High Quality Water and Outstanding Resource Water Management Zones, Division of Water Quality

Title:

Abstract:

The North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Division of Water Quality in cooperation with the NC Center for Geographic Information and Analysis, developed the GIS data set, High Quality Water and Outstanding Resource Water Management Zones, to enhance planning, siting and impact analysis in areas directly affecting waters considered as having excellent (high) water quality or designated as an outstanding resource. Point and non-point source pollution management strategies are applicable to these waters. Zones in North Carolina were developed from NC DWQ Stream Classification Schedule, October 1, 1992. The 1:100,000-scale streams classified as "HQW" or "ORW" had a one-mile buffer generated around them. If the watershed boundary was closer than one mile, the ridge line was digitized from 1:24,000-scale topographic quads and superseded the one-mile buffer. The coastal HQW streams had a 1/2-mile buffer generated - with ridge lines added as needed. The coastal streams classified as "ORW" had a buffer generated around them of 575 feet.

Supplemental_Information:

system filename: hqorwdwq     file size = 3.31 mb

Revisions and updates to this layer include:
(NOTE: UT = unnamed tributary)

15.) filename: hqworw0607
The June 2007 update consisted of:
a.) Addition of Mill Creek and McDeeds Creek HQW area

14.) filename: hqorwdwq0307
The March 2007 update consisted of:
a.) Addition of the North Fork First Broad River ORW

13.) filename: hqorwdwq0107
The January 2007 update made by DWQ staff consisted of:
a.) Addition of North Shore Fontana Lake ORW
b.) Addition of Special Management Strategy Areas

12.) filename: hqorwdwq0806
The August 2006 update made by DWQ staff consisted of:
a.) Addition of the Swift/Sandy Creeks ORW.
b.) Addition of the Upper Green River HQW.
c.) Addition of the Lake Montonia HQW.
d.) Split of several polygons:
Little Grassy Creek split from Boone Fork
Upper and Steels Creeks split from Wilson Creek
e.) Polygon item 'name' was added, with some HQW/ORW area names added.

11.) filename: hqorwdwq1202
The December 2002 update consisted of:
Corrections to the coastal SA buffer zones.

10.) filename: hqorwdwq0902
The September 2002 update consisted of:
Per instruction from Div. of Water Quality staff (Elizabeth Kountis),
the Wild Trout stream areas were removed.  Upon deliberation since the
previous updates, the DWQ staff determined that these areas were not to be
included in this database.

9.) filename: hqorwdwq1001
The October 15, 2001 update consisted of:
a.) Adding high quality water zones around waters that are considered high quality
waters by definition.  These would include waters that are classified WS-I,
WS-II, and SA.  High quality water zones were also added around Wild Trout streams
(as identified by the Wildlife Resources Commission office).
HQW zones in coastal counties were removed (these areas require no greater
protection than the usual rules that apply to the 20 coastal counties in the state).
These updates were statewide.
b.) Addition of Lake Waccamaw and Lake Phelps as outstanding resource waters.
c.) Correction of Chattooga River outstanding resource water zones.

8.) filename: hqorwdwq1099
The October 1, 1999 update consisted of:
a.) HQWZ boundary added around Thorpe Lake (Glenville, Big Ridge,
Highlands 24k quads / Fontana Lake 100k quad).
b.) HQWZ boundary added around Armstrong Creek (Celo, Little Switzerland
24k quads / Asheville 100k quad).
c.) HQWZ boundary added around Toms Creek (Little Switzerland, Marion West
24k quads / Asheville 100k quad).
d.) HQWZ boundary added around Mill Creek (Montreat, Old Fort 24k quads /
Asheville 100k quad).
e.) HQWZ boundary corrected around Mackey Creek (Old Fort 24k quad /
Asheville 100k quad).
f.) ORWZ boundary added around two portions of Indian Creek (Handing Rock
24k / Winston-Salem 100k).
g.) ORWZ boundary corrected near Bunches Creek (Bunches Bald 24k
quad / Knoxville 100k quad).
h.) 575 foot HQWZ buffer added around Ut to New River (Rufus Creek)
(New River Inlet 24k quad / New River 100k quad).
i.) HQW buffer removed from around Juney Whank Branch -- this Branch
is classified WS-II Tr (Bryson City 24k quad / Fontana Lake 100k quad).
j.) HQW buffer corrected around Mackey Creek (Old Fort 24k quad /
Asheville 100k quad).

7.) filename: hqorwdwq1298  The December 1998 update to this layer
consisted of projecting the data from NAD27 datum, State Plane
projection, units of measure feet TO: NAD83 DATUM, State Plane
PROJECTION, UNITS OF MEASURE METERS.  This was done to comply with
the NC Geographic Information Coordinating Council's
"Statement of Direction for North Carolina Corporate Geographic
Database Horizontal Reference, Datum and Unit of Measure".  This
reprojecting was done in various ways depending on the data type
and content.  Vector data was projected using the 'project' command
in ESRI's Arc software and topology was cleaned and built based on
coverage needs.  Raster data was projected using ESRI's Grid module
and various steps as applicable.

6.) filename: dwqhqorw1296  The name of this file
was changed from hqworwz to its current name at the request of the DWQ.
The December 11, 1996 update consisted of:
a.) 575 foot ORWZ buffer added around UT to Swan Creek Lake (Engelhard
NW, Engelhard East and Engelhard West 24k quads / Manteo and Plymouth
100k quads).
b.) 575 foot ORWZ buffer added around UT to Swan Creek (Engelhard NW
and Fairfield NE 24k quads / Manteo and Plymouth 100k quads).
c.) 575 foot ORWZ buffer added around UT to Alligator River (East Lake
and Buffalo City 24k quads / Manteo 100k quad).
d.) ORWZ boundary corrected around South Fork New River (Jefferson
24k quad / Boone 100k quad).
(The name of this file was changed again 4/20/96 to hqorwdwq to put
the agency name at the end. No other changes were made on 4/20/96.
This 4/20/96 file was not archived.)

5.) filename: hqworwz496  The April 9, 1996 update consisted of:
a.) ORWZ boundary corrected in small area near Rogers Bay (Spicer
Bay 24k quad / Wilmington 100k quad).
b.) ORWZ boundary corrected in small area along the Intracoastal
Waterway (Sneads Ferry 24k quad / New River 100k quad).
c.) Missing 575 foot buffer added along ORW edge of Harkers Island
and Browns Island (Harkers Island 24k quad / Morehead City 100k quad).
d.) Buffer removed from around Johnson Creek -- this Creek is
classified SA only (Horsepen Point and Davis 24k quads / Morehead
City 100k quad).
e.) Buffer removed from around Great Island Creek, Horse Island
Creek, and Fortin Bay -- these are classified SA only (Davis
24k quad / Morehead City 100k quad).
f.) Buffer removed from around Gutter Creek -- this Creek is
classified SA only (Styron Bay 24k quad / Morehead City 100k quad).
g.) 575 foot buffer fixed along outer banks (Wainwright Island 24k
quad / Morehead City 100k quad).

4.) filename: hqorwdwq396  The March 13, 1996 update consisted
of a UT pond buffer that was removed which affects the
Wilmington 100k (Scotts Hill 24k quad) area.  A portion of
an ORW buffer was clipped off where Black River flows into
Cape Fear River which affects the Whiteville 100k (Leland 24k
quad) area.  Buffers were added for the following small ORW
streams:  Caggs Creek, Iron Creek, Willis Creek, Maria
Creek, and Oyster Creek which affects the Morehead 100k
(Horsepen Point 24k quad) area.  A UT pond and a stream buffer
were removed which affects the Manteo 100k (East Lake and
Buffalo City 24k quad) area.  Lastly, a UT pond and a stream
buffer were removed which affects the border of Manteo and
Plymouth 100ks (Engelhard NW, Engelhard East, Engelhard West,
and Fairfield NE 24k quad) area.

3.) filename: hqw395  (previously called nc.hqw495)
The March 7, 1995 update consisted of
100k stream classification changes to a long strip of Black
River and South River in Bladen, Sampson, and Pender counties.
The Elizabethtown and Whiteville 1:100,000-scale quadrangles
were affected.

2.) filename: hqw1194  (previously called nc.hqw112894)
The November 28, 1994 update consisted of new boundaries
around Six Runs Creek, Black River, and South River, located
on the Elizabethtown 1:100,000-scale quad.  These edits were
necessary because of recent 100k stream classification changes.

1.) filename: hqw494  (previously called nc.hqw494)
The April 1994 versions was the original version of this layer.

Range of values
Minimum:	8,418.36
Maximum:	6,009,491,970.00
Units:	meters
Resolution:	.001

Range of values

Minimum:

8,418.36

Maximum:

6,009,491,970.00

Units:

meters

Resolution:

.001

Range of values
Minimum:	432.11
Maximum:	1,018,165.12
Units:	meters
Resolution:	0.001

Range of values

Minimum:

432.11

Maximum:

1,018,165.12

Units:

meters

Resolution:

0.001

Range of values
Minimum:	1
Maximum:	251
Resolution:	1

Range of values

Minimum:

Maximum:

251

Resolution:

Range of values
Minimum:	0
Maximum:	250
Resolution:	1

Range of values

Minimum:

Maximum:

250

Resolution:

Range of values
Minimum:	0.01
Maximum:	2,320.27
Units:	square miles
Resolution:	.001

Range of values

Minimum:

0.01

Maximum:

2,320.27

Units:

square miles

Resolution:

.001

Range of values
Minimum:	2.08
Maximum:	1,484,972.82
Units:	acres
Resolution:	.001

Range of values

Minimum:

2.08

Maximum:

1,484,972.82

Units:

acres

Resolution:

.001

Value	Definition
HQW	HQW (High Quality Waters) is a supplemental classification intended to protect waters with quality higher than the minimum state water quality standards. These waters are rated as excellent based on biological and physical/chemical characteristics through Division monitoring or special studies. Waters which have the "HQW" supplemental classification have HQW specific requirements. (NOTE: Class items that have a '/' and a second or third class indicate areas with multiple classifications or areas where the zones for different classifications overlapped.)
SA & WSW	Waters with at least as stringent protection requirements as HQW, and therefore are considered to be HQW by definition. These waters include those classified as WSW (WS-I or WS-II water supply watersheds) and SA (Shellfishing Areas).
ORW	ORW (Outstanding Resource Waters) is a supplemental classification intended to protect unique and special waters having exceptional state or national recreational or ecological significance.
ORW Special Management Strategy Area	This is a supplemental classification intended to protect waters draining to unique and special waters having exceptional state or national recreational or ecological significance.

Value

Definition

HQW

HQW (High Quality Waters) is a supplemental classification intended to protect waters with quality higher than the minimum state water quality standards. These waters are rated as excellent based on biological and physical/chemical characteristics through Division monitoring or special studies. Waters which have the "HQW" supplemental classification have HQW specific requirements. (NOTE: Class items that have a '/' and a second or third class indicate areas with multiple classifications or areas where the zones for different classifications overlapped.)

SA & WSW

Waters with at least as stringent protection requirements as HQW, and therefore are considered to be HQW by definition. These waters include those classified as WSW (WS-I or WS-II water supply watersheds) and SA (Shellfishing Areas).

ORW

ORW (Outstanding Resource Waters) is a supplemental classification intended to protect unique and special waters having exceptional state or national recreational or ecological significance.

ORW Special Management Strategy Area

This is a supplemental classification intended to protect waters draining to unique and special waters having exceptional state or national recreational or ecological significance.

Data format:	ESRI shapefile (*.shp)
Network links:	NC OneMap

Data format:

ESRI shapefile (*.shp)

Network links:

NC OneMap

High Quality Water and Outstanding Resource Water Management Zones, Division of Water Quality

Frequently-anticipated questions:

What does this data set describe?

Who produced the data set?

Why was the data set created?

How was the data set created?

How reliable are the data; what problems remain in the data set?

How can someone get a copy of the data set?

Who wrote the metadata?