As water quality deteriorates in the Pages Creek watershed, improvements are planned

The New Hanover Soil and Water Conservation District will begin work toward implementing restorative green infrastructure in the Pages Creek watershed to help improve water quality. Over time, development around the creek has created poor water quality, high levels of pollution and contaminated stormwater runoff.

The watershed sits in the northeastern part of the county and includes the communities of Porters Neck, Bayshore and the northern half of Middle Sound Loop Road.

“This watershed has been identified … as being the most degraded in the county – most of it being fecal matter,” said Dru Harrison, New Hanover Soil and Water Conservation District director.

The restoration plan details that the water in the watershed flows into Pages Creek through tributaries, drainage ditches, and a variety of stormwater control measures. The water then flows directly into the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway.

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Along U.S. 17, the percentage of residential and commercial land use has increased throughout the past decade, leading to an increase in the volume of stormwater runoff generated throughout the watershed.

According to Harrison, the more than 5,000-acre Pages Creek is considered a shellfish harvesting body of water, though at least half of the creek is completely closed to shellfish harvesting due to the pollutants.

The restorative plan includes opportunities and projects to create green infrastructure around the watershed, including living shorelines and bioretention.

“These things work because they help infiltrate that stormwater into the ground and treat those pollutants naturally before they run into the creek,” Harrison said.

A living shoreline would also help reduce erosion and keep contaminants at bay. “Part of the issue with erosion is that with all of the sediment particles that end up in the water, any other pollutant found in the water clings to those sediment particles,” Harrison said.

Next steps for the plan include holding additional community and stakeholder meetings, researching grant opportunities, partnering with community partners and county departments on projects and continuing to keep the county commissioners informed as the plan progresses.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Pages Creek watershed faces water quality issues, improvements planned