Newsletter "Streamlines"

Streamlines is an informational newsletter for local water supply watershed administrators, planners, land developers, and citizens interested in the protection of North Carolina's drinking water supplies.  The newsletter was originally a collaborative effort between the Land-of-Sky Regional Council and the N.C. Division of Water Quality using U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Clean Water Act section 205(j) grant funding.  After the sixth issue, DWQ took over all writing, editing, publishing, and distribution responsibilities for Streamlines.

Click on the links below to view these archived editions of Streamlines:

  • Watershed Rules Revisions  (vol. 1, no.1, January 1996) - Discussion of August 1, 1995 water supply watershed rules revisions which allowed local governments increased flexibility in program implementation
  • Alternatives to Wet Detention Ponds  (Vol. 1, no. 2, March 1996) - Detailed discussion of 1995 watershed rules amendment which allows alternatives to wet detention ponds for stormwater management (i.e., stormwater wetlands, bioretention areas, sand filters, dry detention, etc.)
  • High Density Option  (vol. 1, no. 3, May 1996) - Detailed analysis of factors which should be considered by local governments thinking about using the high density option.  Also, things you can do to decrease urban runoff and non-point source water pollution.
  • Cluster Development; Buffers  (vol. 1, no. 4, June 1996) - Discussion of the advantages of cluster development versus conventional development in preserving sensitive areas, decreasing construction costs, and reducing impervious coverage.  Also, the role of buffers in protecting water quality.
  • Impervious Surfaces; Vested Rights  (vol. 1, no. 5, July 1996) - Discussion of impervious surface:  What is it?, the relationship between the amount of impervious surface and effects on water quality, how to calculate built-upon area, etc.  Also, how to obtain a vested right under North Carolina state law.
  • State Programs to Protect Water Quality  (vol. 1, no. 6, August 1996) - Explanation of various state programs to protect water quality including monitoring of wastewater discharges, residuals land application,
  • Open Space Preservation  (vol. 1, no. 7, October 1996) - Discussion of the advantages of preserving open space areas.  Contains many techniques and resources for land conservation.
  • Water Reuse; Protecting Wetlands  (vol. 1, no. 8, December 1996) - Discussion of water reuse and associated issues.  Separate article on the benefits of wetlands protection.
  • New Urbanism and Water Quality  (vol. 2, no. 1, February 1997) - Discussion of new urbanism.  What is it?  Can it be used to help protect water quality?
  • Non-Point Source Pollution  (vol. 2, no. 2, May 1997) - Back to the basics.  What is non-point source pollution?  What can be done to mitigate its effects?
  • Source Water Protection  ( vol. 2, no. 3, July 1997) - Discussion of the role of watershed management in a strategy of water supply protection.  Pros and cons, potential difficulties are presented.
  • Why Watersheds?  (vol. 2, no. 4, October 1997) - Why does North Carolina focus on watersheds instead of stream segments or local governments?  Insight into the watershed basinwide approach.
  • Integrated Resource Mapping  (vol. 2, no. 5, December 1997) - Using overlays to aid land use mapping, resource analysis, and decision-making.  Discussion of Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
  • Greenways and Stream Buffers  (vol. 3, no. 1, March 1998) - Can greenways be used as buffers to help protect water quality?  What are some considerations in planning for greenways?
  • Site Planning for Water Quality  (vol. 3, no. 2, May 1998) - discussion of the land planning process and its relation to non-point source pollution.  Includes techniques for site development in order to better protect water quality.
  • Low Impact Development  (vol. 4, no. 1, Winter 2000) - Low impact development (LID) helps manage stormwater runoff impacts.
  • Sustainability:  How it is achievable!  (vol. 4, no. 2, Spring 2000) - Many of the things we do as watershed administrators work toward achieving a higher level of sustainability.  How well and why we do them are discussed in this article.
  • North Carolina's Source Water Assessment Program (SWAP)  (vol. 4, no. 3, Summer 2000) - SWAP:  A new tool in the Drinking Water Protection Toolbox
  • Watershed Based Land Planning Preserving the Character of the Land  (vol. 4, no. 4, Fall 2000) - Learning the steps for improved water quality planning.
  • Legislative Issues for Land Use and Water Quality Planning  (vol. 5, no. 1, Winter 2001) - This issue includes a summary of pertinent land use planning and environmental protection legislation for the 2000 legislative year.
  • Techniques for Preserving Ecological Connectivity  (vol. 5, no. 3, Summer 2001) - This issue addresses the importance and value of ecological connectivity, the linkages between environmental resources in order to preserve watershed health.  Multiple approaches to preserving ecological connectivity are discussed in relation to water supply watershed rules and development standards including clustering, use of built-upon area, and density averaging of non-contiguous parcel.
  • Local Source Water Protection Pays:  Safeguarding the Water You Drink  (vol. 6, no. 2, Spring 2002) - The Public Water Supply Section of the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources is currently assessing the susceptibility of each of the state's public water supply sources as part of the Source Water Assessment Program (SWAP).  This article explores the Source Water Protection (SWP) Program, which will succeed the SWAP.
  • The 10/70 Development Option  (vol. 6, no. 1, Winter 2002) - This issue focuses on the details associated with the 5/70 and 10/70 development options available to local governments through the watershed protection program.  The issue addresses many of the recurring questions the Division is asked regarding this program and offers suggestions for resolving them as well as alternative techniques in administering this development option.
  • Impervious Implications:  The Role of Parking Areas in Water Supply Watersheds  (vol. 6, no. 3, Summer 2002) - Next to the amount of site disturbed during construction, the amount of land devoted to parking is the most influential component of development affected water supply watersheds.  However, not all parking lots are created equal.  This issue focuses on ways of reducing the negative impacts associated with parking lots, and provides information on ways of evaluating parking areas to increase the overall effectiveness of watershed management.  This issue also presents an update on the statewide NPDES Phase II rules and regulations that will go into effect next year, and an update on thh National Stormwater BMP Database.