AG 1995 09 19 - Laserfiche WebLink

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gravel roads. In areas of low-density development, a vegetated buffer at least 30 feet wide must be provided along streams, whereas in high-density development areas the stream buffer must be at least 100 feet wide. One of the requirements of the North Carolina Water Supply Watershed Protection Act of 1999 is that municipalities and county governments that have water supply watersheds or portions of those watersheds within their land-use jurisdiction must develop a watershed management plan. Cabarrus County has enacted additional zoning ordinances that go beyond that which is required by state regulations to protect watersheds and drinking water supplies. One, the Watershed Overlay Zone, places tougher restrictions on development within the critical area of a drinking water supply. The other, the River/Stream Overlay Zone, requires a minimum buffer of 50 feet around perennial streams. Because the Coddle C~eek watershed is predominantly undeveloped, it contains few commercial operations and is primarily used for agricultural and residential purposes. Protecting water quality in the Reservoir requires attention mainly to two potential sources of pollution. The first source is the influx of chemicals to the Reservoir from pesticides and fertilizers added to agricultural lands and residential/recreational areas within the watershed. The second source is simply erosion of the watershed, which increases the sediment load to the Reservoir. Not only does this source have a negative impact on water q~,e~ity, it also accelerates the rate of siltation within the Reservoir itself, thereby reducing its lifetime usefulness as a municipal water supply. The remainder of Volume I of this document is divided into six sections. The first section discusses the nature of watersheds, some of the common problems they experience, and various management practices that are used to deal with these problems. The second section discusses some of the many best management practices that are available for different land uses to help protect water q~,~lity. The third section discusses the Coddle Creek watershed specifically and the land uses within the watershed, outlining the available data and where significant gaps in the dam were identified. The fourth section presents the watershed management tools that have been developed and are in place for protection of the watershed. The fifth section presents the management plan that has been developed for implementation by the County for the Coddle Creek watershed. The sixth section lists the references that were used to compile this document. Appendices are included with this document under separate cover as Volume II of the Coddle Creek Watershed Management Plan.