Agriculture and the Neuse
River Basin

North Carolina Agriculture

Agriculture (including food, fiber, and forestry) is North Carolina’s most important industry. Total income from agribusiness contributed 23% of the state’s gross product ($46.4 billion) in 1996 and accounted for 22% of total state employment (770,000 people) (personal communication, Michael Walden, Department of Agricultural Economics, North Carolina State University and NC Cooperative Extension Service, Raleigh, NC). Ranked third in the nation for net farm income, North Carolina recorded income from the sale of crops and livestock, dairy, and poultry in 1996 at $3,404 million and $4,427 million, respectively (NC Department of Agriculture, 1997, p7).

North Carolina’s 57,000 farms, which cover 9 million acres, are located in all three of state’s major physiographic regions: Mountains, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain. Average farm size is 158 acres (NC Department of Agriculture, 1997).

The state’s agriculture is extremely diverse; North Carolina farmers raise livestock, dairy, and poultry (56.5% of total agricultural sales in 1996) as well as more than 25 major crops (43.5% of total 1996 agricultural sales) (NC Department of Agriculture, 1997, p3). In 1996, North Carolina led the nation in production of  sweet potatoes, harvesting 32.3% of the total U. S. crop (43.4 million pounds) (NC Department of Agriculture, 1997, p6).  The state was also ranked first in 1996 in production of total and flue-cured tobacco, contributing 38.6% (586 million pounds) and 63% (573 million pounds) of U. S. production, respectively (NC Department of Agriculture, 1997, p6). Other major crops include greenhouse/nursery plants (North Carolina was ranked 3rd in the U.S. in 1996, producing 8.2% of the nation’s crop), cotton, corn, soybeans, wheat, peanuts, apples, Irish potatoes, cucumbers, blueberries, strawberries, bell peppers, sweet corn, watermelons, tomatoes, snap beans, and cabbage (NC Department of Agriculture, 1997, p6). Acres harvested and 1996 value of these crops are shown in Table 1.

North Carolina is a major livestock producer, leading the nation in 1996 in turkey production (19.7% of U.S. total) and second only to Iowa in number of hogs on farms (17.4% of the national total) and hog cash receipts ($1,749 million, representing 13.8% of the U.S. receipts) (NC Department of Agriculture, 1997).  North Carolina farmers also produce large numbers of commercial broilers; the state was ranked 4th in the U.S. for 1996, contributing 9% of national production. Other livestock and animal products include cattle, calves, poultry and eggs, and milk products (NC Department of Agriculture, 1997) (see Table 2).
 

 Table 1: Major North Carolina crops in order of value (based on 1996 cash receipts) (adapted from NC Department of Agriculture, 1997, pp 28, 31, and website)
 

Table 2: Major North Carolina Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry Products - 1996
(adapted from NC Dept Agriculture, 1997, pp 60, 63, 64, 70, 72, 73, and website)
 

 
NEUSE RIVER BASIN CHARACTERSITICS

Physiography and Land Use

The Neuse River basin is the third largest river basin in North Carolina, encompassing 5,590 square miles (approximately 9% of the state) in 23 counties (Figure 2) (McMahon and Lloyd, 1995). The Neuse basin is one of only three major river basins whose boundaries are located entirely within the state (NC DEHNR, 1993).  The river originates in north central North Carolina, northwest of the city of Durham, and flows in a southeasterly direction approximately 200 miles past Raleigh, Smithfield, Goldsboro, Kinston, and New Bern to the tidal waters of the Pamlico Sound.  The basin contains 3,293 miles of freshwater streams, 328,700 acres classified as salt waters and thousands of acres of impoundments (NC DEHNR, 1993).
 

The upper reaches of the Neuse River watershed lie in Orange and Person Counties. The upper 22 miles of the river’s mainstem are impounded behind Falls Lake dam, a large multiple-use reservoir, located a few miles northeast of Raleigh. Once past the dam, the Neuse flows about 185 miles in a southeasterly direction until it reaches tidal waters near Streets Ferry, upstream of New Bern. Major tributaries of the Neuse include Crabtree Creek, Swift Creek, Little River, Contentnea Creek, and the Trent River. Below Street’s Ferry the river broadens dramatically and changes from a free-flowing river to a tidal estuary. (NC DEHNR, 1993)

The Neuse River basin is characterized by a patchwork of agricultural (35% of the basin) and forested land (34% of the basin) (NC DEHNR, 1993). Individual parcels of each land cover type tend to increase in size from northwest to southeast, resulting in a more complex and heterogeneous landscape pattern in the Piedmont region of the basin (upper basin) than in the Coastal Plain area (McMahon and Lloyd, 1995). In the lower portion of the Neuse basin, wetlands (12% of the basin) are prominent. Only a small part of the basin consists of developed land (5% of the basin) (McMahon and Lloyd, 1995; NC DEHNR, 1993).  Open water and scrub/barren land account for about 10% and 4%, respectively (NC DEHNR, 1993).

The Neuse River basin is comprised of four 8-digit hydrologic units (HUCs): Upper Neuse River, Middle Neuse River, Contentnea Creek, and Lower Neuse River (Table 3) (McMahon and Lloyd, 1995).  These drainage areas provide the framework for the following discussion of the physiography and agricultural landscape of the basin. Using digital mapped data from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) geographic information retrieval and analysis system (GIRAS), McMahon and Lloyd determined the proportion of five land cover categories for each of the four hydrologic units in the Neuse River basin(see Table 4).
 

Table 3: Neuse River basin hydrologic units (HUCs) (adapted from McMahon and Lloyd, 1995)
 

Table 4: Land use for hydrologic units in the Neuse River basin (from McMahon and Lloyd, 1995)
 
 
 

 Upper Neuse River

The upper portion of the Neuse basin (USGS HUC 03020201) is located in the Piedmont region beginning in the headwaters of the Neuse River and extending as far east as Goldsboro.. The upper basin includes most of Wake and Johnston Counties; parts of Durham, Granville, Orange, Person, and Wayne Counties; and minor portions of Duplin, Franklin, Harnett, Sampson, and Wilson Counties. This portion of the Neuse basin contains the highest percentage of both forest (53%) and developed land (9%) in the basin, as well as 36% agricultural land (see Table 4).

The Piedmont is characterized by highly erodible clay soils; rolling topography with broad ridges and sharply indented stream valleys; and low gradient streams composed of a series of sluggish pools separated by riffles and occasional small rapids. Stream floodplains are relatively narrow and mostly forested. There are no natural lakes in the region. Soils in the Piedmont are underlain by a fractured rock formation with limited water storage capacity which offers only a limited supply of ground water. (NC DEHNR, 1993)

The upper basin, encompassing much of the Raleigh-Durham area, is the most heavily populated and industrialized part of the basin and has the highest concentration of waste dischargers. Water needs are met primarily by man-made surface water impoundments. Many of the impoundments, including Falls Lake, Lake Wheeler, and Lake Crabtree, are also used for flood control, recreation, and fish and wildlife habitat. The Piedmont’s numerous millponds provided an important energy source for early industries. Despite the increasingly urban nature of the region, agricultural activity remains widespread, and forests occupy over one third of the Piedmont. (NC DEHNR, 1993)

Middle Neuse River

The middle portion of the basin (USGS HUC 03020202) lies primarily in the upper Coastal Plan region. Counties located in the middle basin include most of Lenoir County; parts of Craven, Wayne, and Pitt Counties; and minor areas of Beaufort, Greene, and Jones Counties (see Figure 2). The middle basin contains sizable amounts of both forested (44%) and agricultural land (38%) (see Table 4).

In contrast to the Piedmont, the Coastal Plain is characterized by flat terrain, “blackwater streams.” Low-lying swamplands, and productive estuarine areas. Streams, including the mainstem of the Neuse River, are much more meandering and slower-moving than those of the upper basin. Coastal Plain streams have lower banks and are often bordered by extensive swamps, bottomland hardwood forests, or marshes, particularly in the lower half of this region. Streams flowing through swamplands are naturally discolored by tannic acid from decomposing plant material and become tea colored; for this reason they are referred to as “blackwater.” The Coastal Plain is underlain by deep sands and shallow ground water is more abundant than in the Piedmont; as a result of the abundance of ground water, permeable soils, and flat terrain, there are few surface impoundments in this region. (NC DEHNR, 1993)

Forestry and agriculture are the primary land use activities in the Coastal Plain. Agriculture tends to be more concentrated in the upper half of the Coastal Plain above New Bern. Urban areas and relatively small and clustered around the cities of Smithfield, Wilson, Goldsboro, Kinston, and New Bern. The open waters of the Neuse estuary are used intensively for recreational boating and fishing, and for commercial fishing and shellfish harvesting. (NC DEHNR, 1993)

Contentnea Creek
 
The Contentnea Creek portion of the basin (USGS HUC 03020203) lies in the Piedmont and upper Coastal Plain. Counties encompassed by this hydrologic unit include most of Greene and Wilson Counties; parts of Nash, Pitt, and Wayne Counties; and minor portions of  Edgecombe, Franklin, Johnston, Lenoir, and Wake Counties (see Figure 2).

This part of the Neuse basin has the highest proportion (50%) of agricultural land of the four hydrologic units, as well as a high percentage of forested land (36%) (see Table 4).

Lower Neuse River

The lower basin (USGS HUC 03020204), which lies in Coastal Plain region, includes most of Jones County; part of Craven, Lenoir, and Pamlico Counties; and minor parts of  Carteret, Duplin, and Onslow Counties (see Figure 2).  This part of the basin contains the second highest percentage of forest land (48%) in the Neuse basin and has significantly less agricultural land (16%) than the three other areas of the basin (see Table 4). The lower basin contains more wetlands (15%) and water (16%) than the other Neuse basin HUCs.
 

Population and Growth Trends in the Neuse Basin

More than one million people live in the Neuse River basin (roughly 15% of the state’s population). Most of the population is concentrated in the upper basin. Areas of highest population growth include the urban areas in the upper basin and the lower basin near New Bern, Havelock, Minnesott Beach, and Oriental as well as Cherry Point Air Station. (NC DEHNR, 1993)
 

History of Water Quality Problems in the Basin

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the Neuse River and one of its major tributaries, Contentnea Creek, have the highest concentrations of total nitrogen and total phosphorus of any of the four major river basins (Chowan, Roanoke, Tar, and Neuse) draining into Pamlico and Albemarle Sounds (Spruill and Harned, 1997). The Neuse River carries the highest percentage of nitrogen (35%) and phosphorus (45%) transported by all four rivers to the sounds, even though the Neuse drains only about 20% of the contributing land area (Spruill and Harned, 1997).

Water quality has been an issue in the Neuse River basin for over a century.  In 1887, legislation was passed to “prevent the throwing of dead stock into the waters of the Neuse River and its tributaries.”  The State Stream Sanitation Act of 1951 required a statewide survey of all surface waters.  As a result of this legislation, the state completed the Neuse River Basin Survey Report in 1959.  The most notable findings were the poor quality of waters downstream of point dischargers. Coliform bacteria measurements of millions of organisms per 100 milliliters were not uncommon.  The average dissolved oxygen concentration at the Neuse River downstream of Walnut Creek was as low as 3.7 milligrams (mg) per liter (l). Over 260 sites were sampled during 1955 and 1956 and concentrations at a large number of these sites were unacceptable by today’s standards. (NC DENR, 1997)

Water quality improved with better regulations and technology for wastewater treatment and stream classifications with accompanying water quality standards.  However, eutrophication became a major concern during the 1970s.  The prevalence of algal blooms prompted a special investigation of the Neuse River between 1979 and 1981. Efforts were made to determine the extent of the problem, the limiting factors for phytoplankton growth, and appropriate management actions.  The North Carolina Division of Water Quality (DWQ) and university investigators concluded that preventing eutrophication in the freshwater portion of the Neuse River depended on reducing phosphorus and nitrogen. (NC DENR, 1997)

In 1983, the North Carolina Environmental Management Commission (EMC) classified the Falls Lake watershed as Nutrient Sensitive Waters (NSW).  As a result of this reclassification, all new and expanding facilities in the Falls Lake watershed received effluent limits of 2 mg/l total phosphorus and existing facilities (with design flow of 0.05 million gallons per day (MGD) or greater) were given until January of 1990 to comply with the 2 mg/l total phosphorus limitation.  In 1988, the EMC reclassified the entire Neuse River basin as NSW.  As part of the new classification, point source discharges with flows greater than 0.5 MGD and all new facilities were given total phosphorus limit of 2 mg/l. Facilities were also put on notice that more stringent controls might be required in the future.  In addition to these actions, a statewide phosphate detergent ban was implemented beginning in January of 1988.  The DWQ specified that nitrogen loading from nonpoint sources should be controlled through the state’s Agricultural Cost Share Program. (NC DENR, 1997)

In 1993, DWQ completed the first Basinwide Water Quality Management Plan for the Neuse River. The management plan recognized the reductions in total phosphorus loading that had been achieved as a result of the phosphate detergent ban and the improvements in wastewater treatment.  However, the plan recommended an accelerated schedule for reducing nitrogen runoff from nonpoint sources. (NC DENR, 1997)

During the summer and fall of 1995, extensive fish kills occurred in the Neuse River, primarily from New Bern to Minnesott Beach.  Millions of menhaden, as well as numerous flounder, croaker, and rock fish were killed. Water quality samples collected in the areas of the fish kills showed that the water was hypoxic (lacking oxygen) only one to two meters (m) below the surface.  The results also showed a prevalence of algal blooms.  Unusual meteorological conditions in 1995 were partly responsible for the fish kills; during June, record rainfalls delivered a tremendous load of nonpoint source nutrients into the Neuse River. (NC DENR, 1997)

Although environmental conditions in the Neuse River are driven by complex interactions between rainfall, flows, temperatures, biological factors, and chemistry, and, therefore, vary from year to year, the long history of problems with nutrient pollution and algal blooms provided solid evidence that immediate control measures were necessary (NC DENR, 1997).

In a nutrient mass balance study of the Albemarle-Pamlico drainage basin, McMahon and Woodside (1997) demonstrated that in many basins, including the Neuse, the amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus entering the system from agricultural sources (commercial fertilizer, animal waste, and nitrogen fixation) were much greater than the amounts leaving the system by crop harvest. These results indicate the potential benefits of more effective nitrogen management on agricultural land within the Neuse River basin.

In 1996, the EMC approved a draft conceptual Neuse River NSW strategy and public hearings were held.  The strategy was aimed at improving the water quality of the Neuse River estuary by reducing nutrient (especially nitrogen) loading by 30% within five years through point source requirements, an illegal discharge program requirement, two buffer requirement/agricultural best management practice (BMP) options, two urban stormwater options, and two nutrient management requirement options (NC DENR, 1997).

Proposed rules to support implementation of the Neuse River NSW Management Strategy were adopted by the EMC in 1997 and early 1998.  The rules provide for the establishment of the nutrient reduction goal: By the year 2001, the average annual load of nitrogen delivered to the Neuse River Estuary from point and nonpoint sources is to be reduced by a minimum of 30% of the average load for the period 1991 through 1995.
Nitrogen reduction will be achieved by:

• Protection and maintenance of riparian areas with existing forest vegetation: Areas adjacent to a body of water in the basin that contain existing forest vegetation must be preserved and maintained to accomplish sheet flow and maximum pollutant removal. At least 30 feet of streamside buffer containing forest vegetation (zone one) must be preserved, and an additional 20 feet of upland area (zone 2) must be maintained in dense ground cover. Activities allowable in each zone are specified. (A temporary riparian rule was adopted by the EMC in 1997 and is currently in effect.)
• Reduction in wastewater discharges: In five years, the collective total nitrogen load for all individually permitted wastewater dischargers in the basin can be no more than 2.8 million pounds per year (this represents a 30% reduction of 1995 nitrogen loadings).
• Urban stormwater management: Ten municipalities and five counties in the Neuse basin must develop, adopt, and implement stormwater management programs approved by the EMC.
• Agricultural nitrogen loading reduction: Within five years, all agricultural operators in the Neuse basin, including all livestock and poultry operations of any size, must collectively reduce total nitrogen loading 30% from 1991-1995 average loadings. To accomplish reductions, agricultural operators may complete a specified sign-up process and participate in a collective local strategy or individually implement BMPs specified in the rules, including forested riparian buffers, water control structures, and nutrient management plans.
• Nutrient management: Anyone who in a calendar year applies fertilizer to over 50 acres of cropland; golf courses, recreational land, right-of-ways or other turfgrass areas; or lawns and gardens must undergo training and obtain a certificate or be able to produce documentation within 24 hours that their application practices being used to comply with nutrient management standards adopted by federal and state agencies.
• Nutrient offset payments:  Nutrient offset payments made as part of fulfilling requirements of the Neuse River NSW Management Strategy will be paid to the North Carolina Wetland Restoration Fund and will be used for restoration of wetlands and riparian areas within the Neuse River basin.

All of the above rules will become effective on August 1, 1998, pending approval by the North Carolina General Assembly.

It should be noted that in addition to the nutrient problems discussed above, sediment is also a major water pollutant in the Neuse basin, as in other parts of the state. For example, clean tillage of tobacco results in losses of an average of 12 tons of sediment, and associated phosphorus, per acre per year (personal communication, Bill Lord, NC Cooperative Extension Service, Louisburg, NC).  Conservation tillage is a practice that is sorely lacking, particularly in the upper portion of the basin (personal communication, Bill Lord).
 

Crop Production in the Neuse Basin

The primary crops grown in the Neuse River basin are tobacco, corn for grain, soybeans, wheat, cotton, peanuts, barley, corn for silage, hay, sweet potatoes, Irish potatoes, sorghum, and oats (see Tables 5 and 7). Livestock produced include broilers, hogs and pigs, turkeys, chickens, and cattle (see Tables 6 and 8).

Table 5:  Crop production in the four Neuse River Basin HUCs and the counties within them (based on proportion of each county located in each HUC) (methods described in McMahon and Lloyd, 1995) (1996 crop data (acres planted or harvested) from NC Department of Agriculture, 1997)
 
 

 
Table 6: Livestock production in the four Neuse River Basin HUCs and the counties within them (based on % of each county located in each HUC) (methods described in McMahon and Lloyd, 1995) (1996 livestock data from NC Department of Agriculture, 1997)
 
 

Table 6: Livestock production in the four Neuse River Basin HUCs and the counties within them (based on % of each county located in each HUC) (continued)
 

 
Table 7: Crop summary table for the entire Neuse River Basin and the four HUCs (methods described in McMahon and Lloyd, 1995) (1996 livestock data from NC Department of Agriculture, 1997)
 
 

Key:   ac = acres
 ag = agricultural
 harv = harvested
HUC = USGS hydrologic unit code
plant = planted
 
 
 

 Table 8: Livestock summary table for the entire Neuse River Basin and the four HUCs for
(methods described in McMahon and Lloyd, 1995) (1996 livestock data from NC Department of Agriculture, 1997)
 

Key:  ag = agricultural
         HUC = USGS hydrologic unit code
          no.  = number
 

Of the eight counties whose land area lies primarily within the Neuse River basin (Craven, Greene, Johnston, Jones, Lenoir, Wake, Wayne, and Wilson), three were ranked in the top ten counties in the state in 1995 farm cash receipts for crops (Johnston, Wayne, and Wilson) (see Table 9). Wayne Country is also ranked in the top ten North Carolina counties for 1995 cash receipts for livestock, dairy, and poultry (see Table 9).
 

Table 9: Counties Located Primarily in the Neuse River Basin that Ranked in the Top Ten for the State for Cash Receipts from Total Crops or Livestock in 1995 (adapted from NC Department of Agriculture, 1997)
 

Of the top ten counties in the state for number of hogs and pigs, four (Wayne, Greene, Lenoir, and Jones) lie in the Neuse River basin, as do three of the top ten turkey raising counties (Wayne,  Lenoir, and Greene) (NC Department of Agriculture, 1997). Wayne County was also ranked in the top ten producers of broilers statewide in 1996.

Thus the impacts of agricultural land uses, both crop and livestock production, on water resources in the Neuse River basin are significant. The agricultural practices associated with these agricultural activities significantly affect water quality. Amounts and types of fertilizers and pesticides used vary significantly depending on crop type. Tillage practices affect the amount of sediment transported from agricultural fields to surface waters. The areal and temporal distribution of different crops, therefore, affect how much and which types of nutrients and pesticides enter surface and ground waters in agricultural areas.

The following sections describe crop production, crop rotations, and nitrogen management practices in each of the four hydrologic units comprising the Neuse River basin.
 

Upper Neuse River

Crop and Livestock Production

Counties covering the majority of the area within the Upper Neuse River basin (USGS HUC 03020201) are Wake and Johnston Counties and parts of Durham, Granville, Orange, Person, and Wayne Counties (see Figure 2). Minor portions of Franklin, Harnett, Sampson, and Wilson Counties also lie in this portion of the basin.

The upper portion of the Neuse basin encompasses the state’s number one county for crop production in 1996, Johnston County (ranked 2nd in tobacco, 3rd in soybeans and sweet potatoes, and 7th in oats), as well as part of Wayne County, which was ranked 10th in the state for total crop production (ranked 4th in soybeans, 6th in sweet potatoes and corn, 7th in wheat, and 8th in tobacco) (NC Department of Agriculture, 1977). In addition to the crops mentioned above (soybeans, tobacco, corn for grain, wheat, sweet potatoes, and oats), upper basin farmers also grow corn for silage, hay, barley, and sorghum.  Table 7 presents a summary of crop production in the upper Neuse basin. Crops grown by county (based on the land area of each county in the each HUC) are shown in Table 5.

A variety of animals are raised in the upper Neuse basin, including hogs (Wayne County is ranked 4th in the state), turkeys (Wayne, 4th), broilers (Wayne, 9th), milk cows (Orange County, 10th), beef cows, cattle, and chickens.  Summary data for livestock production and county data (based on land area in the HUC) are shown in Tables 7 and 6, respectively.

Crop Rotations

The driving force in crop rotation in the upper Neuse basin is flue-cured tobacco. Rotations used for tobacco vary a great deal from farm to farm. In Johnston, Franklin, and Wilson Counties, a two-year rotation of tobacco and winter wheat, double-cropped with soybeans is used. Tobacco is also rotated with either soybeans or wheat, with no double crop; less common is a two- or three-year rotation of tobacco with fescue. Corn is not commonly used in rotation with tobacco in these counties. (personal communication, Bill Lord, NC Cooperative Extension Service, Louisburg, NC).

In Wayne County, most farmers rotate tobacco over three years. Typical three-year tobacco rotations include corn/soybeans/tobacco; tobacco and cotton (two years); tobacco and wheat/soybeans double cropped; and corn/cotton/tobacco (personal communication, Bob Pleasants, NC Cooperative Extension Service, Goldsboro, NC).

Much of the cotton crop is not rotated, but rather is grown in continuous culture (personal communication, Bob Pleasants).

Practices Used for Nitrogen Management

Effective nutrient management is significantly lacking in the upper basin. In Johnston, Wilson, and Franklin Counties, over-fertilization of tobacco crops is very common. Recommended application rates of no greater than 80 pounds per acre are routinely exceeded by up to 40 pounds per acre (personal communication, Bill Lord, NC Cooperative Extension Service, Louisburg, NC, March 1998).  In Wayne County, while the timing of nitrogen fertilization on corn is generally well managed, over-fertilization is a problem, often resulting from unrealistic yield expectations (personal communication, Bob Pleasants). Farmers in Wayne County are doing a good job with fertilization rates and timing for cotton, although there may be a need for greater use of split applications (personal communication, Bob Pleasants). Nutrient management is very poor on wheat fields, with improvement needed on timing, fall fertilization, and spring fertilization. (personal communication, Bill Lord, NC Cooperative Extension Service, Louisburg.

Animal waste is typically applied to hay crops in Johnston, Wilson, and Franklin Counties (personal communication, Bill Lord, NC Cooperative Extension Service, Louisburg, NC) and to crops (corn, wheat, and soybeans) in Wayne County (personal communication, Bob Pleasants).  Many waste application systems are older and lack precision; there is a real need for precision applications (personal communication, Bill Lord, NC Cooperative Extension Service, Louisburg, NC).  In Wayne County, swine waste is being used for fertilization more efficiently than poultry litter. The latter is being over-applied rather than applied at agronomic rates based on soil and litter testing (personal communication, Bob Pleasants).

In Johnston, Wilson, and Franklin Counties, the most significant problem related to animal waste in the upper basin is the impact of cattle in streams and ponds; there is real need for restriction of access of animals from creeks and streams (personal communication, Bill Lord, NC Cooperative Extension Service, Louisburg, NC).

While most streams in some counties, such as Johnston, are assumed to be bordered by riparian buffers, the knowledge base on which this assumption is made is weak to non-existent (personal communication, Bill Lord, NC Cooperative Extension Service, Louisburg, NC). A significant number of riparian buffers will need to be put in along streams and ditches bordered by agricultural fields in Wayne County in order to comply with the temporary riparian buffer rule adopted by the EMC in 1997(personal communication, Bob Pleasants). These buffers will typically be 30 feet wide and used in combination with nutrient management (personal communication, Bob Pleasants). In Johnston County and other nearby counties, many existing buffers are not as effective as they should be because grassed waterways tend to send concentrated flow to buffers or directly to streams. These waterways are commonly dug to one to two feet below grade, into the B horizon of the soil, resulting in concentrated flow (personal communication, Bill Lord, NC Cooperative Extension Service, Louisburg, NC).
 

Middle Neuse River

Crop and Livestock Production

The Middle Neuse River hydrologic unit (USGS HUC 03020202) contains most of Lenoir County and significant  parts of Craven, Wayne, Pitt Counties (see Figure 2). Minor portions of Beaufort, Greene, and Jones Counties also lie in this HUC.

As mentioned above, Wayne County, part of which also lies in  the upper basin and Contentnea Creek HUCs, was ranked 4th and 10th for  1996 livestock and crop production, respectively (NC Department of Agriculture, 1997). Pitt County, part of which lies in this portion of the basin, was ranked 7th in the state for crop production in 1996 (NC Department of Agriculture, 1997). Tobacco, corn for grain, soybeans, wheat, hay, cotton, peanuts, and sweet potatoes are the major crops produced in this area of the basin (see Table 7 for summary data by HUC and Table 5 for county data (based on land area of each county in the HUC)).

A variety of animals are raised in the middle basin, including hogs (Wayne County is ranked 4th in the state; Lenoir, 7th; Pitt, ranked 9th), turkeys (Wayne, ranked 4th; Lenoir, ranked 6th), broilers (Wayne, ranked 9th), chickens (Pitt, ranked 7th), beef cows, and cattle.  Summary data for livestock production in the middle basin and data by county within it are presented in Tables 7 and 6, respectively.

Crop Rotations

In Lenoir and Craven Counties, tobacco is grown on several different two-year rotations. A small grain, such as wheat, may be planted after tobacco and then double cropped with soybeans.  Tobacco is also grown in rotation with corn (personal communication, David Hardy, NC Cooperative Extension Service, ?location, NC). As discussed above under crop production in the upper basin, Wayne County farmers generally rotate tobacco over three years. Variations include corn/soybeans/tobacco; tobacco and cotton; tobacco/wheat/soybeans; and corn/cotton/tobacco (personal communication, Bob Pleasants).

On land not suitable for tobacco, a two-year rotation of corn/small grain/soybean rotation may be used (personal communication, Bob Pleasants).

Very little cotton is rotated in the lower basin; more than 80% is grown continuously (personal communications, Bob Pleasants and David Hardy). When rotations are used, the most common is a two-year cotton/wheat/soybean rotation with wheat planted in November after the cotton is harvested and soybeans grown during the second year. Less common is a two-year rotation of cotton and corn (personal communication, David Hardy).

Practices Used for Nitrogen Management

Effective nutrient management is a major need in the middle portion of the Neuse basin. As already discussed above, in Wayne County over-fertilization of corn often occurs due to unrealistic yield expectations and tobacco is sometimes over-fertilized (personal communication, Bob Pleasants). Split applications may be needed for cotton (personal communication, Bob Pleasants).

In Lenoir and Craven Counties, farmers generally establish and use a standard fertilization program for most crops; however, they may adjust nitrogen rates based on soil type for tobacco and cotton, crops that are more sensitive to nitrogen in terms of quality and maturity and, for cotton, pest control. Overall, farmers are not fully reaping either the environmental and economic benefits that could be gained from effective nutrient management (personal communication, David Hardy).

Animal waste, both hog waste and dry poultry litter, is applied primarily on hybrid Bermuda grass (pastures and hayfields), which may be over-seeded with small grains and rye so farmers can continue applying waste when the grass is dormant (personal communication, Mike Regans, NC Cooperative Extension Service, Snow Hill, NC). Waste is also applied on corn, small grains, and soybeans (personal communication, Mike Regans, NC Cooperative Extension Service, Snow Hill, NC). Swine waste tends to be used more efficiently than poultry litter (personal communication, Bob Pleasants). Applications at agronomic rates, proper timing, and proper calibration of equipment are all areas in which Extension agents are working with farmers  (personal communication, Mike Regans, NC Cooperative Extension Service, Snow Hill, NC).

Riparian buffers will be required along many streams and ditches bordered by agricultural fields in Wayne County in order to comply with the temporary rule adopted by the EMC. These buffers will typically be 30 feet wide and will used in combination with nutrient management (personal communication, Bob Pleasants).

Controlled drainage is not extensively used in Wayne County(personal communication, Bob Pleasants).

Contentnea Creek

Crop and Livestock Production

The primary counties located in the Contentnea Creek hydrologic unit (USGS HUC 03020203) are Greene and Wilson and parts of Nash, Pitt, and Wayne (see Figure 2).  Minor portions of Wake, Franklin, Johnston, Edgecombe, and Lenoir also lie in this part of the basin.

More crops and livestock are produced in the Contentnea Creek HUC than in the three other hydrologic units within the Neuse basin (see Table 4). Wilson was ranked second in the state for production of all crops in 1996, while Wayne County was ranked 4th  and 10th for  livestock and crop production, respectively (NC Department of Agriculture, 1997).  Major crops grown in the Contentnea Creek HUC include tobacco, corn for grain, soybeans, wheat, peanuts, sweet potatoes, cotton, and hay (see Table 7 for summary data by HUC and Table 5 for county data).

Large numbers of hogs, turkeys, broilers, and chickens are raised in the counties comprising the Contentnea Creek HUC. Wayne County is ranked 4th in the state for hog production, Greene, 6th, and Pitt, 9th. Wayne and Greene Counties are ranked 4th and 9th, respectively, for turkeys raised. Wayne also ranks 9th in the state for broilers and Nash and Pitt Counties both rank in the top ten counties in North Carolina for production of chickens (2nd and 7th, respectively). Summary data for livestock production in the Contentnea Creek HUC and county data are shown in Tables 7 and 6, respectively.

Crop Rotations

Rotations used for tobacco vary a great deal from farm to farm. A two- or three-year rotation of tobacco and winter wheat double-cropped with soybeans is common (personal communications, Bob Pleasants; Bill Lord, NC Cooperative Extension Service, Louisburg, NC; and Louie Johnson, NC Cooperative Extension Service, Snow Hill, NC). Tobacco is also rotated with either soybeans or wheat, with no double crop; tobacco is also less commonly rotated over two or three years with fescue (personal communication, Bill Lord).  About half of Greene County’s farmers rotate tobacco with cotton on either a two- or a three-year rotation (personal communication, Louie Johnson). A two-year cotton/tobacco rotation is also used in Wayne County (personal communication, Bob Pleasants) Corn is not commonly used in rotation with tobacco, although some farmers in Greene County use a three-year, or even four-year, corn/tobacco/wheat/soybean rotation (personal communications, Bill Lord and Louie Johnson). Sweet potatoes are also rotated with tobacco, wheat, and/or soybeans over a four-year period (personal communication, Louie Johnson). Wayne County farmers sometimes use a corn/cotton/tobacco (personal communication, Bob Pleasants).

Much of the Wayne County cotton crop is grown in continuous culture (personal communication, Bob Pleasants). Greene County farmers grow some cotton continuously in addition to growing this crop in the cotton/tobacco rotation mentioned above (personal communication, Louie Johnson).

Practices Used for Nitrogen Management

Effective nutrient management is a major need in the middle portion of the Neuse basin. Over-fertilization of numerous crops is common and fertilization would be improved by basing nitrogen rates on crop and soil type (personal communications, Bob Pleasants and Louie Johnson).

There is little use of controlled drainage in Greene County (personal communication, Louie Johnson).

Lower Neuse River

Crop and Livestock Production

Jones County has the largest land area in the lower Neuse basin (USGS HUC 03020204) (see Figure 2). Parts of Craven, Lenoir, and Pamlico Counties also lie in the lower basin, as do minor parts of Beaufort,  Carteret, Duplin, and Onslow Counties.

Crops, rather than livestock, are the major focus of farms in the lower basin. Primary crops include tobacco, corn, soybeans, cotton, wheat, Irish potatoes, and hay. Table 7 presents a summary of crop production by HUC. Data by county (based on the percentage of each county in the HUC) are shown in Table 5.

Although livestock production is less intense in the lower basin than in other basin, Lenoir and Jones Counties both ranked among the state’s top ten producers of hogs in 1996 (Lenoir, 7th; Jones, 8th) and Lenoir ranked 6th in turkeys raised (NC Department of Agriculture, 1997). Broilers, cattle, chickens, and turkeys are also produced. Summary data by HUC for livestock production and county data are shown in Tables 7 and 6, respectively.

Crop Rotations

Tobacco is grown in several different two-year rotation scenarios. One typical rotation is tobacco and a small grain (such as wheat), double cropped with soybeans.  Tobacco is also grown in rotation with corn.  On land not suitable for tobacco, a two-year rotation of corn/small grain/soybeans may be used. More than 80% of lower basin cotton grown is grown continuously. When rotations are used, the most common is a two-year cotton/wheat/soybean rotation; less common is a two-year rotation of cotton and corn. (personal communication, David Hardy)

Practices Used for Nitrogen Management

Controlled drainage is used extensively in Pamlico County and on one very large farm in Carteret County (Open Grounds Farm); this practice is also used on smaller acreages in Jones and Craven Counties (personal communication, David Hardy). While the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service has published general water table management guidelines to promote water quality and optimum crop yields (see Gilliam et al., 1997, page 23), optimal management of controlled drainage systems is often lacking (personal communication, David Hardy).

Although there are some existing riparian buffers in the lower basin that have not been disturbed, none have been planted in the past few years. Riparian buffers have not traditionally been found along drainage ditches in the lower basin (personal communication, David Hardy).

Although nutrient management may be loosely practiced by some farmers, most farmers in the lower basin do not really consider crop and soil type when deciding on fertilizer amounts. They will, however, use soil type to adjust nitrogen rates for tobacco and cotton. Nutrient management could be used more effectively in this portion of the basin to achieve both economic and environmental benefits (personal communication, David Hardy).

 REFERENCES

Gilliam, J.W., D.L. Osmond, and R.O. Evans. 1997. Selected Agricultural Best Management Practices to Control Nitrogen in the Neuse River Basin. North Carolina Agricultural Research Service Technical Bulletin 311, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC.

McMahon, G. and O. Lloyd. 1995. Water-Quality Assessment of the Albemarle-Pamlico Drainage Basin, North Carolina and Virginia – Environmental Setting and Water-Quality Issues. U.S. Geological Survey, Raleigh, NC. U.S. Geological Survey Open File Report 95-136.

McMahon, G. and M.D. Woodside. 1997. Nutrient mass balance for the Albemarle-Pamlico drainage basin, North Carolina and Virginia, 1990, Journal of the American Water Resources Association 33(3):573-589.

NC Department of Agriculture. 1997. North Carolina Agricultural Statistics. North Carolina Department of Agriculture, North Carolina Agricultural Statistics, Raleigh, NC.

NC DEHNR. 1993. Neuse River Basinwide Water Quality Management Plan. North Carolina Department of Environment, Health and Natural Resources, Division of Environmental Management, Water Quality Section, Raleigh, NC.

NC DENR. 1997. Report of Proceedings on the Proposed Neuse River Basin Nutrient Sensitive Waters (NSW) Management Strategy. North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural resources, Raleigh, NC.

Spruill, T. and D. Harned. 1997. Sources and nutrient dynamics of the Neuse River and implications for management, In: Conference Proceedings - Nutrients in the Neuse River: Working Toward Solutions, held December 8-9, 1997, in New Bern, North Carolina. North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC.