Chowan River Basin Water Resources Plan

North Carolina's First Nutrient-Sensitive Waters

Department of Environmental Quality - Division of Water Resources

Chowan River Basin Counties and Municipalities.
Chowan River Basin 2016 Land Cover.

Watershed Explorer

The following map tour is designed to be used as a reference while reading the watershed sections of the Chowan River Basin Water Resources Plan. Please refer to the Plan while navigating the map to learn more about each watershed. Continue scrolling down to learn more by click on a side panel or on a teal color point on the map.

Fontaine Creek Watershed

Potecasi Creek Watershed

Tarrara Creek - Meherrin River Watershed

Blackwater and Nottoway Subbasin Rivers

Somerton Creek Watershed

Sarem Creek-Chowan River Watershed

Ahoskie Creek Watershed

Wiccacon River Watershed

Bennetts Creek Watershed

Holiday Island-Chowan River Watershed

Chowan River Watershed

Fontaine Creek Watershed

This watershed drains approximately 48 square miles of the northwestern portion of Northampton County. The watershed drains north into Virginia which eventually flows back into the Meherrin River on the Virginia side. Beaverpond Creek and Jacks Swamp are the main waterbodies on the North Carolina side of the border. The land cover in this watershed is primary forest (46.2%) and agriculture (27.9%). Currently, there are no NPDES permitted wastewater dischargers, non-discharge permitted facilities, ambient monitoring stations or benthic monitoring sites in this watershed. There are three permitted animal operations and five land application of residuals fields in the watershed.

Potecasi Creek Watershed

The Potecasi Creek watershed is located in southeastern Northampton County and central Hertford County. Potecasi Creek in the primary stream flowing through this watershed. This watershed drains approximately 258 square miles of primarily forest (39.3%) and agriculture (32.3%) land cover. There are no wastewater dischargers and the area is less than five percent (4.4%) developed. This watershed includes the municipality of Rich Square, Lasker, Woodland and the southern portion of Conway. There are no NPDES permitted wastewater dischargers in the watershed. Currently, there is one ambient monitoring station and three benthic macroinvertebrate monitoring sites. There is one fish community station, but the index of biological integrity (IBI) is undergoing revisions in the Chowan. There are three permitted non-discharge facilities and 16 permitted animal operations in the watershed. Two RAMS stations were established in this watershed between 2009 – 2010 and 2013 – 2014 in Wiccacanee Swamp and Potecasi Creek, respectively. No water quality standards were violated in either of these streams.

Tarrara Creek - Meherrin River Watershed

The Tarrara Creek-Meherrin River watershed drains approximately 192 square miles of land in the northern portions of Northampton and Hertford Counties. The land cover is primarily forest (32.1%) and agriculture (35.9%). The major municipalities included in this drainage area are Seaboard, Severn, Murfreesboro and the southern portions of Conway and Como. There are no NPDES permitted wastewater dischargers in the watershed. There is one ambient monitoring station. Two benthic macroinvertebrate monitoring sites for basinwide assessment and two special study sites in the watershed. There are five non-discharge permitted facilities, three permitted animal operations and 14 land application of residuals fields in the watershed.

Blackwater and Nottoway Subbasin Rivers

Kingsale Swamp-Blackwater River

Kingsale Swamp-Blackwater River watershed is considered part of the Blackwater Subbasin which drains a portion of Virginia containing the Blackwater River. There is one ambient monitoring station in this watershed. The lower Blackwater River is impaired by VA DEQ for Fish Consumption Use based on a Virginia Department of Health fish consumption advisory (issued 10/29/03; modified 7/27/05 and 8/31/07) due to Mercury contaminant found in fish tissue. The fish consumption advisory includes all tributaries of the Blackwater River. The Blackwater River was also impaired for dissolved oxygen although Virginia is requesting to formally reclassify the Middle, Lower-Middle, and Lower portions of the Blackwater River to Class VII Swamp Water during the next triennial review of Virginia’s Water Quality Standards. It was determined all six Blackwater segments are impaired due to natural conditions and were moved to category 4C based on EPA approval letter dated April 8, 2010 (VADEQ, 2019).

Mill Creek - Nottoway River

Mill Creek-Nottoway River watershed is considered part of the Nottoway Subbasin which drains a portion of Virginia containing the Nottoway River. There is one ambient monitoring station in this watershed located in Virginia. The Upper, lower-middle, and lower portions of the Nottoway River is also impaired by Virginia DEQ for Fish Consumption Use based on a Virginia Department of Health fish consumption advisory due to Mercury contaminant found in fish tissue. The upper Nottoway River is impaired for recreation use based on Escherichia coli (E. coli) data. The Lower portion of Nottoway River is impaired for aquatic life due to low dissolved oxygen levels (VADEQ, 2019).

Somerton Creek Watershed

Somerton Creek watershed encompasses approximately 30 square miles and has the greatest percentage of forest (55.5%) land and relatively low agriculture (18.5%) land compared to the rest of the Chowan River watersheds. Somerton Creek originates in Virginia and drains to the Chowan River near the VA/NC boarder. There are no NPDES permitted wastewater dischargers, animal operations, ambient monitoring stations, or benthic monitoring sites in this watershed. There are four land application of residual solids fields, but those field have never been used. Part of the Chowan Swamp Game Land borders Somerton Creek near the confluence with the Chowan River. The VA portion of Somerton Creek is impaired for aquatic life use based on benthic macroinvertebrate bioassessments data and for recreation use based on E. Coli data. A previous dissolved oxygen impairment in the VA portion of Somerton Creek was delisted based off a natural conditions report confirming the dissolved oxygen impairment is due to natural causes rather than anthropogenic (VADEQ, 2006).

Sarem Creek-Chowan River Watershed

The Sarem Creek – Chowan River watershed drains approximately 152 square miles of primarily forest (37.2%) and wetland (32.2%) land cover in North Carolina. This watershed is where the Nottoway and Blackwater Rivers from Virginia meet to form the Chowan River in North Carolina. It includes the municipalities of Winton, portions of Como, and Cofield. There is two NPDES permitted wastewater dischargers in the watershed. There are two ambient monitoring stations and three benthic monitoring sites in the watershed. There are three permitted animal operations and one non-discharge permitted facility in the watershed. There are also four land application of residual solids fields in the watershed, but those fields have never been used.

Ahoskie Creek Watershed

Ahoskie Creek watershed drains approximately 170 square miles of primarily forest (43.0%) land and has the largest percentage of developed (5.5%) land of the Chowan River basin watersheds. This watershed includes the municipalities of Ahoskie, Aulander, and Powellsville. There is one NPDES permitted wastewater discharger in the watershed. There are no ambient monitoring stations. There are two benthic monitoring sites which were last sampled in 2005 in the watershed. There is one fish community station, but the IBI is undergoing revisions in the Chowan. There are three permitted animal operations, three non-discharge facilities, and four land application of residual solids field in the watershed.

Wiccacon River Watershed

The Wiccacon River watershed drains approximately 106 square miles of primarily forest (40.3%) and agriculture (31.7%) land cover. This watershed includes the municipalities of Colerain and the southern portion of Cofield. There are no NPDES permitted wastewater dischargers in the watershed. There are no ambient stations and one benthic monitoring sites in the watershed. There is one permitted animal operation and one non-discharge permitted facility in the watershed. There is one fish community station, but the IBI is undergoing revisions in the Chowan.

Bennetts Creek Watershed

Bennetts Creek watershed drains approximately 107 square miles of primarily forest (37.5%) and wetland (25.0%) areas with agricultural (27.2%) areas boarding most of the headwaters and swamps in the upper region of the watershed. This watershed includes the small municipality of Gatesville. There are two small public school NPDES permitted wastewater dischargers and one industrial process and commercial wastewater discharger in the watershed. There are no ambient, one benthic and three lake monitoring locations in the watershed. There are four permitted animal operations and one non-discharge permitted facility in the watershed. There are two land application of residuals fields, but those fields have never been used.

Holiday Island-Chowan River Watershed

The mainstem of the Chowan River flows through this watershed receiving streamflow from the Wiccacon River, Bennetts Creek, and Indian Creek. This watershed drains approximately 120 square miles of primarily agriculture (38.4%) land. This watershed has the highest percentage of agricultural land of all the Chowan River basin watersheds. This watershed has no NPDES permitted wastewater dischargers and one non-discharge permitted facility. There are two ambient monitoring stations and no benthic sites in the watershed. There are six permitted animal operations in the watershed. Stevens Towing - Riverbulk Terminal WWTF (WQ0040672) was recently issued a NPDES non-discharge permit in May of 2020.

Chowan River Watershed

The Chowan River, from the historic subbasin 03-01-03/03-01-04 boundary to the mouth of the river is deified by a line extending in a southerly direction from Reedy Point on the north shore to Albemarle Sound to a point of land on the south side of the mouth of Black Walnut Swamp. This section of the Chowan River receives drainage from major portions of Northampton, Hertford, Gates, Chowan, and Bertie counties within North Carolina. This section of the Chowan River also experienced severe algal blooms since 2015 with relatively high chlorophyll a concentrations, that exceeded the 40 µg/L standard. Visit the Algal Bloom Map to view where the blooms have been observed.

Benthic macroinvertebrate sampling in 2015 resulted in a lowest EPT since 2000 and was substantially lower than 2010. A low EPT possible indicates higher pollution. The presence of many estuarine or freshwater-tolerant crustaceans indicates frequent saltwater intrusions into this area of the river which may also inhibit some obligate freshwater taxa. At the time of sampling a large Anabaena cyanobacterial bloom was underway. Given the provisional status of criteria for Coastal B rivers, this site was assigned a Not Rated bioclassification. However, for purposes of inter-year comparison, the 2010 would have received a Good bioclassification and the 2015 sampling would have received a Good-Fair bioclassification. This represents an overall decline in the system. This site has oscillated between Good-Fair and Good since the site was first sampled in 1983. The 2018 IR reports that the water quality in the Chowan River at ambient monitoring station D9490000 is Meeting Criteria with the exception of iron and chlorophyll a which are Data Inconclusive. The biological community at station DB14 is also Data Inconclusive. There is an impairment for mercury in fish tissue.

Water Quality Initiatives and Funding

The future of our rivers, streams, wetlands and estuaries are closely linked to land use decisions made on both a public and private scale with private landowners playing a major role in protecting waters of the state through conservation and various land use management practices. This chapter explores various options for protecting natural resources and includes general information as it relates to local, regional and state initiatives along with planning resources and funding opportunities.

Albemarle Resource Conservation and Development Council, Inc.

https://www.albemarlercd.org/

The  Albemarle Resource Conservation and Development Council, Inc. (ARCD)  is a 501c3 non-profit organization that assists local governments and community groups in northeast NC with projects that protect land and water resources while promoting economic development. For more than 40 years, ARCD and Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs) have collaborated on projects to improve drainage and protect water quality.

Chowan-Edenton Environmental Group

https://www.chowanedentonenvironmentalgroup.org/

The  Chowan-Edenton Environmental Group (CEEG)  is a local non-profit group of citizens working together to address environmental matters and to educate residents of Chowan County on how to be good stewards of the Earth. The CEEG's mission since 2007 is to encourage discussion related to community and regional environmental issues, to provide expertise and current research pertaining to critical environmental concerns, and to support actions that serve to reduce or correct local environmental problems. 

Green $aves Green

https://www.albemarlercd.org/green-aves-green-group.html

 Green $aves Green  is a non-partisan, non-profit, all-volunteer, local environmental action group. It believes that the Albemarle Region is uniquely positioned to be the model “Green Region” of the state. Its projects are designed to build community support for renewable energy, conservation, and environmental protection. Green $aves Green is currently collaborating with the ARCD to monitor water quality in the region

Regional Councils of Governments

https://albemarlecommission.org/, http://www.mideastcom.org/, https://www.ncregions.org/regional-councils/

Regional councils of governments (COG) are multi-county planning and development agencies serving different areas of the state. Membership in these councils is voluntary. In North Carolina, 17 councils serve regions that share similar economic, physical and social characteristics. Their function is to aid, assist and improve the capabilities of local governments in administration, planning, fiscal management and development. 

The  Albemarle Commission  (Region R) serves Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Gates, Hyde, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Tyrrell and Washington counties. The  Mid-East Commission  (Region Q) serves Bertie, Beaufort, Hertford, Martin and Pitt counties. The Upper Coastal Plain (Region L) serves Edgecombe, Halifax, Nash, Northampton, and Wilson. More information about the COGs serving counties in the Chowan River basin can be found on either the  North Carolina Association of Regional Councils of Governments  (NCARCOG) website or on each COGs’ respective website.

Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Partnership

https://apnep.nc.gov/

 Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Partnership (APNEP)  works with multiple partners to understand water resource concerns in the region and participates on outreach efforts to educate local leaders and the general public about coastal watershed and estuarine issues. APNEP’s efforts are guided by its Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP), developed in collaboration with regional partners and stakeholders. 

North Carolina Coastal Land Trust

https://coastallandtrust.org/

The North Carolina Coastal Land Trust is a non-profit organization formed in 1992 to help protect locally and regionally valuable natural areas. Since its inception, the Coastal Land Trust has protected over 40,000 acres of barrier island beaches, riparian corridors, and other special natural areas. Jubilee Farm in Chowan County placed their property under a conservation agreement in 2001. Rayburn Farm in Perquimans County transferred a conservation easement to the NC Coastal Land Trust in 2002. In August 2017, the Coastal Land Trust purchased 1,000 acres in Bertie County along 3.5 miles of Salmon Creek that was recognized as ecologically significant by the North Carolina Natural Heritage Program (NHP). Before the Coastal Land Trust bought the land, it was permitted for multi-unit development and a marina. The land was given to the State of North Carolina in December 2018 to create the Salmon Creek State Natural Area. More information about the NC Coastal Land Trust can be found on their  website .

Water Education Programs

https://deq.nc.gov/node/83112/

Stream Watch

The program encourages neighbors, civic groups and businesses to adopt a local stream, keep an eye out for any problems that might occur, and work together to ensure that the stream is healthy and able to support wildlife habitat, recreation and other uses.

It’s Our Water

It’s Our Water is a complete curriculum divided into five modules. Each module begins with a short video that presents a water quality topic, reviews scientific principles, shows real-life examples of current water issues, and introduces students to various professions related to water. Classroom demonstrations, discussions, homework, quizzes, and hands-on activities reinforce major concepts and prepare students for field investigation. Students develop an understanding of how these water resource issues affect them directly by investigating the stream nearest their school. The skills and knowledge required in each module build on earlier modules. Students will work towards completing a final project that examines the status of the water quality in their stream and offers recommendations for managing the stream

Project WET

Project WET aims to engage children, parents, teachers and members of the community in water resources education by advocating awareness of water and community involvement in water-related issues. This program achieves this by facilitating training workshops and community events that bring together science, social studies and health education topics. The end result of these community level engagement efforts is a connected network of citizens, professionals and scientists. 

Watershed Wisdom

 Watershed Wisdom  is a UNC-TV science-based curriculum, geared toward 4th and 5th grade but useable for all ages. It combines hands-on projects and interactive components to provide a robust, blended lesson that introduces the value of water and maintaining healthy watershed ecosystems. Watershed Wisdom was developed in partnership with North Carolina Sea Grant, Project Wet, North Carolina Watershed Stewardship Network ( WSN ), and North Carolina Resources Institute (PBS Learning Media and UNC TV, 2020).

Division of Marine Fisheries

http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf/dmf-offices

The North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) website states DMF is responsible for the stewardship of the state's marine and estuarine resources. DMF's jurisdiction encompasses all coastal waters and extends to three miles offshore. Agency policies are established by the 9-member Marine Fisheries Commission and the Secretary of the Department of Environmental Quality. North Carolina is a member of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council and the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council. DMF is comprised of nine sections that collectively carry out this mandate.

  • Fisheries Management
  • Marine Patrol
  • Habitat and Enhancement
  • Shellfish Sanitation and Recreational Water Quality Program
  • License and Statistics

Division of Coastal Management

https://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/coastal-management/about-coastal-management/cama-counties

The  Division of Coastal Management’s  (DCM) website states that DCM “works to protect, conserve and manage North Carolina's coastal resources through an integrated program of planning, permitting, education and research. DCM carries out the state's Coastal Area Management Act, the Dredge and Fill Law and the federal Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 in the 20 coastal counties, using rules and policies of the N.C. Coastal Resources Commission.

DCM also collects, hosts and analyzes data for oceanfront construction setback and erosion rates ( link ) and wetlands conservation and restoration ( link ) to assess the impacts of coastal development. DCM also provides links to tools for stormwater management, environmental justice and social vulnerability indicators, statewide flooding, coastal flooding ( link ), community assessments, planning and engagement ( link ), and shoreline management ( link ). 

Grants and Funding Opportunities

DWR’s Use Restoration Watershed (URW) Program was established to help restore the beneficial uses of impaired waters of the state while also ensuring that protective measures are in place to prevent future degradation. Several guidance documents are available online, including factsheets about watershed planning and how to develop a watershed plan. The program also has a list of financial resources available through federal, state and private entities. Examples of financial resources include:

Resources

Division of Water Resources - Water Planning Section:

  1. Forest Shepherd (forest.shepherd@ncdenr.gov) Basin Planning Branch (Chowan, Pasquotank, Roanoke River Basins) 919-707-9042

Historical Chowan River Basin Plan

https://www.albemarlercd.org/

https://www.chowanedentonenvironmentalgroup.org/

https://www.albemarlercd.org/green-aves-green-group.html

https://apnep.nc.gov/

https://coastallandtrust.org/

https://deq.nc.gov/node/83112/

http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf/dmf-offices

https://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/coastal-management/about-coastal-management/cama-counties