Water Quality and Quantity
Water Quality and Quantity – impacts from increased soil erosion and stormwater runoff and the resulting impacts on fish and other aquatic organisms;
o In steep slope areas, impervious surfaces within the development tract should be limited to no more than 10 percent of the total project area and designers should avoid placing impervious areas on steep portions of the tract (WQ-1).Â
o At least 50 percent of the entire steep slope development tract should be preserved as forestland; areas within individual parcels and streamside protection areas can be included in this percentage (WQ-2).
o In steep slope areas, Streamside Protection Areas should be established on all perennial streams, intermittent streams and wetlands. Protection Area width should be based on the slope of the adjacent land (WQ-4).Â
o The State should provide additional resources to the NC Land Quality Section for additional staff in the Asheville Regional Office to increase inspections of land disturbing sites under the state’s jurisdiction (WQ-10). Local governments should consider adopting their own local erosion and sedimentation control programs (WQ-11).
o State and local governments should require all steep slope developments to submit comprehensive storm water management plans (WQ-16)
o Land-disturbing activities can greatly change the overall health of a streamwatershed, from removing streamside vegetation to increasing stormwater runoff, water temperature, sedimentation, and erosion. Given the importance of our headwater streams and the important economic and ecological roles that riparian vegetation plays in protecting those streams, we must ensure appropriate development designs and the use of best management practices to provide necessary protection.
o In steep slope areas, impervious surfaces within the development tract should be limited to no more than 10 percent of the total project area and designers should avoid placing impervious areas on steep portions of the tract (WQ-1).Â
o At least 50 percent of the entire steep slope development tract should be preserved as forestland; areas within individual parcels and streamside protection areas can be included in this percentage (WQ-2).
o In steep slope areas, Streamside Protection Areas should be established on all perennial streams, intermittent streams and wetlands. Protection Area width should be based on the slope of the adjacent land (WQ-4).Â
o The State should provide additional resources to the NC Land Quality Section for additional staff in the Asheville Regional Office to increase inspections of land disturbing sites under the state’s jurisdiction (WQ-10). Local governments should consider adopting their own local erosion and sedimentation control programs (WQ-11).
o State and local governments should require all steep slope developments to submit comprehensive storm water management plans (WQ-16)