Catawba-Yadkin Interbasin Transfer (NC)

The Southern Environmental Law Center is appealing the state’s decision to allow the transfer of 10 million gallons a day from the Catawba River system and another 10 million gallons a day from the Yadkin River.  The water would be diverted to the Rocky River basin to be used by the cities of Concord and Kannapolis, who requested the transfer, to fuel development in this growing area east of Charlotte for the next 30 years.

A Threat to the Ecosystem

Such massive transfers of water between distinct river basins can wreak ecological havoc in the river systems, including flooding, water shortages, deterioration of water quality and aquatic habitat, and threats to public drinking water supplies.  Unfortunately, the North Carolina Environmental Management Commission failed to fully account for these impacts in approving the Catawba-Yadkin inter-basin transfer.

SELC Takes Action

SELC is representing the Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation in an appeal filed in March 2007 with the state Office of Administrative Hearings.  Among our concerns are the commission’s approval of the water transfer despite numerous defects in the application review process, and failure to give citizens adequate time to review and comment on a series of revisions to the final environmental impact statement for the project. Furthermore, the transfer could prolong water shortages during periods of drought, fuel residential growth in the sensitive habitats of the lower Yadkin River, adversely affect water flow in the Catawba, and damage aquatic habitat in both rivers.  In addition, a coalition of 17 North Carolina and South Carolina local government entities in the Catawba basin filed a similar administrative appeal to stop the transfers. This appeal and SELC’s appeal were consolidated shortly after our filing in 2007.