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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 109 / Wednesday, June 9, 2021 / Rules and Regulations
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TABLE 5CRITICAL HABITAT UNITS FOR THE CAROLINA MADTOMContinued Critical habitat unit
Occupied at the time of listing
Riparian ownership
Length of unit in river miles kilometers
Unit 7. TR1Trent River

No

Private

15 24

Total

257 414

Note: Area sizes may not sum due to rounding.

We present brief descriptions of all units, and reasons why they meet the definition of critical habitat for the Carolina madtom, below.

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Tar Population Unit 1: TAR1Upper Tar River Unit 1 consists of 26 mi 42 km of the Upper Tar River, from the confluence with Sand Creek to the confluence with Sycamore Creek, in Granville, Vance, and Franklin Counties. Unit 1 is occupied by the species and contains all of the physical or biological features essential to the conservation of the species. The riparian land adjacent to the river is entirely privately owned.
Special management considerations or protection may be required within this unit to address a variety of threats.
Excessive amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus run off the land, or are discharged, into the waters, causing excessive growth of vegetation and leading to extremely low levels of dissolved oxygen. Based on 2014 data, seven stream reaches totaling approximately 38 miles 61.1 km are impaired as identified on the States Clean Water Act section 303d list in this basin. Indicators of impairment are low dissolved oxygen and low benthicmacroinvertebrate assessment scores, and the entire basin is classified as Nutrient Sensitive Waters NCDEQ
2016, pp. 115117. There are 102 nonmajor NPDES discharges, including several package wastewater treatment plants WWTPs and biosolids facilities, and 3 major NPDES discharges Oxford WWTP, Louisburg WWTP, and Franklin County WWTP in this unit; with expansion of these facilities, or addition of new wastewater discharges, an additional threat to habitat exists in this unit. Special management focused on agricultural and forestry BMPs, implementing highest levels of wastewater treatment practicable, maintenance of forested buffers, and connection of protected riparian corridors will benefit habitat for the species in this unit.
Unit 2: TAR2Sandy/Swift Creek Unit 2 consists of 66 mi 106 km of Sandy and Swift Creeks, located
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downstream from NC561 to the confluence with the Tar River, in Edgecombe, Vance, Warren, Halifax, Franklin, and Nash Counties. This unit is occupied and contains all of the physical or biological features essential to the conservation of the species. The riparian land adjacent to this unit is predominantly privately owned 96
percent, with some conservation parcels 2 percent and State Game Lands 2 percent.
Special management considerations or protection may be required within this unit to address a variety of threats.
Excessive amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus run off the land, or are discharged, into the waters, causing excessive growth of vegetation and leading to extremely low levels of dissolved oxygen; one stream reach totaling approximately 5 miles 8 km is impaired in this unit. Special management focused on agricultural and forestry BMPs, maintenance of forested buffers, and connection of protected riparian corridors will benefit habitat for the species in this unit.
Unit 3: TAR3Fishing Creek Subbasin Unit 3 consists of approximately 86
mi 138 km, including Fishing Creek from the confluence with Hogpen Branch to the confluence with the Tar River, and Little Fishing Creek from Medoc Mountain Road SR1002 to the confluence with Fishing Creek, located in Edgecombe, Warren, Halifax, Franklin, and Nash Counties. This unit is occupied by the species and contains all of the physical or biological features essential to the conservation of the species. The riparian land adjacent to the unit is divided between privately owned parcels 89 percent, State Game Lands and State Park land 5 percent, and conservation parcels 6 percent.
Special management considerations or protection may be required within this unit to address a variety of threats.
Excessive amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus run off the land, or are discharged, into the waters, causing excessive growth of vegetation and leading to extremely low levels of dissolved oxygen. Special management focused on agricultural and forestry
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BMPs, maintenance of forested buffers, and connection of protected riparian corridors will benefit habitat for the species in this unit.
Neuse River Population Unit 4: NR1Upper Neuse River Subbasin Eno River Unit 4 consists of approximately 20
mi 32 km of the Upper Neuse River extending from Eno River State Park downstream of NC70 to the confluence with Cabin Creek near Falls Lake impoundment, located in Orange and Durham Counties. This unit is not occupied by the species.
There is one historical record of Carolina madtoms in this unit from 1961, but follow-up surveys in 2011
were not able to find any individuals.
Although it is unoccupied, it does contain all of the physical or biological features essential for the conservation of the species. This unit is itself essential for the conservation of the species because it will provide for population expansion through propagation and reintroduction efforts, and will provide for resiliency in portions of known historical habitat that is necessary to increase the viability resiliency, redundancy, and representation of the species. Riparian land adjacent to the unit is almost entirely 79 percent within State Park Lands, local government conservation parcels, and State Game Lands.
Unit 5: NR2Little River Unit 5 consists of 28 mi 45 km of the Upper and Lower Little River from NC42 to Johnston/Wayne County line, located in Johnston County. This unit is occupied and contains all of the physical or biological features essential for the conservation of the species. The riparian land adjacent to the unit is predominantly privately owned 99
percent with some 1 percent State Conservation ownership.
Special management considerations or protection may be required within this unit to address a variety of threats.
Four stream reaches totaling approximately 17 miles are impaired in the Little River. The designation of impairment is based primarily on low
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