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Basinwide Planning Program :: What is Basinwide Planning?

Basinwide water quality planning is a nonregulatory, watershed-based approach to restoring and protecting the quality of North Carolina's surface waters. Basinwide water quality plans are prepared by the NC Division of Water Quality (DWQ) for each of the 17 major river basins in the state (Figure A-1 and Table A-1). Preparation of a basinwide water quality plan is a five-year process, which is broken down into three phases (Table A-2). While these plans are prepared by the DWQ, their implementation and the protection of water quality entail the coordinated efforts of many agencies, local governments and stakeholder groups in the state. The first cycle of plans was completed in 1998, but each plan is updated at five-year intervals. The plans will soon be updated every two years as plans move to the Online Geographic Document Distribution System.

Figure A-1 Basinwide Planning Schedule (2008 to 2012)

Goals of Basinwide Water Quality Planning

The goals of basinwide planning are to:

Identify water quality problems and restore full use to Impaired waters.
Identify and protect high value resource waters.
Protect unimpaired waters yet allow for reasonable economic growth.

DWQ accomplishes these goals through the following objectives:

Collaborate with other agencies to develop appropriate management strategies.
Assure equitable distribution of waste assimilative capacity.
Better evaluate cumulative effects of pollution.
Improve public awareness and involvement.

Table A-1 Basinwide Planning Schedule for cycles 4 & 5 (2009 to 2014)

Basin	Cycle Number	DWQ Biological Data Collection	Draft Out For Public Review	Final Plan Receives EMC Approval	Begin NPDES Permit Issuance
Chowan	4	Summer 2010	03/2012	07/2012	11/2012
Pasquotank	4	Summer 2010	03/2012	07/2012	12/2012
Neuse	5	Summer 2010	05/2012	09/2012	01/2013
Broad	4	Summer 2010	11/2012	03/2013	07/2013
Yadkin-Pee Dee	4	Summer 2011	03/2013	07/2013	09/2013
Lumber	4	Summer 2006	05/2009	09/2009	07/2009
Tar-Pamlico	4	Summer 2007	09/2009	01/2010	09/2009
Catawba	4	Summer 2007	09/2009	01/2010	12/2009
French Broad	4	Summer 2007	01/2010	05/2010	09/2010
New	4	Summer 2008	06/2010	11/2010	03/2011
Cape Fear	4	Summer 2008	06/2010	11/2010	04/2011
Roanoke	4	Summer 2009	05/2011	09/2011	01/2012
White Oak	4	Summer 2009	11/2011	03/2012	06/2012
Savannah	4	Summer 2009	11/2011	03/2012	08/2012
Watauga	4	Summer 2008	11/2011	03/2012	09/2012
Hiwassee	4	Summer 2009	11/2011	03/2012	08/2012
Little Tennessee	4	Summer 2009	11/2011	03/2012	10/2012

Table A-2 Five-Year Process for Development of an Individual Basinwide Plan

Phase I

Water Quality Data Collection and Identification of Goals and Issues

Identify sampling needs
Conduct biological monitoring activities
Conduct special studies and other water quality sampling activities
Coordinate with local stakeholders and other agencies to continue to implement goals within current basinwide plan

Phase II

Data Analysis and Public Workshops

Gather and analyze data from sampling activities
Develop use support ratings
Conduct special studies and other water quality sampling activities
Develop preliminary pollution control strategies
Coordinate with local stakeholders and other agencies

Phase III

Preparation of Draft Basinwide Plan, Public Review, Approval of Plan, Issue NPDES Permits and Begin Implementation of Plan

Develop draft basinwide plan based on water quality data, use support ratings and recommended pollution control strategies
Circulate draft basinwide plan for review
Revise plan after public review period
Submit plan to Environmental Management Commission (EMC) for approval
Issue NPDES permits
Coordinate with other agencies and local interest groups to prioritize implementation actions
Conduct special studies and other water quality sampling activities

Major Components of the Basinwide Plan

Each basinwide plan is subdivided into four major sections. The format provides general basinwide information, information by each major watershed, and descriptions of water quality protection initiatives.

Basinwide Information

Introduces the basinwide planning approach used by the state.
Provides an overview of the river basin including: hydrology, land use, local government jurisdictions, population and growth trends, natural resources, wastewater discharges, animal operations and water usage.
Presents general water quality information including summaries of water quality monitoring programs and use support ratings in the basin.

Basin (Watershed) Information

Summarizes recommendations from previous basin plan, achievements made, what wasn't achieved and why, current priority issues and concerns, Impaired waters, and goals and recommendations for the next five years by subbasin.

Current and Future Initiatives

Presents current and future water quality initiatives and success stories by federal, state and local agencies, and corporate, citizen and academic efforts.

Appendices

List NPDES dischargers and individual stormwater permits.
Describes water quality data collected by DWQ, use support methodology and 303(d) listing methodology.
Provides workshop summaries, points of contact, and a glossary of terms and acronyms.

Benefits of Basinwide Water Quality Planning

Basinwide planning and management benefits water quality by:

Focusing resources on one river basin at a time.
Using sound ecological planning and fostering comprehensive NPDES permitting by working on a watershed scale.
Ensuring better consistency and equitability by clearly defining the program's long-term goals and approaches regarding permits and water quality improvement strategies.
Fostering public participation to increase involvement and awareness about water quality.
Integrating and coordinating programs and agencies to improve implementation of point and nonpoint source pollution reduction strategies.

How to Get Involved

To assure that basinwide plans are accurately written and effectively implemented, it is important for citizens and local stakeholders to participate in all phases of the planning process. You may contact the basinwide planner responsible for your basin anytime during the plan’s development. Upon request, the basin planner can also present water quality information and basin concerns to local stakeholder groups.

To make the plan more inclusive, DWQ is coordinating with the local Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCD), council of governments, NC Cooperative Extension Service, the county Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and stakeholder groups to develop language and identify water quality concerns throughout the basin. Citizens and local communities can also be involved during the planning process by contacting their county extension service or local SWCD.

During the public comment period, the draft plan is available online and by request for a period of at least 30 days. DWQ welcomes written comments and questions during this phase of the planning process and will incorporate comments and suggestions when appropriate.

Other References

There are several reference documents and websites that provide additional information about basinwide planning and the basin's water quality:

Basinwide Assessment Reports.
Basinwide Water Quality Management Plans.
Supplemental Guide to North Carolina's Basinwide Planning: Support Document for Basinwide Water Quality Plans (January 2007). This document serves as the second edition to A Citizen’s Guide to Water Quality Management in North Carolina (August 2000). It is intended to provide general information about water quality issues in the State of North Carolina. It also provides program descriptions and identifies several best management practices (BMPs) that protect water quality.
Basinwide Wetlands and Riparian Restoration Plans.
NC Division of Water Quality Environmental Sciences Branch website at http://www.esb.enr.state.nc.us/.

For More Information

For more information on the above documents, DWQ activities or contacts, please visit http://h2o.enr.state.nc.us/basinwide/ or call (919) 807-6300 and ask for the basin planner responsible for your basin of interest. Feel free to contact the appropriate Regional Office for additional information (Figure A-2). For general questions about the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, contact the Customer Service Center at 1-877-623-6748.

Last Updated September 15, 2008