15A N.C. Admin. Code 02B .0305 - WATAUGA RIVER BASIN

(a) Classifications assigned to the waters within the Watauga River Basin are set forth in the Watauga River Basin Classification Schedule, which may be inspected at the following places:

(1) the Internet at https://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/water-resources/water-planning/classification-standards/river-basin-classification and

(2) the following offices of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality:

(A) Asheville Regional Office

2090 US Highway 70

Swannanoa, NC 28711-8211;

(B) Winston-Salem Regional Office

450 West Hanes Mill Road, Suite 300

Winston-Salem, NC 27105; and

(C) Division of Water Resources

Central Office

512 North Salisbury Street

Raleigh, NC 27604.

(b) Unnamed streams entering the State of Tennessee are classified "C."

(c) The Watauga River Basin Classification Schedule was amended effective:

(1) August 12, 1979;

(2) February 1, 1986;

(3) October 1, 1987;

(4) August 1, 1989;

(5) August 1, 1990;

(6) December 1, 1990;

(7) April 1, 1992;

(8) August 3, 1992;

(9) February 1, 1993;

(10) April 1, 1994;

(11) August 1, 1998;

(12) November 1, 2007; and

(13) September 1, 2023.

(d) The Watauga River Basin Classification Schedule was amended effective July 1, 1989, as follows:

(1) Dutch Creek Index No. 8-11 was reclassified from Class C-trout to Class B-trout.

(2) Pond Creek Index No. 8-20-2 from water supply intake located just above Tamarack Road to Beech Creek and tributary waters were reclassified from Class WS-III to C.

(e) The Watauga River Basin Classification Schedule was amended effective December 1, 1990, with the reclassification of the Watauga River from the US Highway 321 bridge to the North Carolina/Tennessee state line from Class C to Class B.

(f) The Watauga River Basin Classification Schedule was amended effective April 1, 1992, with the reclassification of Pond Creek from Classes WS-III and C to Classes WS-III Trout and C Trout.

(g) The Watauga River Basin Classification Schedule was amended effective August 3, 1992, as follows:

(1) Class WS-I, WS-II or WS-III 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 through 02B .0300, which became effective on August 3, 1992.

(2) Additional waters classified as Class C were reclassified to a WS classification and additional waters classified as Class B were reclassified to a Class WS & B classification due to proximity and linkage to water supply waters.

(3) Additional Class WS-I, WS-II, or WS-III waters were reclassified to remove the WS classification after being identified as downstream of a water supply intake or identified as not being used for water supply purposes.

(h) The Watauga River Basin Classification Schedule was amended effective February 1, 1993, with the reclassification of Boone Fork Index No. 8-7 and tributary waters from Classes C Tr HQW and C HQW to Classes C Tr ORW and C ORW.

(i) The Watauga River Basin Classification Schedule was amended effective April 1, 1994, with the reclassification of the Elk River from Peavine Branch to the North Carolina/Tennessee state line Index No. 8-22-(3) from Class C Tr to Class B Tr.

(j) The Watauga River Basin Classification Schedule was amended effective August 1, 1998, with the reclassification of East Fork Pond Creek from its source to the backwater of Santis Lake, Index No. 8-20-2-1.5 from Class WS-II Tr to Class WS-III Tr; the reclassification of West Fork Pond Creek (Santis Lake) Index No. 8-20-2-1-(2) from the backwaters of Santis Lake to Pond Creek from WS-II Tr CA to WS-III Tr CA; and the reclassification of the connecting stream of Lake Coffey Index No. 8-20-2-2 from the dam at Lake Coffey to Pond Creek from WS-II Tr CA to C Tr.

(k) The Watauga River Basin Classification Schedule was amended effective November 1, 2007, with the reclassification of the Beech Creek Bog near Beech Creek Index No. 8-20 to Class WL UWL. The North Carolina Division of Water Resources maintains a Geographic Information Systems data layer of the UWL.

(l) The Watauga River Basin Classification Schedule was amended effective September 1, 2023, with the reclassification of the following waterbodies:

(1) Green Ridge Branch Index No. 8-3 and tributary waters from the source to Watauga River from Class C to Class C ORW;

(2) Harrison Branch Index No. 8-10-1 and tributary waters from the source to Laurel Fork from Class C to Class C ORW;

(3) The portion of Upper Laurel Fork Index No. 8-10-3 and tributary waters from source to SR103 from Class C to Class C ORW;

(4) The portion of Dutch Creek Index No. 8-12-(0.5) and tributary waters from source to Pigeonroost Creek from Class B Tr to Class B Tr ORW;

(5) Craborchard Creek Index No. 8-12-3 and tributary waters from source to Dutch Creek from Class C Tr to Class C Tr HQW;

(6) The portion of South Fork Ellison Branch Index No. 8-15-1-2 and tributary waters from source to U.S. 421 from Class C to Class C ORW;

(7) Laurel Creek Index No. 8-17 and tributary waters from source to Watauga River from Class C Tr to Class C Tr ORW, including Worley Creek Index No. 8-17-1 from source to Laurel Creek from Class C Tr to Class Tr ORW and Spice Branch (Creek) Index No. 8-17-2 from source to Laurel Creek from Class C to Class C ORW;

(8) The portion of Little Beaverdam Creek Index No. 8-19-2 and tributary waters from source to Fork Branch from Class C Tr to Class C Tr HQW, including Jones Branch Index No. 8-19-2-1 from source to Little Beaverdam Creek from Class C to Class C HQW;

(9) West Fork Rube Creek Index No. 8-19-3-2 and tributary waters from source to Rube Creek from Class C to Class C HQW;

(10) The portion of Stone Mountain Branch Index No. 8-2 and tributary waters from source to unnamed tributary located approximately 350 feet southwest of the intersection of SR 1206 and SR 1201 from Class C to Class C HQW; and

(11) Shawnehaw Creek Index No. 8-22-7 and tributary waters from source to Mill Pond, Elk River from Class C Tr to Class C Tr ORW.

Notes

15A N.C. Admin. Code 02B .0305

Authority G.S. 143-214.1; 143-215.1; 143-215.3(a)(1);
Eff. February 1, 1976;
Amended Eff. November 1, 2007; August 1, 1998; April 1, 1994; February 1, 1993; August 3, 1992; April 1, 1992;
Readopted Eff. November 1, 2019.

Authority G.S. 143-214.1; 143-215.1; 143-215.3(a)(1);
Eff. 2/1/1976;
Amended Eff. 11/1/2007; August 1, 1998; April 1, 1994; February 1, 1993; August 3, 1992; April 1, 1992. Readopted by North Carolina Register Volume 34, Issue 11, December 2, 2019 effective 11/1/2019. Amended by North Carolina Register Volume 38, Issue 07, October 2, 2023 effective 9/1/2023.