North Carolina Water Quality Assessment Report
On This Page
- North Carolina Assessment Summary
- Water Quality by Waterbody Type
- Causes of Impairment
- Probable Sources Contributing to Impairments
- TMDL Alternatives by Cause of Impairment
- Previously 303(d)-Listed Waters Now Attaining All Applicable Water Quality Standards
- Causes of Impairment for 303(d) Listed Waters
- Cumulative TMDLs by Pollutant
- Cumulative Number of TMDLs
Data are also available for these cycles:
2002
2004
2008
2010
2012
2014
Waterbody Changes from Prior Cycle
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Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Summary Results
North Carolina (2006)
Description of this tableSize of Water | |||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rivers and Streams (Miles) |
Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds (Acres) |
Bays and Estuaries (Square Miles) |
Coastal Shoreline (Miles) |
Wetlands (Acres) |
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Good Waters | 3,502.0 | 48,690.9 | 632,055.7 | ||||||||||||
Previously impaired waters now attaining all uses |
2,593.3 | 29,990.1 | 31.8 | 18,658.4 | |||||||||||
Threatened Waters | |||||||||||||||
TMDL completed | |||||||||||||||
TMDL alternative | |||||||||||||||
Non-pollutant impairment | |||||||||||||||
TMDL needed | |||||||||||||||
Impaired Waters | 3,577.6 | 58,389.2 | .0 | 321.9 | 110,000.5 | ||||||||||
TMDL completed | |||||||||||||||
TMDL alternative | |||||||||||||||
Non-pollutant impairment | |||||||||||||||
TMDL needed | 3,577.6 | 58,389.2 | .0 | 321.9 | 110,000.5 | ||||||||||
New TMDLs completed | 103.9 | 7,535.5 | .0 | .0 | 3,005.4 | ||||||||||
Remaining TMDLs needed | 3,473.6 | 50,853.6 | .0 | 321.9 | 106,995.1 | ||||||||||
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Total Assessed Waters | 7,079.6 | 107,080.1 | .0 | 321.9 | 742,056.2 | ||||||||||
Total Waters | 37,662.0 | 311,236.0 | 3,121.0 | Unavailable | 7,175,000.0 | ||||||||||
Percent of Waters Assessed | 18.8 | 34.4 | .0 | Unavailable | 10.3 |
Summary of Water Quality Assessments for Each Waterbody Type
for Reporting Year 2006
Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results
North Carolina Rivers and Streams 2006
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Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results
Individual Designated Use Support
North Carolina Rivers and Streams 2006
* Waters assessed for more than one designated use are included in multiple designated use groups below.
Description of this tableDesignated Use | Miles Assessed | Percent Good | Percent Threatened | Percent Impaired | ![]() |
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Overall Use | 7,079.6 | 49.5 | .0 | 50.5 | ![]() ![]() |
Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results
Causes of Impairment
North Carolina Rivers and Streams 2006
Description of this table
Cause of Impairment | Cause of Impairment Group | Miles Threatened or Impaired |
---|---|---|
Biological Integrity | Cause Unknown - Impaired Biota | ![]() |
Mercury in Fish Tissue | Mercury | ![]() |
Dissolved Oxygen | Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion | ![]() |
Turbidity | Turbidity | ![]() |
pH | pH/Acidity/Caustic Conditions | ![]() |
Fecal Coliform | Pathogens | ![]() |
Nutrients | Nutrients | ![]() |
Copper | Metals (other than Mercury) | ![]() |
Chlorophyll-A | Algal Growth | ![]() |
Toxicity | Total Toxics | ![]() |
Organic Enrichment (Sewage) Biological Indicators | Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion | ![]() |
Aquatic Plants - Native | Nuisance Native Species | ![]() |
Lindane | Pesticides | ![]() |
Dioxin (Including 2,3,7,8-TCDD) | Dioxins | ![]() |
Chlorine | Chlorine | ![]() |
Iron | Metals (other than Mercury) | ![]() |
Zinc | Metals (other than Mercury) | ![]() |
Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results
Probable Sources
North Carolina Rivers and Streams 2006
No probable sources of impairments reported.
Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results
North Carolina Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds 2006
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Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results
Individual Designated Use Support
North Carolina Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds 2006
* Waters assessed for more than one designated use are included in multiple designated use groups below.
Description of this tableDesignated Use | Acres Assessed | Percent Good | Percent Threatened | Percent Impaired | ![]() |
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Overall Use | 107,080.1 | 45.5 | .0 | 54.5 | ![]() ![]() |
Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results
Causes of Impairment
North Carolina Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds 2006
Description of this table
Cause of Impairment | Cause of Impairment Group | Acres Threatened or Impaired |
---|---|---|
Mercury in Fish Tissue | Mercury | ![]() |
Chlorophyll-A | Algal Growth | ![]() |
Turbidity | Turbidity | ![]() |
Aquatic Plants - Native | Nuisance Native Species | ![]() |
pH | pH/Acidity/Caustic Conditions | ![]() |
Dioxin (Including 2,3,7,8-TCDD) | Dioxins | ![]() |
Biological Integrity | Cause Unknown - Impaired Biota | ![]() |
Nutrients | Nutrients | ![]() |
Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results
Probable Sources
North Carolina Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds 2006
No probable sources of impairments reported.
Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results
North Carolina Bays and Estuaries 2006
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Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results
Individual Designated Use Support
North Carolina Bays and Estuaries 2006
No designated uses reported.
Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results
Causes of Impairment
North Carolina Bays and Estuaries 2006
No causes of impairment reported.
Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results
Probable Sources
North Carolina Bays and Estuaries 2006
No probable sources of impairments reported.
Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results
North Carolina Coastal Shoreline 2006
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Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results
Individual Designated Use Support
North Carolina Coastal Shoreline 2006
* Waters assessed for more than one designated use are included in multiple designated use groups below.
Description of this tableDesignated Use | Miles Assessed | Percent Good | Percent Threatened | Percent Impaired | ![]() |
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Overall Use | 321.9 | .0 | .0 | 100.0 | ![]() |
Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results
Causes of Impairment
North Carolina Coastal Shoreline 2006
Description of this table
Cause of Impairment | Cause of Impairment Group | Miles Threatened or Impaired |
---|---|---|
Mercury in Fish Tissue | Mercury | ![]() |
Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results
Probable Sources
North Carolina Coastal Shoreline 2006
No probable sources of impairments reported.
Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results
North Carolina Wetlands 2006
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Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results
Individual Designated Use Support
North Carolina Wetlands 2006
* Waters assessed for more than one designated use are included in multiple designated use groups below.
Description of this tableDesignated Use | Acres Assessed | Percent Good | Percent Threatened | Percent Impaired | ![]() |
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Overall Use | 742,056.2 | 85.2 | .0 | 14.8 | ![]() ![]() |
Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results
Causes of Impairment
North Carolina Wetlands 2006
Description of this table
Cause of Impairment | Cause of Impairment Group | Acres Threatened or Impaired |
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Fecal Coliform | Pathogens | ![]() |
Dissolved Oxygen | Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion | ![]() |
pH | pH/Acidity/Caustic Conditions | ![]() |
Chlorophyll-A | Algal Growth | ![]() |
Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results
Probable Sources
North Carolina Wetlands 2006
No probable sources of impairments reported.
North Carolina Causes of Impairment for Reporting Year 2006
Description of this table
NOTE: Click on the underlined Cause of Impairment Group to see a list of specific state causes of impairment making up the Cause of Impairment Group. See also Pollution categories summary document (PDF) (20 pp, 557 K, About PDF) for brief, non-technical descriptions of general cause categories. | |||||||||||||||
Cause of Impairment Group | Size of Assessed Waters with Listed Causes of Impairment | ||||||||||||||
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Rivers and Streams (Miles) |
Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds (Acres) |
Bays and Estuaries (Square Miles) |
Coastal Shoreline (Miles) |
Wetlands (Acres) |
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Algal Growth | 24.7 | 16,402.7 | 2,654.0 | ||||||||||||
Cause Unknown - Impaired Biota | 1,668.5 | 905.7 | |||||||||||||
Chlorine | 4.4 | ||||||||||||||
Dioxins | 6.4 | 1,475.5 | |||||||||||||
Mercury | 520.0 | 29,113.2 | 321.9 | ||||||||||||
Metals (other than Mercury) | 27.4 | ||||||||||||||
Nuisance Native Species | 6.9 | 5,140.6 | |||||||||||||
Nutrients | 34.1 | 75.3 | |||||||||||||
Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion | 305.8 | 7,174.6 | |||||||||||||
Pathogens | 151.1 | .0 | 54,394.8 | ||||||||||||
Pesticides | 6.6 | ||||||||||||||
pH/Acidity/Caustic Conditions | 175.2 | 3,494.0 | 6,360.4 | ||||||||||||
Total Toxics | 17.9 | ||||||||||||||
Turbidity | 282.5 | 10,449.7 |
North Carolina Probable Sources Contributing to Impairments
for Reporting Year 2006
No probable sources reported.
North Carolina TMDL Alternatives by Cause of Impairment 2006
No TMDL Alternatives reported.
North Carolina Previously 303(d)-Listed Waters Now Attaining All Applicable Water Quality Standards
Description of this tableNOTE: Click on the underlined "Number of Waters Attaining" value for a detailed list of those previously 303(d)-listed waters now attaining all applicable water quality standards. | ||
Year Attaining | Number of Waters Attaining | Number of Causes of Impairment Addressed |
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2007 | ![]() |
72 |
2010 | ![]() |
70 |
2013 | ![]() |
75 |
2014 | ![]() |
157 |
2015 | ![]() |
3 |
North Carolina Causes of Impairment for 303(d) Listed Waters
Description of this tableNOTE: Click on a cause of impairment (e.g. pathogens) to see the specific state-reported causes that are grouped to make up this category. Click on the "Number of Causes of Impairment Reported" to see a list of waters with that cause of impairment. | |
Cause of Impairment Group Name | Number of Causes of Impairment Reported |
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Pathogens | ![]() |
Cause Unknown - Impaired Biota | ![]() |
Mercury | ![]() |
Turbidity | ![]() |
Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion | ![]() |
pH/Acidity/Caustic Conditions | ![]() |
Algal Growth | ![]() |
Noxious Aquatic Plants | ![]() |
Metals (other than Mercury) | ![]() |
Nutrients | ![]() |
Dioxins | ![]() |
Total Toxics | ![]() |
Chlorine | ![]() |
Total: 969 Causes of Impairment
North Carolina Cumulative TMDLs by Pollutant
This chart includes TMDLs since October 1, 1995.
Description of this tableNOTE: Click on the underlined "Pollutant" value to see associated listed waters for which a TMDL was developed. Click on the underlined "Number of TMDLs" value to see a listing of those TMDLs for the pollutant. | ||
Pollutant | Number of TMDLs | Number of Causes of Impairment Addressed |
---|---|---|
Mercury | ![]() |
13,215 |
Fecal Coliform | ![]() |
124 |
Total Suspended Solids (TSS) | ![]() |
17 |
Nitrogen, Total | ![]() |
16 |
Fecal | ![]() |
15 |
Phosphorus, Total | ![]() |
15 |
Chlorophyll-A | ![]() |
7 |
Dissolved Oxygen | ![]() |
7 |
Aquatic Weeds | ![]() |
5 |
Dioxin | ![]() |
5 |
Turbidity | ![]() |
5 |
pH | ![]() |
5 |
Biological Integrity | ![]() |
4 |
Pollutants in Urban Stormwater | ![]() |
3 |
Alkalinity | ![]() |
2 |
Nitrogen | ![]() |
2 |
Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) | ![]() |
1 |
Copper | ![]() |
1 |
Total: 13,449 TMDLs; 13,449 Causes of Impairment Addressed
North Carolina Cumulative Number of TMDLs
EPA Fiscal Year starts October 1 and ends September 30.
Description of this table
NOTE: Click on the underlined "Number of TMDLs Completed" value for a detailed list of the TMDLs for the fiscal year. | ||
Fiscal Year | Number of TMDLs | Number of Causes of Impairment Addressed |
---|---|---|
1996 | ![]() |
14 |
1997 | ![]() |
5 |
1999 | ![]() |
2 |
2000 | ![]() |
35 |
2002 | ![]() |
15 |
2003 | ![]() |
7 |
2004 | ![]() |
16 |
2005 | ![]() |
14 |
2006 | ![]() |
7 |
2007 | ![]() |
24 |
2008 | ![]() |
1 |
2009 | ![]() |
20 |
2010 | ![]() |
32 |
2011 | ![]() |
28 |
2012 | ![]() |
21 |
2013 | ![]() |
13,192 |
2014 | ![]() |
10 |
2016 | ![]() |
6 |
Total: 13,449 TMDLs; 13,449 Causes of Impairment Addressed