between the Barrier Islands and the Intracoastal Waterway located between a line running from the western most shore of Mason Inlet to the southwestern shore of Howe Creek and a line running from the western shore of New Topsail Inlet to the eastern mouth of Old Topsail Creek was reclassified from Class SA to Class SA ORW.

(3)           Masonboro Sound ORW Area which includes all waters between the Barrier Islands and the mainland from a line running from the southwest mouth of Shinn Creek at the Intracoastal Waterway to the southern shore of Masonboro Inlet and a line running from the Intracoastal Waterway Channel marker No. 153 to the southside of the Carolina Beach Inlet was reclassified from Class SA to Class SA ORW.

(f)  The Schedule of Classifications and Water Quality Standards for the Cape Fear River Basin was amended effective January 1, 1990 as follows:  Big Alamance Creek [Index No. 16‑19‑(1)] from source to Lake Mackintosh Dam including all tributaries has been reclassified from Class WS‑III NSW to Class WS‑II NSW.

(g)  The Schedule of Classifications and Water Quality Standards for the Cape Fear 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.

(h)  The Schedule of Classifications and Water Quality Standards for the Cape Fear River Basin was amended effective June 1, 1994 as follows:

(1)           The Black River from its source to the Cape Fear River [Index Nos. 18-68-(0.5), 18-68-(3.5) and 18-65-(11.5)] was reclassified from Classes C Sw and C Sw HQW to Class C Sw ORW.

(2)           The South River from Big Swamp to the Black River [Index Nos. 18-68-12-(0.5) and 18-68-12(11.5)] was reclassified from Classes C Sw and C Sw HQW to Class C Sw ORW.

(3)           Six Runs Creek from Quewhiffle Swamp to the Black River [Index No. 18-68-2] was reclassified from Class C Sw to Class C Sw ORW.

(i)  The Schedule of Classifications and Water Quality Standards for the Cape Fear River Basin was amended effective September 1, 1994 with the reclassification of the Deep River [Index No. 17-(36.5)] from the Town of Gulf-Goldston water supply intake to US highway 421 including associated tributaries from Class C to Classes C, WS-IV and WS-IV CA.

(j)  The Schedule of Classifications and Water Quality Standards for the Cape Fear River Basin was amended effective August 1, 1998 with the revision to the primary classification for portions of the Deep River [Index No. 17-(28.5)] from Class WS-IV to Class WS-V, Deep River [Index No. 17-(41.5)] from Class WS-IV to Class C, and the Cape Fear River [Index 18-(10.5)] from Class WS-IV to Class WS-V.

(k)  The Schedule of Classifications and Water Quality Standards for the Cape Fear River Basin was amended effective April 1, 1999 with the reclassification of Buckhorn Creek (Harris Lake)[Index No. 18-7-(3)] from the backwaters of Harris Lake to the Dam at Harris Lake from Class C to Class WS-V.

(l)  The Schedule of Classifications and Water Quality Standards for the Cape Fear River Basin was amended effective April 1, 1999 with the reclassification of the Deep River [Index No. 17-(4)] from the dam at Oakdale-Cotton Mills, Inc. to the dam at Randleman Reservoir (located 1.6 mile upstream of U.S. Hwy 220 Business), and including tributaries from Class C and Class B to Class WS-IV and Class WS-IV & B.  Streams within the Randleman Reservoir Critical Area have been reclassified to WS-IV CA.  The Critical Area for a WS-IV reservoir is defined as 0.5 mile and draining to the normal pool elevation of the reservoir.  All waters within the Randleman Reservoir Water Supply Watershed are within a designated Critical Water Supply Watershed and are subject to a special management strategy specified in 15A NCAC 02B .0248.

(m)  The Schedule of Classifications and Water Quality Standards for the Cape Fear River Basin was amended effective August 1, 2002 as follows:

(1)           Mill Creek [Index Nos. 18-23-11-(1), 18-23-11-(2), 18-23-11-3, 18-23-11-(5)] from its source to the Little River, including all tributaries was reclassified from Class WS-III NSW and Class WS-III B NSW to Class WS-III NSW HQW@ and Class WS-III B NSW HQW@.

(2)           McDeed's Creek [Index Nos. 18-23-11-4, 18-23-11-4-1] from its source to Mill Creek, including all tributaries was reclassified from Class WS III NSW and Class WS-III B NSW to Class WS-III NSW HQW@ and Class WS-III B NSW HQW@.

The "@" symbol as used in this Paragraph means that if the governing municipality has deemed that a development is covered under a "5/70 provision" as described in Rule 15A NCAC 02B .0215(3)(b)(i)(E) (Fresh Surface Water Quality Standards for Class WS-III Waters), then that development is not subject to the stormwater requirements as described in rule 15A NCAC 02H .1006 (Stormwater Requirements: High Quality Waters).

(n)  The Schedule of Classifications and Water Quality Standards for the Cape Fear River Basin was amended effective November 1, 2004 as follows:

(1)           the portion of Rocky River [Index Number 17-43-(1)] from a point 0.3 mile upstream of Town of Siler City upper reservoir dam to a point 0.3 mile downstream of Lacy Creek from WS-III to WS-III CA.

(2)           the portion of Rocky River [Index Number 17-43-(8)] from dam at lower water supply reservoir for Town of Siler City to a point 65 feet below dam (site of proposed dam) from C to WS-III CA.

(3)           the portion of Mud Lick Creek (Index No. 17-43-6) from a point 0.4 mile upstream of Chatham County SR 1355 to Town of Siler City lower water supply reservoir from WS-III to WS-III CA.

(4)           the portion of Lacy Creek (17-43-7) from a point 0.6 mile downstream of Chatham County SR 1362 to Town of Siler City lower water supply reservoir from WS-III to WS-III CA.

(o)  The Schedule of Classifications and Water Quality Standards for the Cape Fear River Basin was amended effective November 1, 2007 with the reclassifications listed below, and the North Carolina Division of Water Quality maintains a Geographic Information Systems data layer of these UWLs.

(1)           Military Ocean Terminal Sunny Point Pools, all on the eastern shore of the Cape Fear River [Index No. 18-(71)] were reclassified to Class WL UWL as defined in 15A NCAC 02B .0101.

(2)           Salters Lake Bay near Salters Lake [Index No. 18-44-4] was reclassified to Class WL UWL as defined in 15A NCAC 02B .0101.

(3)           Jones Lake Bay near Jones Lake [Index No. 18-46-7-1] was reclassified to Class WL UWL as defined in 15A NCAC 02B .0101.

(4)           Weymouth Woods Sandhill Seep near Mill Creek [18-23-11-(1)] was reclassified to Class WL UWL as defined in 15A NCAC 02B .0101.

(5)           Fly Trap Savanna near Cape Fear River [Index No. 18-(71)] was reclassified to Class WL UWL as defined in 15A NCAC 02B .0101.

(6)           Lily Pond near Cape Fear River [Index No. 18-(71)] was reclassified to Class WL UWL as defined in 15A NCAC 02B .0101.

(7)           Grassy Pond near Cape Fear River [Index No. 18-(71)] was reclassified to Class WL UWL as defined in 15A NCAC 02B .0101.

(8)           The Neck Savanna near Sandy Run Swamp [Index No. 18-74-33-2] was reclassified to Class WL UWL as defined in 15A NCAC 02B .0101.

(9)           Bower's Bog near Mill Creek [Index No. 18-23-11-(1)] was reclassified to Class WL UWL as defined in 15A NCAC 02B .0101.

(10)         Bushy Lake near Turnbull Creek [Index No. 18-46] was reclassified to Class WL UWL as defined in 15A NCAC 02B .0101.

(p)  The Schedule of Classifications and Water Quality Standards for the Cape Fear River Basin was amended effective January 1, 2009 as follows:

(1)           the portion of Cape Fear River [Index No. 18-(26)] (including tributaries) from Smithfield Packing Company's intake, located approximately 2 miles upstream of County Road 1316, to a point 0.5 miles upstream of Smithfield Packing Company's intake from Class C to Class WS-IV CA.

(2)           the portion of Cape Fear River [Index No.18-(26)] (including tributaries) from a point 0.5 miles upstream of Smithfield Packing Company's intake to a point 1 mile upstream of Grays Creek from Class C to Class WS-IV.

(q)  The schedule of Classifications and Water Quality Standards for the Cape Fear River Basin was amended effective August 11, 2009 with the reclassification of all Class C NSW waters and all Class B NSW waters upstream of the dam at B. Everett Jordan Reservoir from Class C NSW and Class B NSW to Class WS-V NSW and Class WS-V & B NSW, respectively.  All waters within the B. Everett Jordan Reservoir Watershed are within a designated Critical Water Supply Watershed and are subject to a special management strategy specified in 15A NCAC 02B .0262 through .0273.

(r)  The Schedule of Classifications and Water Quality Standards for the Cape Fear River Basin was amended effective September 1, 2009 with the reclassification of a portion of the Haw River [Index No. 16-(28.5)] from the Town of Pittsboro water supply intake, which is located approximately 0.15 mile west of U.S. 15/501, to a point 0.5 mile upstream of the Town of Pittsboro water supply intake from Class WS-IV to Class WS-IV CA.

(s) The Schedule of Classifications and Water Quality Standards for the Cape Fear River Basin was amended effective March 1, 2012 with the reclassification of the portion of the Haw River [Index No. 16-(1)] from the City of Greensboro's intake, located approximately 650 feet upstream of Guilford County 2712, to a point 0.5 miles upstream of the intake from Class WS-V NSW to Class WS-IV CA NSW, and the portion of the Haw River [Index No. 16-(1)] from a point 0.5 miles upstream of the intake to a point 0.6 miles downstream of U.S. Route 29 from Class WS-V NSW to Class WS-IV NSW.

 

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

Eff. February 1, 1976;

Amended Eff. March 1, 2012; September 1, 2009; August 11, 2009;  January 1, 2009; November 1, 2007; November 1, 2004; August 1, 2002; April 1, 1999; August 1, 1998; September 1, 1994; June 1, 1994; August 3, 1992; August 1, 1990.