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>Cbatal Zone informatiOn - Center >2 A A U ,AJ 4AA A - IA 1(11<' AAAA AA A A A, v'< AAj(AA> ----s <-4-ki < -'--I -A -A "A A IA 4,�> A A "�A, " A' <A A' A 1bLIJ t* $ I Vii *% I:. kOOWyQur mudrw A�> ''Ak A A' GC AAffU'�AAAA- A'/A >A4'A A 57.2 A' ,AA il1a>"A '< >2 <> _ '<'A A <A'<" },,>1' >k ->'>yY1A< A ,AA> / .N6 no.76-Ol A a A' IA pracAI AA gii'de 9, a[development AS A' ep,,i er,1976 'A>''A' Know Your Mud, Sand and Water, Information presented in this publication a practical guide to coastal development was developed during the course of research sponsored by the Office of Sea Grant, NOAA, Written and designed by U.S. Department of Commerce under grant K. M. Jurgensen, UNC Sea Grant No. 04-6-158-44054, and the state of North Carolina, Department of Administration. Credit and thanks are extended to Jim Brown, Based on Ecological Determinants of Coastal N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries; Dr. Bill Area Management, UNC Sea Grant, April, Cleary, UNC-W; Keith Whitenight, and Mike 1976 Black, N.C. Department of Natural and Eco- nomic Resources. Illustrations by Christie Rucker Sea Grant Publication September, 1976 UNC-SG-76-01 Price: $1.25 Copies available from: UNC Sea Grant College Program Box 5001 Raleigh, N.C. 27607 Residents of North Carolina may obtain a single copy free of charge. IAY 11 1977 "The rampaging Atlantic claimed more "Trailer park septic tanks are the major than a dozen cottages between Kitty Hawk cause of the pollution which in 1974 forced the and Oregon Inlet; the Arlington Hotel, a closing of shellfishing waters at coastal Surf landmark . . .; three motels in the Buxton City, a researcher who helped write a 200- area; and thousands of feet of highway in page study on the problem said Thursday.... many areas along the entire strip of sand The report's major recommendation is that known far and wide as the Outer Banks...." Surf City build a central sewer system, ac- -The Coastland Times cording to Tyndall Lewis, a state Department Manteo, February, 1973 of Natural and Economic Resources scientist and one of the authors of the report." "County officials this morning made a visit -News and Observer to the western end of Bogue Banks where a Raleigh, March, 1976 new inlet has been cut through, east of the Bogue Inlet Coast Guard Station, Swansboro. This pamphlet is offered in the belief that . . The cut has developed within the past people can live in harmony with nature. week or two. At present it is 75 yards wide." -The Carteret County News-Times Morehead City, August, 1972 ~�~ . . . . . . . ~~~~~~~~~If we could see the forces of nature working terials, and fresh water from land runoff. tomake the coast what it is, they might look aTelgo-surwihi usr ~~~~ j ~~~~~~I p ~~~~ -~~~~~ ~;:::~;~~,~; little like that dancer, ground for most of the state's commercially ~: I Winds and waters roll against the shore important seafoods, takes many forms: salt .~,~~:: and the scarves that are the barrier islands marshes, swamp forests, oyster reefs, mud shift and give. Salt and fresh water meet in and sand flats, brackish and saltier waters Picture a dancer with long flowing scarves the sounds and the scarves that are the each contribute to the productiveness. Plants in'her hands. As she twirls and sways and lagoon-estuary swirl and mix. All is grace and tiny organisms flourish in this rich, dips and bends, the scarves move with the and motion-wind, waves, salt and fresh varied environment. They in turn are eaten rhythm of her body. The graceful moves flow water move together as one. by larger organisms. one into another, a twist of the hand here and In the lagoon-estuary, the mixing of waters Always, the uses and natural processes the scarves move ever so slightly in a different creates a rich, concentrated environment, are intertwined: bacteria feed on fallen marsh direction. All is grace and motion-scarves like a good thick broth. To this "broth" the grass, they, in turn, are eaten by tiny organ- and dancer move together as one. ocean adds sandy sediments and salty waters. isms which are then eaten by larval shrimp Rivers contribute fine-grained sediments, which are then eaten by larger fish on their vitamins, minerals, plant and animal ma- way to deeper waters. So it goes. -- - - - -* --- ***-- ~ ~ ~ JJ~ V~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~gi in rep et id.wves /~~~~~~~canl fo ma.crrns V~~~~~~~~~~~~~te o pn j s n u h a n e s-oDsieti qiirusm "flooding of the stuary wih salty y nature less stale than thers. A V~~~~~ ~~ ~~ ~ca wae at hi g tid an fuhn"oVh oeie sartlnodsomfrilt ~~~~~~~~~~etayalo w tieweVie aesps ocoeoroebahst rd rbidu out into the ocean. This water flow also car- dramatically, sand dunes to form or dis-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~f North C~aroiaslgo-sur om issaodsit n u fetaiebed persol osit hnest ilio thosads f ile o costinean milins ngandnuser aeas ashe t buldup n he oudVsde of~~ ace'f surne aias u h rn are sad olwt h ue:sn vrl, thVare ilnsae Vuilit anshleofteetaywudroshfsraiyfoplctopaewaeis-oigwswrcovyrblfsin be possible without the barrier islands. rapidly absorbed. This flexibility allows the as sand moves toward theA4 mainland;V 'N'S V V islands to bend without breaking. Under -gradually� "sinking" As se~a leeAcep Those~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~V isad a b s o r b ' th f o r o f oca'V 'VN V drivenwindwaves currnts ad tids. Thy norml cirumstaces, n equlibrim is iward e ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~i , maIa~ andpoiesf n v-rahd sand g raismoe f ro o fshr bars -an chngn in rofleasareuto tocanlt ecet dune and- b ack' daly seVaso a an str'leain When allowed to function naturally, these lution from mainland runoff closes thousands flicts between planning areas. processes ensure -the continued maintenance of acres of shellfish waters and other changes The Coastal Resources Commission also of the barrier islands and, therefore, the con- threaten commercially important seafoods. designates Areas of Environmental Concern tinued protection of the estuary and man's "Stabilized" dunes and shorelines sometimes (AECs) as part of its duties. The AECs are endeavors. create more problems than they solve. defined by the Act and include, for example, Unfortunately, people sometimes interfere But really, the coast isn't such a bad place coastal wetlands, estuarine waters, frontal with the natural processes in both the estuary to build if we consider how and where we're dunes, and hazard areas such as inlets. The and barrier islands. This interference threat- building. Development and the coastal en- Commission asks the localities to help dis- ens the functioning of those vital systems, vironment are not necessarily in conflict. We charge this duty by nominating areas which and in turn people's safety and well being. can have development and still protect the they think should be designated. Development Houses fall in the frequent hurricanes that environment people enjoy and depend on. is not prohibited in the AECs, but a permit, strike our coast. Septic tanks dangerously It's a matter of deciding on the quantity, based on sound resource management, must pollute limited drinking water supplies. Pol- quality and location of development to be be issued by the Coastal Resources Commis- allowed. Too much development, or develop- sion before any major changes can be made. ment of the wrong sort or in the wrong place, Another major responsibility of the Coastal can contribute to the destruction of our Resources Commission is the coordination of beautiful coast. existing federal-state-local regulations per- taining to development in the coastal area. The aim of the 1974 North Carolina Coastal Probably the most critical permits to be co- Area Management Act is to encourage the ordinated under the Act are Dredge and Fill coastal counties to reflect on the heritage they statutes, Water Pollution Control Amend- want to leave future generations, to give ments, and local septic tank and sand dunes competing demands a fair airing, and to plan protection ordinances. So, existing and future for desired growth. local, state and federal regulations must form The Act calls on the 20 coastal counties to the basis of the Coastal Area Management prepare plans which reflect the objectives Act and ultimately of the protection of the they hope to achieve. The state/local-appoint- coast. ed Coastal Resources Commission reviews the plans to ensure that they adequately re- Local governments and citizens must work flect state objectives and to help resolve con- at setting priorities and protecting what they 4 care about. Planning requires an understand- of the area not owned by government is still Nobody likes going to a dirty beach. Nobody ing of the natural systems and the manage- undeveloped but development is undoubtedly will fish if there are, no fish to catch. The ment tools available. So, what's offered here planned for virtually all of that land. aesthetics and the economics are really not is a brief explanation of the natural processes -Along the mainland shoreline, about five separable. If the ecosystem is destroyed, the shaping the coast, paired with some of the to 10 percent of the land has been developed in economic value is destroyed. So, though we've management tools governments and imdi- the northern and largest section. (The other concentrated here on laws and scientific vidual citizens have at their disposal. This 90 percent is not subdivided or subject to con- values, always in the back of the mind are pamphlet is a condensation of the findings of centrated development.) In the southern area, images of a pink-red sunrise over Jockey's a University of-North, Carolina Sea Grant- south of Pamlico Sound, 30 to 35 percent of Ridge, birds hovering for handouts 'over a supported study group which examined the shoreline is developed. ferry as it glides toward shore, ducks winging federal, state and local management tools and gracefully over tall, straight marsh grasses, the ecological systems at work on the coast. With careful pIlanning, management tools and white trawlers with their net arms spread The complete work, Ecological Determi- can be used to protect the complicated eco- wide over the glistening dark waters.N0 nants of' Coastal Area Management, offers a systems as development takes place. There whole cafeteria line of management possibili- are also ways to discourage reconstruction ties. What's offered here are the appetizers, where development has occurred in hazard especially the local options. Not included here areas--and has been destroyed by nature. In are some of the less well-known, but promis- other cases where construction has occurred; ing, management alternatives such as more undesirable side effects can be reduced, for sophisticated controls which combine a vani- example, simply by installing public facilities ety of tools; impact assessment and zoning; to replace septic tanks. public or private land banking, and aquisition of development rights. For more detailed information-to get a Sea Grant's work is part of an effort to indi- look at the entire cafeteria line-write UNG cate what can be done to develop North Caro- Sea Grant, Box 5001, Raleigh, N. C. 27607~ lina's coast within the limits of the resources and ask for Ecological Determinants of that make the coast a special place. There is Coastal Area Management, Volume I or II. much to protect: Volume One is an overview; Volume Two -Along the barrier islands, governments includes detailed scientific and legal infor- own roughly one third of the land. About half mation. 5 4- 4 -, 4' ,44� /4� �S 4 4 �/4'',,< g ��� � -;-�' 44�4 - 4 44,44 4/ 44� 44 4.4 /4 /4' 49 r 4< 444 44.4 4.,AA 4-4 44 44 - - 4W44 4� 4� 4/4 4 4 4�44 4'444J4444 44 4444 4 44� 4 "V4 44' 444 4� � �444444 4 44 44 444 .4 44 . . 44 44 444 44�4'4 p4�4' � 9444444�4 44 44 -4<> t(TL �44�'4441 444 44 44 A'44 44 4444 44444 44 4444 44 4 444 r 444444 �1 44444��44444 44 � 4�4 444 44 }44 444 444444444 44 4444 44 444�44 4444444 4 4444444444 if 44444 444�44 �'4� 444 44444 44 4444' 44 4� .4 4444 44 44.4 444 444444 4 444444�4 44444 2K1 ""<I4 44444� 44 �44�44�4 444� 4� 4�4/ 4 4 44 4 4��4�,44444�...�4� 4' 4�4 44 44 44�44 44444 44 44 444 444�44 44< 44 444444/4 4 X 4 44 4 4 4 4444 4444� 44 44 44444 444�44444�4 444444 44� 4 �44 44 4� 44 �444444 44 444 4444 4 4 444 4 444 4444 44' 44 4 444444 4� 4 �4 ea-ch e- 44 44 4� 44 44 -. 44� 44 44 44 * 44 44 4� 44 4 44 * 44 44 44 44 44 44 44 44 44 44 - 44 44� 44 44 44 44 44 44 44 44� 44 ches are built up - on a bed of sand - as fine grains are washed in by the waves. As a rule, North Carolina's barrier islands are eroding and moving westward. Though the rate varies from place to place, erosion can range up to as much as 80 to 100 feet a year on the ocean side. While sound-side buildup varies markedly from place to place, since 1940 it has ranged from 75 feet at sites along the southern barrier islands to 200 feet along the northern barriers. Sand is generally carried by currents moving along the shore in a southerly direction taking fine grains away here, depositing them there. But periodic storms and hurricanes can speed sand along its way, as in the case of the 1973 storm when Nags Head and Kitty Hawk lost 35 feet of beach in one fell swoop. The continuing rise in sea level, which has already swallowed up an island or two in the last century, only makes things worse. The barrier islands respond by "recycling" themselves. Whe te force of storm wind and waves is so great that the beach an nes can no longer withstand it, washovers occur. Storms push masive amounts of water over the beaches, beyond the dunes and ito the backside of the island. On this "conveyor belt" the sand mvs westward and gradually builds the way for the island's rtreat. Also in this process new and morelproductive sou~nd-side Earshes begin to grow atop the fresh sand. Another way in which the barrier islands give without break- As a rule, new inlets open during storms. Day to, day, an inlet ing and manage to rebuild themselves is through inlets. Tides is generally eroded on the south side and built up on the north moving through inlets also help to move sands to the back side of side. Eventually, the ever more angled inlet reaches a point where the barrier islands where, like the sands carried in washovers, it closes itself. Later,~ the inlet will usually re-open at less of an they are left for the island to build on. angle. 9 Erosion, then, is not really a "problem"' Public expenditure in hazardous areas such unless people build in the path of shifting as washovers and land adjacent to inlets sands. Much of what people have done to On the beaches, keeping an eye on how should be discouraged. Because these areas "control" erosion has often not worked and, public money is spent is an important man- are regularly disturbed, any public invest- in some places, has even helped erosion along: agement tool since the wet sand-land below ment in them is liable to be short-lived and, * Groins-rigid structures built out from the mean high tide line-is public. Think therefore, questionable. A policy such as this shore to trap sand and build up beaches- twice about investing public money in such would discourage private development by not have often succeeded in starving beaches things as groins, seawalls or sand-moving making water, sewer, roads and other ameni- farther down the line. Likewise, seawalls and projects which might interfere with natural ties available. Some washovers might be good bulkheads often rob Peter to pay Paul. processes. candidates for public aquisition. They could * Despite millions spent to halt erosion, Also, many states designate a "set-back serve the double function of allowing beach the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is less than line," beyond which it is illegal to build, to access to the public and avoiding the hazards 100 yards from the water's edge. When it was keep construction out of harm's way. The of construction. first built in the 1860s, it sat back from the set-back line can be incorporated in local sub- Another way to protect people from the shore about 1,000 yards. division regulations or sand dunes protection hazards of inlets is through local subdivision Beach, dune or washover development, ordinances. set-back lines. These can help keep people's then, is best done in harmony with the eco- houses and businesses out of the paths of system-in a way that accepts and accom- moving inlets.m modates the natural processes rather than X opposes them. Though caution is advised, washovers can be used. To keep development ecologically sound and as safe as possible, local zoning and building codes can be modified to require that construction be done (1) at the owner's risk, (2) in such a way as to allow the storm surge to pass through, and, (3) in low density. Building codes can require stilts for houses, for example, to avoid plugging up the gap. 10~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In summer, long, low waves create a wide, flat beach. But winter's steep, frequent waves eat away the beach creating steeper, narrower shores. Though dunes are second only to beaches in their instability, they provide a front-line of defense against wind, waves and weather. In the calmer areas behind and between dunes, maritime forests form another line of defense. Both dunes and maritime forest are also crucially important to the maintenance of underground freshwater supplies which in places may form a thin lens under the barrier islands. Dunes are formed as wind-carried sand bounces across the beach and is trapped in patches of vegetation. As the sand accumulates more plants grow and more sand builds up. Eventually, the growing dunes merge to form continuous lines of the tiny sand mountains which then grow more rapidly. Dunes migrate and shift position frequently through continuous wind erosion and sand build up on the back side. While these are gradual changes, a storm can cause dune blowout or buildup in much shorter periods of time. 12 As vegetation grows, sand and water are trapped and held .. {::; Hi 0::~: I: ;: ; ... Gradually, increasing amounts of sand and plants build a dune. :A~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ :'I-s1 13 14 This recharge of the water table is what helps keep wells wet. The safety of the second line of defense, the While the maritime forests are a major maritime forest, has long been recognized. source of recharge for the water table, de- Amid the live oaks, palmettos and cabbage velopment anywhere on the barrier islands palms, old timers built their houses. Ocracoke, can affect water supply and quality. The Portsmouth, Old Nags Head were all nestled problem is, no one knows exactly where water among the trees because such places were supplies are (they are thought to lie mid- high, safe and not subject to the extremes of island roughly where the forests are) or how temperature found elsewhere. extensive they are. Some fear that cutting Beaten by wind and salt spray, the trees of down too much of the maritime forest will the maritime forest form a thick, dense canopy reduce the amount of water available, or that of leaves which can withstand even hurri- over-pumping will deplete the supply and canes. Molding by the forces of nature gives allow salt water to seep in. the trees their sculptured look. Roots of trees and dune plants trap sand, The fine filigree of leaves does allow the too. This equilibrium is not something that rain to pass through. Once in the forest, water man can readily re-create. Trees in the marn- is retained in the thick ground cover of forest time forest, once cut or destroyed by unac- debris as well as in the soil beneath the forest. customed exposure, are difficult to replace. Natural dune erosion, above, allows sand:to :migrate as storm waters wash over. Major "stabilized" dunes, below, interfere with that natural process by trapping water which then erodes both sides; of the high dune. ~~~~-- 16 Large "stabilized" dunes don't renew them- Strict enforcement and broadening of exist- selves. In fact, the sand dunes built during ing county ordinances under the state Sand the Depression along the Outer Banks on Dunes Protection Act can also help. Gener- Protecting aquifers-water-bearing stra- Hatteras, Pea and Bodie Islands have created ally, the ordinances prohibit changing the ta of permeable rock, sand or gravel-in- a false sense of security and encouraged de- contours of sand dunes. But counties have the volves two rules of thumb: avoid covering velopment in not-so-secure places which will authority to broaden requirements to include, over too much land, and watch out for pol- eventually give way. Worse still, these dunes for example, beach access via elevated walk- lutants. Depending on the kind of develop- have interfered with the natural washover ways and other measures to protect stabilizing -mentdesired,thereareanumberoftoolsthat transport of sand so that now those islands vegetation. can be used to accomplish these goals: are eroding on both the ocean and sound sides. Another alternative to protect this valuable -Local zoning ordinances can keep density The rate of development-related dune de- vegetation would simply be to adopt local low and require single family use. Extensive struction exceeds the ability of the dunes to vegetation protection ordinances. paving and large-roofed structures should be mend and rebuild. Even a few foot or dune discouraged. Septic tanks, too, should be dis- buggy trips across dune vegetation can kill couraged. If allowed, the systems should be the plants and eventually open a gap which designed to insure that wastes will not rush will not only wear the dune down but invite through sandy soils and into the shallow washover as well. (While washovers are a Most of North Carolina's maritime forests water table before being purified. vital part of the system, there's no point in are privately owned and subject to increasing -Alternatively, high-density development inviting them in areas that have already been development. Ecologically sound development might be allowed, if local adequate public developed.) Leveling the dunes for parking might entail: large-lot zoning coupled with facilities ordinances require highly efficient lots and trailer parks extends the zone of salt low maximum ground use requirements; sewage treatment systems. impact back into the maritime forest. limits on the amount of land that can be clear- -Planned unit development ordinances ed through local vegetation protection ordi- might encourage builders to concentrate de- There are ways to take advantage of nances; protection of the parts of the forest velopment on a relatively small part of a site nature's protections while protecting nature necessary to maintain the basis of the dune while preserving other parts. at the same time. itself under local sand dunes protection ordi- -Preserving water supplies calls for looking nances. at systems in their entirety and careful plan- Roadways and public services can follow ning. Cummulative effects of septic tanks, the natural contours of the land. Private de- for example, can be far-reaching. Supplies of velopment can be required to respect the con- water should be assessed and extraction Set-back lines in local subdivision ordi- tours by subdivision control ordinances. And, monitored. In a real pinch, rapid change can nances can be used to insure that development in cases where the forest is truly unique, these be halted by interim moratoriums on building takes place without damaging critical dunes. might be good candidates for public purchase. to allow time for research and planning.0 17 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~elm, Fresh water from inland rivers mixes with salt water from the ocean to create the unique environment of the lagoon-estuary. The lagoon-estuary is a different sort of animal altogether. Its day- to-day controls are physical and biological rather than geological. Fresh and salt water mix to varying degrees, forming a variety of habitats and nurturing thousands of living organisms. Everything works as a whole: the quality of water coming from Pied- mont rivers affects the quality of and life in coastal sounds. Legally, the lagoon-estuary, with its marshes, mud and sand flats, brackish and saltier waters, and swamp forests, is rather different, too. For the most part, the waters and lands are either publically owned or in a kind of limbo. There's a definite need to determine just how much is public because ownership can itself be used as a management tool. Due to the public ownership and sensitivity of the lagoon-estuary to environmental changes elsewhere, most regulations are federal or state. Therefore, a second major management tool is to insure that federal and state regulations are followed. The tidal creek or river carries crucial "fer- tiizers" to the brackish water "farms'- that lie on the inland side of sounds. Vitamins, organic and soil materials mix in predomi- nantly fresh, but still somewhat salty waters. The health and richness of this "farm" are the key to the fertility and productivity of the entire coast. Larval shrimp, for instance, must have just the right surroundings to pass from one stage into another. These nursery grounds serve the young of most of the sports and commercial species found in North Caro- lina. According to the season, the "farm" may be growing anything from spots. croakers, menhaden, trout to brown or white shrimp. 20 Evetualythestil-gowig fshle4ave n�-a:~~~~~~~~:~te ars ndmoe o he'�ites-te id frminriat fodchin tatsupot h salniy rea wic li ot owad heseai are sjsta uan city dwellers enjoy ~i~e��~i�~~j~l~f�i~�:~::" ~ ~ ~ and. sports:�l fishermen.- find- thmi age Weecrrnsadsaiiyolie ytr :~~~~~~~~~~:coos atc tesevs ooe nthrfomn .I��~~~~~~~~i ~~~~unigt entrte te eltielyclar refs Ter, heoytes ieinwat orth waert nurs elgasphtplnko ad uretst bth he wt, efehig other~;-;iii��ai rooedaqutc lnt. Teepans nuihigwaes n ws aa -h a�_long w::Xith sml ognim, uhaswrm, wats ��i:;-: :; aes,~~~~~~~~~~~~~�;bB~~~~~-�o~~~~2 Some fish spend part of their lives in the ocean, part in the estuary and, sometimes, part farther up river. Migrating fish shown here are, clockwise, hickory shad, American shad, striped bass and menhaden. Many of the fish in these waters don't stop Just as mixing waters share and concen- recognizes geographic units such as coves at the cities. They are part of a larger world trate nourishment, they can also share and and discourage it for individual lots. of "migrating subsystems." Those are fancy store up pollutants. And, just as development -Local sediment control ordinances can words for fish which spend part of their lives causes problems for the estuary, the estuary require diking or other methods of sediment in the ocean, part in the estuary, and, some- also causes problems for development: Three containment in new construction. times, part farther up river. For example, to 12 feet a year are lost to estuarine erosion, -Under local adequate facilities ordi- shrimp and menhaden move back and forth rising ocean levels, and subsiding land. nances, sewage disposal facilities which do seasonally from ocean to estuary; striped not discharge into the estuary can be re- bass and shad move between river and ocean. Unfortunately, these waters don't lend quired. themselves to neat protections. They don't -Finally, the fact that a law is on the seem to have heard about governmental books doesn't necessarily mean that it's en- boundaries. The waters wander back and forced. Inspectors can't be everywhere. So, forth from one jurisdiction into another. The if violations occur that officials might not be impact of pollution may be felt some distance aware of, it might be well to call the violations from its source. to their attention.E For this reason, ecologically sound growth and protection require local, state and federal cooperation. But there are some things local governments and citizens can do on their own: -Set-back lines in local subdivision ordi- nances can designate the points to which de- velopment can take place and still leave a buffer zone around the estuary. -To avoid creating more erosion next door, existing state or new local bulkhead ordi- nances should encourage bulkheading which 23 mud and - sand flats j � -I 1+ - ,-. * t* -++ -++ ++--+- - ++ -- -+ --+, b -fr-- - 4 -A- - 24 I~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 25 Minks live there, as do bears, deer, otters, But it is the swamp forest which is falling tions on swamp forest development is unclear mallards and wood ducks. Shortly before the under the bulldozer as development, including and far from definite. turn of the century, the Industrial Revolution agriculture and forestry, spreads throughout The best hope for development is to set found a major source of cypress wood there. coastal North Carolina. Trees are cleared and priorities on swamp preservation, then make It is the swamp forest. Up the rivers from channels are cut to speed water off land. Chan- it undesirable and difficult to develop in some the coast, the trees and animals grow in the nels are also cut for insect and flood control. areas, while not in others. This can be done dark, cool, mossy wet. Swamps make up half But no one knows how much of the swamp by enactment of local vegetation ordinances, of North Carolina's almost six million acres forest can be cut without reducing its ability careful use of money on utilities extension, of wetlands, and are concentrated in the to cleanse water and support wildlife. large lot and adequate public facilities require- northeastern corner of the state. �_ ments.0 Like salt marshes, swamp forests are sponges which absorb nourishment and drain- Unfortunately, this is an area in which the age waters. In place of the marsh's grass, the laws are lagging behind. Dredge and Fill forest has trees. Like the grasses, the trees statutes often do not seem to apply. When filter water before releasing it into the es- it goes into effect, the National Pollution Dis- tuary. Water also filters into the water table. posal and Elimination System may help. The swamp forest is thought to be a major Permits, issued by the state Environmental replenisher of coastal water supplies. Management Commission, will regulate the Like the marsh, the swamp forest acts as quality of point-source discharges-from a a buffer zone in floods. In addition, people use pipe, a ditch--and the water into which they the swamps for hunting and lumbering. dump. But the potential impact of the regula- 29 I / A - S ** 0 * **0 -* * a: - S S * S S* *SS - -*. - * *0 - 0 * -, * * ,*-** - -.5,, * * a * -Se -. S S S S * - S ** S * - ''- S *. - S S f AAAi1i>/2iv/A� A A&A AjA. Contact local planning boards and govern- ments as well as the following state and fed- eral offices. These offices are responsible for 0Q ~ ~ ~ 02D (a H 0 specific regulations, but they can also pro- L)L t L,= IR 0ULUP 0 vide general information. SANITATION DREDGING, FILLING AND CONSTRUCTION IN N.C. Department of Natural and COASTAL WATERS Economic Resources P.O. Box 27687 Raleigh, N.C. 27611 Permit Section Division of Marine Fisheries or 3411 Arendell Street Morehead City, N.C. 28557 Southeast Field Office 919-726-7021 3143 Wrightsville Avenue Wilmington, N.C. 28401 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 919-762-3394 Princess & Water Streets Federal Building or (mail: P.O. Box 1890) Wilmington, N.C. 28401 Northeast Field Office 919-763-9971 1502 North Market Street Washington, N.C. 27889 919-946-6481 Residents of North Carolina may obtain a single free copy of this publication, or of the complete "Ecological Determi- nants of Coastal Area Management," from: UNC Sea Grant u(Q),uS UUU\@)B~~/U\~[ ( :Box 5001 ~(~0~~ ~(~)~(~:~~~~~~ (~(~)~(~Raleigh, N.C. 27607 Information about obtaining additional copies is also avail- able from the above address. 31 These other related publications are also UNC-SG-76-03-Baker, S. Aerial photo- available from Sea Grant, Box 5001, Raleigh, graphy for planning and N.C. 27607. Residents of North Carolina may development in eastern obtain a single free copy. North Carolina: a hand- book and directory. $3.00 UNC-SG-74-16-NCSU Center for marine & coastal studies: Proceed- UNC-SG-76-08 Brower, D. and D. Owens. ings of a conference on Public use of coastal coastal management. $3.00 beaches. $4.00 UNC-SG-75-18-Baker, S. Coastal develop- UNCSG-76-OSchoenbaum, T.J. & Ken- ment and areas of environ- neth G. Silliman. Coastal mental concern: Proceed- planning: the designation ings of a symposium. $2.50 and management of areas of critical environmental con- UNC-SG-75-26-Rice, D. "Taking" by regu- cern.$2.00 lation and the North Caro- 0 ; 0lina Coastal Area Manage- 0 Reprint =96-- Schoenbaum, T., R.H. ment Act. $2.00 Rosenberg. The legal imple- mentation of coastal zone UNC-SG-75-29-Bellis, V., M.P. O'Connor management: The North and S.R. Riggs, Estuarine Carolina model. $1.00 shoreline erosion in the Albemarle-Pamlico region of North Carolina. $2.50 32 - -, >7J4' talc 4; 4 f '4 75burllngto>nlabs.7> Y� 4, Iicstateunivesity Iighic. 27607 -'4> 4> '4,'",.> >4��, "4'> "<>4.4-> A 4'> 4,, >4� 4' 4' ">4< "44> <> 4'> 4> '44 44, ( 7 4,4 ':4'- ""-4' 4> �>4>4'� 36668000012486