Water Quality in the Lower Cape Fear River System, 1995-1996

1.0 Introduction

    The Cape Fear River Program is a unique science and education program which has a mission to develop an understanding of processes which control and influence the Cape Fear River, and to provide a mechanism for information exchange and public education. This Program provides a forum for interaction among the various Cape Fear River user groups, and encourages interaction among them. Overall policy is set by an Advisory Board consisting of representatives from citizen’s groups, industries, academia, the business community, and regulatory agencies.
    The scientific basis of the Program consists of the development and implementation of a basinwide coordinated physical, chemical, and biological monitoring program. Another part of the mission is to develop and maintain a data base on the Cape Fear basin and make use of this data to develop management plans. Using this monitoring data as a framework, the Program goals also include focused scientific projects and investigation of pollution episodes. The scientific aspects of the Program are carried out by investigators from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington Center for Marine Science Research. The monitoring program was developed by the Cape Fear River Program Technical Committee, which consists of representatives from UNCW, the North Carolina Division of Environmental Management, The NC Division of Marine Fisheries, the US Army Corps of Engineers, technical representatives from streamside industries, the New Hanover County Wastewater Treatment Plant, and the US Geological Survey. This integrated and cooperative program is the first of its kind in North Carolina.
    Broad-scale monthly sampling at 16 stations in the estuary and lower river system began in June 1995. Sampling was increased to 34 stations in February of 1996 (Link to Map). Detailed information will be presented for the lower 16 stations, and summary information provided for the remaining stations. In an effort to detect vertical differences in water quality, surface and bottom samples both were collected for several months. This report contains the results of these comparisons for a number of parameters. During summer 1995 several animal waste lagoons located in the Cape Fear Watershed ruptured or leaked, causing significant pollution episodes. Our laboratory conducted extensive sampling of two of these incidents, and the results are summarized within.

1.1  Site Description

    The mainstem of the Cape Fear River is formed by the merging of the Haw and the Deep Rivers in Chatham County in the North Carolina piedmont. However, its drainage basin reaches as far upstream as the Greensboro area (Fig. 1.1). The mainstem has been altered by several dams and water control structures. In the coastal plain the river is joined by two major tributaries, the Black and the Northeast Cape Fear Rivers. These blackwater streams drain extensive riverine swamp forests and add organic color to the mainstem. The Cape Fear River watershed is the most heavily industrialized in North Carolina, with 641 NPDES discharges (NCDEHNR 1995) and contains approximately 27% of the state’s population (NRCS 1995). Approximately 25% of the land use in the watershed is devoted to agriculture and livestock production (NCDNR 1983; EA Engineering 1991), particularly swine and poultry operations. Thus, the watershed receives considerable point and non-point source loading of pollutants.
   Nine stations in the Cape Fear Estuary, four stations in the mainstem Cape Fear River, one station in the Northeast Cape Fear Estuary; and one station in the mainstem Black River were sampled by boat.  One station each in the Northeast Cape Fear mainstem and the Black River mainstem were sampled from land.  Year-round data is presented for these stations.  NC11 is located upstream of the influence of the Federal Paperboard discharge near Rieglewood and is considered to be a measure of water quality entering the lower system. BBT is located on the Black River between Thoroughfare and the mainstem Cape Fear and is considered to be influenced by both. B210 and NCF117 are considered to be pure blackwater stations.  Partial data is available for stream and river stations sampled from land in the Cape Fear, Northeast Cape Fear, and Black River watersheds.

Table 1.1  Lower Cape Fear River Program sampling stations, 1995-1996, including UNCW station names and NC Division of Water Quality map numbers.

High order river and estuary stations

Small order stream stations

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