Quality of Streams and Lakes

Charlotte and Mecklenburg County has over 3,000 miles of streams and numerous acres of lakes, ponds and wetlands. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services (CMSWS) strives to protect and improves the surface water quality of these waters through monitoring and restoration.

CMSWS staff routinely monitor five lakes within Mecklenburg County. Additionally, staff respond to any surface water pollution concerns.

You can visit our new story map for an interactive look at the lakes in Mecklenburg County. This map will show you data from all of our lakes, information on how, where, and why we monitor, and how you can enjoy the lake.

When out on our lakes, be mindful of water conditions. If it has rained in the past 72 hours, it is best to avoid swimming in coves as they are the main area where stormwater empties into the lakes, often carrying sediment and bacteria. Remember, when in doubt- stay out!

Swim Advisories

A Swim Advisory is issued by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services, in conjunction with the Mecklenburg County Health Department, when a natural body of water is considered a public health threat for swimmers. Examples of conditions that may cause an Advisory include a sewage spill, a chemical spill, Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) or unsafe chemical or biological levels identified during routine monitoring. Once an Advisory is issued, the water is typically tested once a day until it is considered safe for swimming. If you would like to receive swim advisory information straight to your phone, simply text MECKNOSWIM to 888-777. You can also sign up for alerts.

Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs)

Algae are microscopic, plant-like organisms that are the base of the food web in lakes, ponds, and streams. Under the right environmental conditions, algae can rapidly grow and form an algal bloom which may appear as surface scum, water discoloration, or both. Algal blooms that are formed by species that can produce toxins are known as harmful algal blooms (HABs), but can also be referred to as cyanobacteria blooms, blue-green algae blooms, cyanoHABs, or potential HABs. The toxins produced by HABs can cause adverse health effects in humans, pets, and wildlife. Visit our HABs page for more information about safety, identification, reporting, and resources.

Fish Consumption Advisories

Fish consumption advisories for Mecklenburg County's lakes are issued by the state and are determined by testing the tissue of the fish. These advisories help people understand if they should limit or completely avoid eating different types of fish. In some cases, advisories are stronger for children or women of child-bearing age. See current fish consumption advisories affecting Charlotte-Mecklenburg.

No Wake Zones for Lakes in Mecklenburg County

A No Wake Zone is an area of a lake or river where vessels are required to travel at an idle speed or a slow speed, so no appreciable wake is created. No Wake Zones are typically defined by floating buoys.

The Lake Norman Marine Commission and the Lake Wylie Marine Commission handle requests for the establishment of No Wake Zones on these respective lakes. Inquiries about the process for No Wake Zone requests for Mountain Island Lake can be sent to stormwaterservices@mecknc.gov.

Stormwater pollution is the number one problem for our nation's streams and lakes. Rainwater washes off a variety of pollutants from the land into the storm drainage system and into streams, rivers, and lakes. The main pollutants to the waterways of Charlotte-Mecklenburg are bacteria from sanitary sewer overflows, soil erosion and sediment control. Additional pollutants can be characterized as Nonpoint and Point source pollution. 

Nonpoint source pollution is another name for stormwater pollution. Nonpoint source pollution comes from all over the land. Here are some common examples of nonpoint source pollution: 

• Soil from construction sites 
• Oil from cars 
• Fertilizers and pesticides from yards 
• Dog poop from parks and yards 
• Litter from streets 

Point source pollution is another problem for our streams and lakes. Point source pollution comes from a single source. Common examples include: 

• Sewage overflows from a sanitary sewer 
• Dumping of wastes from a business or person 
• Illegal discharges 
• Spills from auto accidents 

Another problem for streams, rivers, and lakes is the volume of stormwater generated in the urban environment. As a community becomes more urban, there are more impervious surfaces. Impervious surfaces don't allow rain to be absorbed into the ground generating a lot more stormwater. Examples of impervious surfaces include sidewalks, roads, and rooftops. 

All that stormwater rushes directly to a stream and acts like a fire hose, eroding stream banks and filling the stream with a lot of sediment or mud. The velocity of stormwater during a storm combined with all the sediment or mud generated makes it difficult for aquatic organisms, like fish, to live. 

Monitoring surface water quality is one of the best ways to protect streams. It helps identify problems, determine whether streams are improving or declining over time, and most importantly it helps protect quality of life and public health. Each year, a wide range of surface water quality monitoring data is collected from streams and lakes throughout the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County: 

• Fixed Interval Monitoring 
• In-Stream Stormwater Monitoring 
• Lake Monitoring 
• Biological Monitoring of Fish and Macroinvertebrates 
• Stream surveys 
• Continuous Monitoring and Alert Notification Network (CMANN) 

Additionally, staff respond to service requests related to surface water quality. They also perform stream walks where staff walk nearly 270 miles each year to inspect outfalls and check stream conditions. 

See the Stream Use Support Index (SUSI) interactive map to see the surface water quality score for the watershed where you live or for any address you choose! 

Data Requests 

Staff follows strict Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC) practices when collecting field measurements or surface water quality samples. We welcome you to submit a request for surface water quality data. A minimum of two weeks is required for staff to process the request form and release the data. To submit a request, please fill out the Water Quality Request Form.

Stream and wetland restoration projects are designed to improve surface water quality and aquatic life by reducing erosion and restoring habitat in streams, floodplains and wetlands.

Stream bank erosion is the largest contributor of sediment in our streams. As streams erode, sediment is deposited downstream, burying aquatic habitat and altering the stability and quality of the stream.

Most stream bank erosion occurs today because of historical stormwater management. Agriculture practices once dredged streams straight, deep and wide. As land was developed, stormwater was piped directly to the nearest stream. Shallow, sinuous (meandering) streams with floodplains containing natural vegetation were converted into deep, straight, eroding channels with floodplains containing developments and few trees or bushes.

Stream restoration projects reduce erosion and restore
natural features to reduce pollutants,
absorb and dissipate the energy of stormwater,
and keep water temperatures cool and oxygen levels high.

Learn more by visiting Stream and Wetland Restoration Projects.

For more information about the importance of Mecklenburg County’s stream restoration projects, check out these videos. 

Stream Restoration Questions?

Erin Shanaberger
City of Charlotte Watershed Planning & Project Implementation Supervisor
704.562.2691
Erin.Shanaberger@charlottenc.gov

Timothy J. Trautman, PE, CFM
Program Manager, Engineering & Mitigation Program
980.314.3224
Tim.Trautman@mecknc.gov

The Stream and Wetland Mitigation Bank was established to ensure that City and County projects that require stream and wetland mitigation are mitigated locally and to eliminate project delays due to stream and wetland mitigation projects. 

• Stream and Wetland credit availability: Stream and Wetland Mitigation Bank Project Selection and Credits(PDF, 511KB) 
• Stream and Wetland Credit Sale Request Form: Credit Request Form(PDF, 256KB) 

Stream and lake buffers are vegetated areas or strips of land adjacent to water bodies such as streams and lakes. They generally contain a mix of trees, bushes, grasses, and other vegetation and provide a variety of benefits related to protecting water quality. Stream and lake buffers are also “no build zones” when local and state buffer regulations apply.

Stream and lake buffers are essential for protecting water quality of streams and lakes and important to our community for the following functions they provide:

• Protect water quality by filtering pollutants in stormwater runoff;
• Allow water to soak into the ground and recharge groundwater supplies;
• Provide storage for floodwaters;
• Allow channels to meander naturally;
• Provide suitable habitats for wildlife;
• Provide shade to reduce water temperatures; and
• Provide soil stability through root mass.

There are four different types of stream and lake buffers in Charlotte-Mecklenburg as required by various ordinances adopted by the City of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County and the six towns between 1993 and 2008. Ordinance requirements differ significantly based on the buffer type and the jurisdiction where the buffer is located. In all situations where two buffer types apply to the same stream segment, the buffer that is more protective of water quality always applies. The following provides a summary of the four different buffer types in Charlotte-Mecklenburg.

1. Water Supply Watershed Buffers
2. Surface Water Improvement & Management (S.W.I.M.) Buffers
3. Post-Construction Buffers
4. Goose Creek and Six Mile Creek Buffers

For a summary of the differences between these types of buffers please see Overview of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Stream and Lake Buffer Requirements(PDF, 369KB).

See POLARIS Instructions for Stream and Lake Buffers(PDF, 370KB) to determine if your property has a water quality buffer.

See Determine Stream and Lake Buffer Requirements for a Specific Parcel(PDF, 96KB) for the following information:

• Requirements for a specific parcel
• Disturbances allowed and NOT allowed under the law
• Mitigation of disturbances
• Violations

For more information about the specific regulations that require stream and lake buffers, see Regulations.

Questions about Stream and Lake Buffers?

Rusty Rozzelle
Mecklenburg County Water Quality Program Manager
980.314.3217
Rusty.Rozzelle@mecknc.gov

Jordan Miller, PE
Surface Water Quality and Environmental Permitting Manager
Charlotte Storm Water Services
704.562.2499
Jordan.Miller@charlottenc.gov

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services (CMSWS) protects and improves the surface water quality of more than 3,000 miles of streams and numerous acres of lakes, ponds and wetlands. Unfortunately, many of these surface waters have degraded water quality, habitat and aquatic life largely due to the impacts of historical stormwater management practices and urbanization. The majority of streams in Charlotte-Mecklenburg are designated by the state as “impaired”, meaning that they are not clean enough to support swimming, fishing, or diverse and abundant aquatic life.

CMSWS implements some of the most innovative surface water quality management programs in North Carolina, some of which have been awarded national recognition. All of them are focused on the goal of improving the quality and usability of our surface waters such as streams and lakes. Information about these programs is organized on this surface water quality tab as follows:

• Education and Outreach: Resources and outreach programs that educate the community about stormwater and surface water quality.
  
  
• Illegal Discharges: Programs that find, respond to, reduce and correct pollution sources for surface waters.
  
  
• Monitoring: Monitoring techniques, the quality of local stream and lakes, and swimming and fish advisories.
  
  
• Volunteer: Programs for residents to get involved in preventing stormwater pollution and improving streams and lakes.
  
  
• Watershed Improvement: Watershed planning, stream and wetland restoration, mitigation banking, and pollution control programs.

Surface Water Improvement and Management Program

Surface water quality is a core concern of all communities within our jurisdiction. In 1998, Mecklenburg County Board of County Commissioners issued a “Creek Use Policy” requiring drastic improvements to surface water quality throughout the County. This multi-phased program governs our approach to improving water quality and sets the standard for future land-use and development. Watch our video describing Mecklenburg County's Journey to Clean Water.

Sediment is the number one pollutant for surface waters throughout the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County.

Sediment is soil particles that have eroded from the land or streams banks. Sedimentation is the process of soil particles depositing and accumulating in areas such as the bottom of a stream, pond, wetland, or lake. Sedimentation results in significant negative impacts such as increased water treatment costs, destruction of wildlife habitat, reduced flood protection, diminished property values, and even negative health impacts.

In urbanized and developed areas, erosion and sedimentation are caused primarily by rainfall and stormwater runoff. When vegetation is removed, soils that are exposed and disturbed at construction sites are transported by wind and rain to streets and stormwater drainage systems, and then into streams, ponds and lakes. Increased stormwater runoff from impervious surfaces causes bank erosion and stream instability, resulting in additional sedimentation impacts. When one considers that hundreds (or even thousands) of acres of land are disturbed and developed across Charlotte and Mecklenburg County every year, the importance of soil erosion and sedimentation control is apparent.

For these reasons, the City of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County and the six towns have soil erosion and sedimentation control regulations. These regulations require that land developers meet mandatory standards for stormwater protection during construction activity that will “permit development of this [Community] to continue with the least detrimental effects from pollution by sedimentation.” (Sec. 17-2 Charlotte Code of Ordinances).

More specifically, these regulations require builders and developers to implement structural Best Management Practices (BMPs) like perimeter sediment fence, construction entrances, and sediment basins to control sedimentation from their site. Larger projects that disturb one or more acres must first seek and obtain plan approval and permit coverage from Charlotte or Mecklenburg County prior to conducting any land disturbing activity to ensure that BMPs are selected properly and implemented correctly.

The City and County each employ a team of professionals to inspect construction sites and monitor receiving streams within their jurisdiction. When inspectors find deficiencies in site operation or management they work with owners and developers to correct those issues and ensure optimal erosion and sedimentation protections. In cases where violations are excessive, intentional, or result in significant offsite sedimentation or environmental damage, civil penalties up to $10,000 for each day the site remains non-compliant can be assessed.

If you observe a suspected violation like muddy streets or the impacts of sedimentation in streams, please report it immediately so City or County staff can respond and take steps to minimize impacts to water quality. You can call 311 or email us to report suspected violations. Visit Report A Problem for more info. You may also contact staff from the City of Charlotte or Mecklenburg County directly. See contact information below.

If you are interested in additional information about Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control, you may attend a quarterly training seminar. For almost 15 years the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County have partnered to offer a training class specifically related to the practice of soil erosion and sedimentation control within these jurisdictions. For more information about the class, including the date of our next class and registration options, see CMCSI Classes.

To view local Soil Erosion and Control Ordinances and learn more about the permitting process, see Regulations.

Questions about Soil Erosion?

Jay Wilson
City of Charlotte Water Quality Program Administrator
704.517.1152
Jay.Wilson@charlottenc.gov

Jason Klingler
Mecklenburg County Project Manager I
980.721.3567
Jason.Klingler@mecknc.gov

Stormwater

Stormwater is rainwater or snowmelt that isn't absorbed into the ground. Stormwater runs off rooftops, down street curbs, and across parking lots where it enters the storm drains.

Storm drains are often confused with sanitary sewers, but in the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, they are separate systems and very different. Storm drains take rainwater through underground pipes directly into a local stream or lake. Stormwater is not cleaned at a treatment plant.

Sanitary sewers carry sewage from our homes to a wastewater treatment plant to be cleaned before it is released into a stream, river, or lake. Examples of sewage include dirty water from our toilets, showers, kitchens, and laundry machines.

Because stormwater is not cleaned at a treatment plant, the storm drainage system can carry pollution from our yards and streets directly into local streams, rivers, and lakes.

See the Stormwater, Wastewater and Drinking Water graphic(PDF, 15MB) to visualize these three water systems. 

Pollution of Streams and Lakes

Stormwater is the number one pollution problem for our nation's streams and lakes. Rainwater washes off a variety of pollutants from the land into the storm drainage system and into streams, rivers, and lakes.

Nonpoint source pollution is another name for stormwater pollution. Nonpoint source pollution comes from all over the land. Here are some common examples of nonpoint source pollution:

• Soil from construction sites
• Oil from cars
• Fertilizers and pesticides from yards
• Dog poop from parks and yards
• Litter from streets

Point source pollution is another problem for our streams and lakes. Point source pollution comes from a single source. Common examples include:

• Sewage overflows from a sanitary sewer
• Dumping of wastes from a business or person
• Illegal discharges
• Spills from auto accidents

Another problem for streams, rivers, and lakes is the volume of stormwater generated in the urban environment. As a community becomes more urban, there are more impervious surfaces. Impervious surfaces don't allow rain to be absorbed into the ground generating a lot more stormwater. Examples of impervious surfaces include sidewalks, roads, and rooftops.

All that stormwater rushes directly to a stream and acts like a fire hose, eroding stream banks and filling the stream with a lot of sediment or mud. The velocity of stormwater during a storm combined with all the sediment or mud generated makes it difficult for aquatic organisms, like fish, to live.

Consider this example:

one inch of rain on an acre of woods 

produces little to no stormwater runoff. 

vs 

one inch of rain on an acre of asphalt 

produces 27,000 gallons of stormwater runoff 

that contains a variety of pollutants 

and causes widespread erosion.

Detention basins and stormwater regulations associated with land development activities help manage volumes of stormwater. Detention basins help slow down stormwater so it can be slowly released to a local stream and pollutants, like sediment, can settle out.

Here are some links to learn more about the quality of our local streams and lakes:

• Stream Use-Support Index (SUSI) Map – how is the stream near your house?

• Lake Use- Support Index (LUSI) Maps – how is the lake where you like to swim?

  • Lake Norman(PDF, 445KB)

  • Mountain Island Lake(PDF, 451KB)

  • Lake Wylie(PDF, 492KB)

• Continuous Stream Data Collection - Monitoring data is collected every hour, 24 hours/ day! See our website to view this data and monitoring stations throughout Charlotte and Mecklenburg County.

What Can I do to Help Prevent Pollution? 

• Prevent Pollution. See our Top Tips for preventing pollution.

• Report Pollution. If you see a discolored stream, or if it smells strange, report it. When in doubt, report it. See Report a Concern to learn about three ways to report pollution.

• Educate. According to public opinion survey, approximately 50% of City and County residents don't know storm drains lead to streams and lakes. Help inform people that storm drains go directly to streams and lakes.

• Volunteer. Help teach kids and students about stormwater and environmental stewardship through one of our many volunteer opportunities.