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Watershed Planning
For more information, contact:
Cy Stober
Water Resources Manager
Malinda Ford
GIS Planner
Elizabeth Jernigan
Stormwater Outreach and
Education Coordinator
Yadkin River Basin • Roanoke River Basin • Haw River Basin • Deep River Basin
The Roanoke/Dan River Basin
The Roanoke River begins in the Blue Ridge Mountains of south western Virginia and ends where it joins the Albemarle Sound, part of the second largest estuary system in the United States (Albemarle-Pamlico). The North Carolina portion of the basin has two major parts: the Dan River and its tributaries in the western section and the Roanoke River and its tributaries in the eastern section. To view a profile of the Roanoke River Basin published by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Education, please click here.
Current Projects:
Eden Area Watershed Restoration Plan
In the Eden area the Dan River is impaired due to high levels of turbidity and fecal coliform bacteria; the sources of impairment are unknown. The Smith River is also listed as impaired due to turbidity and fecal coliform of unknown sources, but is further impaired for biological habitat degradation due to impervious surface impacts. The Smith River bisects the current City of Eden, with impervious surfaces along both banks, making stormwater runoff a significant source of impact and degradation in the Smith. Point sources of impairment along the Dan River are currently unknown.
The PTCOG is currently developing a local watershed plan for the Smith River and the Dan River corridor in the greater Eden area to identify pollutant sources, conservation priorities, and potential projects that will restore both of these rivers to ecological supporting status. The PTCOG will make exclusive use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology for analysis of land use impacts upon water quality, including nonpoint source pollution models such as the US EPA’s BASINS 4 to estimate pollution loading into subwatershed catchments.
The PTCOG is currently working with stakeholders and fostering new new partnerships with including partners in Virginia. If you are interested in learning more about the Eden Area Watershed Plan, please click here.
Future Projects:
Dan River Priority Watershed Atlas
PTCOG recently received funding to complete a study similar to the Yadkin-Pee Dee River Basin Priority Watershed Atlas. Planning software will be used to analyze publicaly-available data describing land use and land cover in the river basin and estimate water quality in each watershed. We anticipate beginning this project in July, 2011.
