Environmental Sciences Branch BASINWIDE ASSESSMENT REPORT CAPE FEAR RIVER BASIN June 1999 NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES Division of Water Quality Water Quality Section D E N R Erratum (June 27, 2000): Because benthos swamp and estuarine criteria are not finalized, all previously rated samples are now “Not Rated”. The correct ratings listed in Appendix B2 should be followed when the text and the listing in Appendix B2 differ. If you have questions, please contact Trish MacPherson at (919)733-6946 or electronically at:
[email protected]. Appendices L2 and T and the ambient monitoring chemical data sheets are not included in this electronic version of the report. If you desire these pages, please contact Trish MacPherson at (919)733-6946 or electronically at:
[email protected]. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This document, prepared by the Environmental Sciences Branch, presents a water quality assessment of work conducted by the NC Division of Water Quality, Water Quality Section in the Cape Fear River Basin, and information reported by outside researchers and other agencies. Program areas covered within this report include: benthic macroinvertebrate monitoring, fish population and tissue monitoring, lakes assessment (including phytoplankton monitoring), aquatic toxicity monitoring, and ambient water quality monitoring (covering the period 1993- 1997). In general, the document is structured such that each subbasin is physically described and an overview of water quality is given at the beginning of each subbasin section. This is followed by program area discussions within each subbasin. Specific data and descriptions of information covered by these summaries can be found in the individual subbasin sections and the appendices of this report.