15A NCAC 02B .0309      YADKIN‑PEE DEE RIVER BASIN

(a)  Classifications assigned to the waters within the Yadkin-Pee Dee River Basin pursuant to Rule .0101 of this Subchapter are set forth in the Yadkin 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)          Mooresville Regional Office

610 East Center Avenue, Suite 301

Mooresville, North Carolina;

(B)          Winston‑Salem Regional Office

450 West Hanes Mill Road

Winston‑Salem, North Carolina;

(C)          Fayetteville Regional Office

225 Green Street

Systel Building Suite 714

Fayetteville, North Carolina;

(D)          Asheville Regional Office

2090 US Highway 70

Swannanoa, North Carolina; and

(E)           Division of Water Resources

Central Office

512 North Salisbury Street

Raleigh, North Carolina.

(b)  Unnamed streams entering Virginia or South Carolina are classified as "C".

(c)  The Yadkin‑Pee Dee River Basin Classification Schedule is amended for best usage of waters as follows:

(1)           Mitchell River [Index No. 12‑62‑(1)] from source to mouth of Christian Creek (North Fork Mitchell River) including all tributaries has been reclassified from Class B Tr to Class B Tr ORW.

(2)           Mitchell River [Index No. 12‑62‑(7)] from mouth of Christian Creek (North Fork Mitchell River) to Surry County SR 1315 including all tributaries has been classified from Class C Tr to C Tr ORW, except Christian Creek and Robertson Creek which will be reclassified from Class B Tr to Class B Tr ORW.

(3)           Mitchell River [Index No. 12‑62‑(12)] from Surry County SR 1315 to mouth of South Fork Mitchell River including all tributaries from Class C to Class C ORW.

This amendment was entered into the NC Administrative Code on October 1, 1988, with an equivalent effective date.

(d)  The Yadkin‑Pee Dee River Basin Classification Schedule is amended for best usage of waters as follows: Elk Creek [Index Nos. 12‑24‑(1) and 12‑24‑(10)] and all tributary waters were reclassified from Class B‑trout, Class C‑trout and Class B to Class B‑trout ORW, Class C‑trout ORW and Class B ORW. This amendment was entered into the NC Administrative Code on March 1, 1989, with an equivalent effective date.

(e)  The Yadkin‑Pee Dee River Basin Classification Schedule is amended for best usage of waters as follows: Barnes Creek (Index No. 13‑2‑18) was reclassified from Class C to Class C ORW. This amendment was entered into the NC Administrative Code on January 1, 1990, with an equivalent effective date.

(f)  The Yadkin‑Pee Dee River Basin Classification Schedule is amended for best usage of waters as follows:

(1)           Little River [Index Nos. 13‑25‑(10) and 13‑25‑(19)] from Suggs Creek to Densons Creek has been reclassified from Classes WS‑III and C to Classes WS‑III HQW and C HQW.

(2)           Densons Creek [Index No. 13‑25‑20‑(1)] from its source to Troy's Water Supply Intake including all tributaries has been reclassified from Class WS‑III to Class WS‑III HQW.

(3)           Bridgers Creek (Index No. 13‑25‑24) from its source to the Little River has been reclassified from Class C to Class C HQW.

This amendment was entered into the NC Administrative Code on January 1, 1992, with an equivalent effective date.

(g)  The Yadkin‑Pee Dee River Basin Classification Schedule is amended for best usage of waters with the reclassification of the North Prong South Fork Mitchell River from Class C to Class C Trout. This amendment was entered into the NC Administrative Code on April 1, 1992, with an equivalent effective date.

(h)  The Yadkin‑Pee Dee River Basin Classification Schedule is amended for best usage of waters with the reclassification of all water supply waters (waters with a primary classification of WS-I, WS-II or WS-III). These 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, .0200 and .0300), which became effective on August 3, 1992. In some cases, streams with primary classifications other than WS were reclassified to a WS classification due to their proximity and linkage to water supply waters. In other cases, waters were reclassified from a WS classification to an alternate appropriate primary classification after being identified as downstream of a water supply intake or identified as not being used for water supply purposes. This amendment was entered into the NC Administrative Code on August 3, 1992, with an equivalent effective date.

(i)  The Yadkin‑Pee Dee River Basin Classification Schedule is amended for best usage of waters as follows:

(1)           Pike Creek (Index No. 12‑46‑1‑2) was reclassified from Class C Tr to Class C Tr HQW;

(2)           Basin Creek (Index No. 12‑46‑2‑2) was reclassified from Class C Tr to Class C Tr ORW;

(3)           Bullhead Creek (Index No. 12‑46‑4‑2) was reclassified from Class C Tr to Class C Tr ORW;

(4)           Rich Mountain Creek (Index No. 12‑46‑4‑2‑2) was reclassified from Class Tr to Class C Tr ORW; and

(5)           Widows Creek (Index No. 12‑46‑4‑4) was reclassified from Class C Tr HQW to Class C Tr ORW.

This amendment was entered into the NC Administrative Code on December 1, 1992, with an equivalent effective date.

(j)  The Yadkin‑Pee Dee River Basin Classification Schedule is amended for best usage of waters as follows:

(1)           Lanes Creek [Index Nos. 13-17-40-(1) and 13-17-40-(10.5)] from its source to the Marshville water supply dam including tributaries was reclassified from Classes WS-II and WS-II CA to Class WS-V.

(2)           The South Yadkin River [Index Nos. 12-108-(9.7) and 12-108-(15.5)] from Iredell County SR 1892 to a point 0.7 mile upstream of the mouth of Hunting Creek including associated tributaries was reclassified from Classes WS-V, C and WS-IV to Classes WS-V, WS-IV, C and WS-IV CA.

(3)           The Yadkin River [Index Nos. 12-(53) and 12-(71)] from a point 0.3 mile upstream of the mouth of Elkin Creek (River) to the Town of King water supply intake including associated tributaries was reclassified from Classes C and WS-IV to Classes WS-IV and WS-IV CA.

(4)           The Yadkin River [Index Nos. 12-(80.5), 12-(81.5) and 12-(84.5)] from the Town of King water supply intake to the Davie County water supply intake reclassified from Classes C, B, WS-IV and WS-V to Classes WS-IV, WS-IV B and WS-IV CA.

This amendment was entered into the NC Administrative Code on September 1, 1994, with an equivalent effective date.

(k)  The Yadkin‑Pee Dee River Basin Classification Schedule is amended for best usage of waters as follows: Bear Creek [Index Nos. 12-108-18-(3), 12-108-18-(3.3)], Little Bear Creek (Index No. 12-108-18-2), and Blue Branch (Index No. 12-108-18-2-1) were reclassified from WS-II and WS-II CA (Critical Area) to C and WS-IV. This amendment was entered into the NC Administrative Code on August 1, 1995, with an equivalent effective date.

(l)  The Yadkin‑Pee Dee River Basin Classification Schedule is amended for best usage of waters with the revision to the primary classification for portions of the Yadkin River [Index No. 12-(45)] from Class WS-IV to WS-V, Yadkin River [Index No. 12-(67.5)] from Class WS-IV to Class C, Yadkin River [Index Nos. 12-(93.5) and 12-(98.5)] from Class WS-IV to Class WS-V, South Yadkin River [Index No. 12-108-(12.5)] from Class WS-IV to Class WS-V, and South Yadkin River [Index Nos. 12-108-(19.5) and 12-108-(22)] from Class WS-IV to Class C. This amendment was entered into the NC Administrative Code on August 1, 1998, with an equivalent effective date.

(m)  The Yadkin‑Pee Dee River Basin Classification Schedule is amended for best usage of waters with the reclassification of a portion of the Yadkin River [Index No. 12-(80.5)] from WS-IV CA to WS-IV. A portion of the Yadkin River 0.5 mile upstream of Bashavia Creek was reclassified from WS-IV to WS-IV CA. Bashavia Creek [Index Nos. 12-81-(0.5) and 12-81-(2)] was reclassified from WS-IV and WS-IV CA to Class C. Tributaries to Bashavia Creek were also reclassified to Class C. Portions of the Yadkin River [Index Nos. 12-(25.5) and 12-(27)] were reclassified from WS-IV to Class C and from WS-IV & B to Class B. Tributaries were reclassed from Class WS-IV to Class C. Supplemental classifications were not changed. This amendment was entered into the NC Administrative Code on April 1, 1999, with an equivalent effective date.

(n)  The Yadkin‑Pee Dee River Basin Classification Schedule is amended for best usage of waters with the reclassification of a portion of the Uwharrie River. More specifically, Index No. 13-2-(25), Index No. 13-2-(17.5), and a portion of Index No. 13-2-(1.5) was reclassified from Class WS-IV CA, WS-IV, and C, to Class WS-IV B CA, WS-IV B, and B, respectively. This amendment was entered into the NC Administrative Code on July 1, 2006, with an equivalent effective date.

(o)  The Yadkin‑Pee Dee River Basin Classification Schedule is amended for best usage of waters with the reclassification of a segment of the Yadkin River [portion of Index No. 12-(53)] from a point 0.3 mile upstream of the Town of Elkin proposed water supply intake to the Town of Elkin proposed water supply intake from C to WS-IV CA. The Town of Elkin proposed water supply intake is to be placed on the Yadkin River at a point directly above the mouth of Elkin Creek. This amendment was entered into the NC Administrative Code on September 1, 2006, with an equivalent effective date.

(p)  The Yadkin‑Pee Dee River Basin Classification Schedule is amended for best usage of waters with the reclassifications as listed below, and the North Carolina Division of Water Resources maintains a Geographic Information Systems data layer of these UWLs.

(1)           Black Ankle Bog near Suggs Creek [Index No. 13-25-12] was reclassified to Class WL UWL.

(2)           Pilot Mountain Floodplain Pool near Horne Creek [Index No. 12-75] was reclassified to Class WL UWL.

This amendment was entered into the NC Administrative Code on November 1, 2007, with an equivalent effective date.

(q)  The Yadkin-Pee Dee River Basin Classification Schedule is amended for best usage of waters as follows:

(1)           a portion of the Yadkin River Index No. 12-(108.5) from the mouth of the South Yadkin River to a point 125 feet downstream of its confluence with Deals Creek, a portion of Deals Creek Index No. 12-109 from a point 0.7 miles upstream of the mouth of the Yadkin River to the Yadkin River, and a portion of the South Yadkin River Index No. 12-108-(19.5) from a point 0.2 miles upstream of the mouth of the Yadkin River to the Yadkin River, and the watersheds associated with these waterbody portions, are reclassified from Class C to Class WS-IV CA;

(2)           a portion of the Yadkin River Index No. 12-(107.5) from a point 0.7 miles upstream of the mouth of the South Yadkin River to a point 0.2 miles upstream of the mouth of the South Yadkin River, a portion of Deals Creek Index No. 12-109 from its source to a point 0.7 miles upstream of the mouth of the Yadkin River, a portion of Second Creek Index No. 12-108-21 from Highway 70 to the mouth of the South Yadkin River, a portion of Fourth Creek Index No. 12-108-20 from NC 801 to the mouth of the South Yadkin River, a portion of South Yadkin River Index No. 12-108-(19.5) from NC 801 to a point 0.2 miles upstream of its confluence with the Yadkin River, and watersheds associated with these waterbody portions, are reclassified from Class C to Class WS-IV; and

(3)           a portion of the Yadkin River Index No. 12-101.5 from a point 1.0 mile upstream of the mouth of Dutchman Creek to Dutchman Creek and its watershed are reclassified from Class WS-IV to Class WS-V.

This amendment was entered into the NC Administrative Code on March 1, 2025, with an equivalent effective date.

History Note:        Authority G.S. 143‑214.1; 143‑215.1; 143‑215.3(a)(1);

Eff. February 1, 1976;

Amended Eff. November 1, 2007; September 1, 2006; July 1, 2006; April 1, 1999; August 1, 1998; August 1, 1995; September 1, 1994; April 1, 1993; December 1, 1992;

Readopted Eff. November 1, 2019;

Amended Eff. March 1, 2025.