North Carolina Administrative Code
Title 15A - Environmental Quality
Chapter 02 - ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
Subchapter B - SURFACE WATER AND WETLAND STANDARDS
Section .0200 - CLASSIFICATIONS AND WATER QUALITY STANDARDS APPLICABLE TO SURFACE WATERS AND WETLANDS OF NORTH CAROLINA
Section 02B .0221 - TIDAL SALT WATER QUALITY STANDARDS FOR CLASS SA WATERS

(1) The best usage of waters classified as SA shall be shellfishing for market purposes and any other usage specified by the "SB" or "SC" classification;

(2) The best usage of waters classified as SA shall be maintained as specified in this Rule. In determining the safety or suitability of Class SA waters to be used for shellfishing for market purposes, the Commission shall consider the existing water quality of the area in relation to the standards to protect shellfishing uses, the potential contamination of the area from both point and nonpoint sources of pollution, and the presence of harvestable quantities of shellfish or the potential for the area to have harvestable quantities through management efforts of the Division of Marine Fisheries. Waters shall meet the current sanitary and bacteriological standards in 15A NCAC 18A .0400, which is hereby incorporated by reference, as adopted by the Commission for Public Health and shall be suitable for shellfish culture. Any source of water pollution that precludes any of these uses, on either a short-term or a long-term basis shall be deemed to violate a water quality standard. Waters shall not be classified SA without the written concurrence of the Division of Marine Fisheries.

(3) The following water quality standards shall apply to Class SA Waters: