Nutrient Offset & Buffer Mitigation Program

To see a map of nutrient offset and buffer mitigation banks in North Carolina, click here. 

Nutrient Offset & Buffer Compensatory Mitigation

If a proposed development project has explored all practical alternatives for avoiding and minimizing impacts, and project impacts exceed applicable permit thresholds, then mitigation will be required. The mitigation plan must be implemented and/or constructed before any permanent building or structure on site is occupied. In the case of a public road project, the mitigation plan must be implemented before the road is opened to the public. Proof of payment into a mitigation bank or in-lieu fee program or completion of an approved permit-specific mitigation project must be provided to DWR to satisfy this requirement. Options for compensatory mitigation include:

• Mitigation Banks & Nutrient Offset Banks: Applicants who choose to satisfy the mitigation or offset requirement by purchasing credits from a private bank can find a list of approved banks in North Carolina by clicking  Approved Mitigation Banks in North Carolina.
• In-lieu fee mitigation: Applicant satisfies the mitigation requirement by purchasing mitigation credits through the N.C. Division of Mitigation Services.
  • List of active DMS projects with DWR project numbers (for Mitigation Project Information Upload Form)
• Project-specific mitigation: Applicant satisfies the mitigation requirement themselves, either at the project site or at an off-site location.

Nutrient Offset Mitigation may be required for any new or existing development where nutrient reduction requirements exist as part of a nutrient management strategy. In North Carolina, there are four nutrient management strategies: Neuse River Basin, Tar-Pamlico River Basin, Falls Lake Watershed and Jordan Lake Watershed. Please visit the Division of Water Resource's Planning Section website for more information on Nutrient Practices and Crediting. This map is a very useful tool provided by DWR that provides site-specific details including the Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC), river basin, watershed, sub-watershed, and delivery factors where applicable. 

Purchasing nutrient offset credits from a private mitigation bank or the NC Division of Mitigation Services (DMS) are options available to new or existing development where nutrient reduction requirements exist. All payments must be in compliance with 15A NCAC 02B .0703, the Nutrient Offset Credit Trading rule (*readopted effective 4/1/20, recodified from 15A NCAC 02B .0240, the former "Nutrient Offset Payments" rule) and G.S. 143-214.26.

Riparian Buffer Mitigation may be required for any project within an area covered by a Riparian Buffer Protection Rule for impacts to the protected riparian buffer listed as "(potentially) allowable with mitigation", " allowable with mitigation upon authorization", or "prohibited" in the Table of Uses. For more information about the Riparian Buffer Protection Rules, including the Table of Uses, please see the 401 & Buffer Permitting Statutes & Rules.

Purchasing Riparian Buffer Credits from a private mitigation bank or the NC Division of Mitigation Services (DMS) are options available to meet buffer mitigation requirements.  Use the  Location of Buffer Mitigation Guidance Table to determine where the buffer mitigation needs to be located.  Then, pick from an available private bank within that location using the table below or the map.  If there is no private bank with buffer credits available within that specific location, contact the DMS at 919-707-8915. 

Guidance Documents

• Flowchart - Steps to Establishing a Bank
• Location of Buffer Mitigation Guidance Table
• Map of DWR Approved Nutrient Offset & Buffer Mitigation Banks
• Presentation - What It Takes to Do Offset Banking in NC
• Standard Procedures for the Purchase & Sale of Nutrient Offset Credits
• Find Your HUC [Use this map to find the Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC) assigned to a particular area. This map includes 8-digit (subbasins), 10-digit (watersheds), and 12-digit (subwatersheds) HUC levels.]
• Find a Surface Water Classification (Use this map to click on a streamline to find the surface water classification assigned to that stream segment.)
• Consolidated Buffer Mitigation Rule - 15A NCAC 02B .0295
• DWR Clarifications on Implementation of Buffer Mitigation Rule (March 2017)
• Clarified Procedures for Calculating Buffer Mitigation Credits & Nutrient Offset Credits (November 2019)
• Site Viability Assessment Policy Update (2021)

Templates

• Attachment A - Authority Document (required for all UMBIs)
• Attachment B - Jordan Credit Yields Table (required for UMBIs in the Jordan Watershed only)
• Conservation Easement Template for 404 and Buffer/ Nutrient Bank Sites
• Credit Release Request Form (for requesting a credit release)
• Banking Instrument Modification MEMO ( for requesting modifications to existing Banking instruments)
• Ledger Templates
  • Buffer Ledger Template
  • Nutrient Ledger Template
  • Jordan Nutrient & Buffer Ledger Templates
• Mitigation Banking Conservation Easement Template for Buffer & Nutrient Offset Sites
• Mitigation Credit Transfer Certificate (for selling Buffer credits and non-permanent nutrient offsets)
• Mitigation Credit Transfer Certificate (for selling Permanent Nutrient Offsets in lbs/year)
• Mitigation Project Information Upload Form (click here for step-by-step instructions on how to use the form)
• Nutrient & Buffer Credit Release Tables
• Site Viability Assessment Request Form
• Statement of Availability Template Buffer (for providing proof that a Sponsor has credits available in a particular service area)
• Project Credit Table Template (November 2019- Excel workbook; updated July 2023)

Private Mitigation Banks

Neuse River Basin (excluding Falls Lake Watershed) Private Banks

For more information about the Neuse Nutrient Management Strategy, click here.

¹ Credit ledgers are updated monthly when possible and are audited by DWR annually. Please contact the bank directly for current credit availability.

Falls Lake Watershed Private Banks

For more information about the Falls Lake Nutrient Management Strategy, click here.

¹ Credit ledgers are updated monthly when possible and are audited by DWR annually. Please contact the bank directly for current credit availability.

² Impacts in the Upper Falls Watershed must be offset by nutrient reductions (Bank or NCDMS) in the Upper Falls Watershed; impacts in the Lower Falls Watershed may be offset by nutrient reductions in either the Lower Falls or Upper Falls Watersheds.

Jordan Lake Watershed Private Banks

For more information about the Jordan Lake Nutrient Management Strategy, click here.

¹ Credit ledgers are updated monthly when possible and are audited by DWR annually. Please contact the bank directly for current credit availability.

Randleman Lake Watershed Private Banks

For more information about the Randleman Lake Water Supply Nutrient Management Strategy, click here.

¹ Credit ledgers are updated monthly when possible and are audited by DWR annually. Please contact the bank directly for current credit availability.

Tar-Pamlico River Basin Private Banks

For more information about the Tar-Pamlico Nutrient Management Strategy, click here.

¹ Credit ledgers are updated monthly when possible and are audited by DWR annually. Please contact the bank directly for current credit availability.

Catawba River Watershed Private Banks

For more information about the Catawba Nutrient Management Strategy, click here.

N.C. Division of Mitigation Services

For information about the In-Lieu Fee mitigation programs offered by the N.C. Division of Mitigation Services, click here.