North Carolina Water Supply Watershed Protection Program

ASDWA River Network Trust for Public Land

Webinar: Models for Improving Collaboration Between

Source Water and Clean Water State Programs

Julie Ventaloro & Elizabeth Kountis, NCDWQ

September 19, 2012

Organizational Structure

NC DENR

-Water Quality

-Water Resources

-Waste Mgmt

-Land Resources

EMC

NC Dep’t of

Agriculture

-NC Forest

Service

Soil and Water

Conservation

Commission

NC DOT

North Carolina State Government: http://infohouse.p2ric.org/ref/12/11014.pdf

NC DENR: http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/guest/o-chart

Falls Lake Dam

Photo courtesy of U.S. ACOE Wilmington

Purpose To protect the quality of NC’s

surface drinking water supplies

Water Supply Watershed

Protection Program

History

WSWP Act ratified

1986-1989 Voluntary WSWP program (3 WS classes)

1989

1992

1993-1994

1995 Rules revised

Local gov’ts adopt Watershed ordinances

WS classifications redefined and

expanded to include WS-IV and WS-V

1951 SSCC adopted “A-I” and “A-II”

best usage classification system

Surface Water Classifications

Primary Freshwater

Class C: basic protection

Class B: primary recreation

WS-I thru WS-V: water supply

80 counties

201 municipalities

281 local governments

Delegated Authority

(for new development rules)

WSWP Criteria (New Development)

Density/Built-upon Area

Buffers

Stormwater Control

Classification Low Density High Density

WS-I Public, undeveloped

WS-II CA 6% 24%

BW 12% 30%

WS-III CA 12% 30%

BW 24% 50%

*WS-IV CA 24% 50%

PA 24% (36%) 70%

WS-V No land use restrictions

Limits on Percent of

New “Built-Upon Area”

CA=

Critical

Area

BW=

Balance of

Watershed

PA=

Protected

Area

Why is the WSWP Program Great?

• Longstanding program

• Local Governments have statutory authority to be

more stringent.

• Implementation through local ordinances is

effective and efficient.

• Program continues to evolve

• New and better BMP’s

• Audits by DWQ

• Local Government efforts

Local Government Outreach

Town of Garner Litter Sweep (1.5 mins)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7BL-48lKk8

Water Supply Reclassifications –

Who’s Involved

• Local gov’ts – requests, resolutions, current/proposed

info, mail-out and hearing location suggestions

•DWR - input on quantity, data, written treatability

statement, public comments

•Many agencies & divisions - Envt’l Document (DWR=lead)

•DOT, DWM, DWQ – current/proposed activities

•Any parties – public comments

Support for Classifications and

Reclassifications

•Clean Water Act (designate & protect uses, inc. WS)

•General Statutes and NC Administrative Code

•Authority to Dept’s, Commissions and Divisions

•Division and Dep’t regulations that mention WS

classifications specifically

•DWR

•DWQ

•DWM

•DLR

•DOT

•DOA

Classification WW/LAS Allowed WW Type

WS-I None Allowed

WS-II CA Yes/No General Permits

BW Yes/Yes General Permits

WS-III CA Yes/No General Permits

BW Yes/Yes Domestic, Non-

Process Industrial

WS-IV CA Yes/No All*

PA Yes/Yes All

WS-V No Restrictions

DWQ – WW Discharges and

Land Application Sites

Classification Allowed

WS-I No

WS-II CA No

BW No Discharging Landfills

WS-III CA No

BW No Discharging Landfills

*WS-IV CA No

PA Yes

WS-V Yes

DWM SWS - Landfills

Classification Additional ESC

Controls

DOA and DOT

BMPs

WS-I Yes Yes

WS-II CA Yes Yes

BW Yes Yes

WS-III CA No Yes

BW No Yes

*WS-IV CA No Yes

PA No Yes

WS-V No Applied as Practical

DLR – Erosion & Sedimentation Control

Implementation

Success and Challenges

• WS classifications in regs of many divisions & depts

• Implementation of new development rules by local

ordinance is effective, needs ongoing DWQ oversight

• How consistently are the classifications resulting in

appropriate program actions?

• Need for training of our intra/interagency partners to

address consistency in rule interpretation or gaps in

knowledge

Contact Us

Julie Ventaloro Coordinator, Water Supply Watershed Protection Program

NCDWQ - Wetlands & Stormwater Branch

Surface Water Protection Section

Phone: (919) 807-6370

Website: http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/wq/swp/ws/wswp

Elizabeth Kountis Senior Environmental Specialist

Classifications and Standards Unit

NCDWQ – Planning Section

Phone: (919) 807-6418

Website: http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/wq/ps/csu