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Home / SAD Regulatory / North Carolina

North Carolina

The Wilmington District Regulatory Division is committed to protecting North Carolina’s aquatic resources and navigable waters across its 100 counties through a dynamic, transparent, and timely permitting program. Our interdisciplinary team delivers balanced decisions, fosters public trust, and upholds the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ mission to safeguard waters of the United States, including wetlands, while providing exceptional public service.

Permitting

  • Wilmington District Regional General Permits: The Wilmington District maintains 16 Regional General Permits for activities occurring in Waters of the United States in North Carolina. View Permits
  • Wilmington District Nationwide Permit Regional Conditions: The Wilmington District has issued regional conditions that apply to activities authorized by Nationwide Permits in North Carolina. View Conditions

North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) Funding Agreement

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Wilmington District, currently receives and utilizes funds from the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) to help expedite the review of Department of the Army (DA) permit applications for transportation projects. This arrangement is authorized under Section 214 of the Water Resources Development Act of 2000, as amended by the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014. View Agreement

Western North Carolina Trout Watersheds

Many watersheds in Western North Carolina are subject to special conditions due to the presence of waters that contain trout habitat.

For Regional General Permits (RGPs) and Nationwide Permits (NWPs), permittees must:

  1. Obtain written approval from the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission and submit a copy to the Wilmington District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, before discharging dredged or fill material into waters of the United States within any of the 294 designated trout watersheds in North Carolina.
  2. Submit a Pre-Construction Notification (PCN) to the district engineer before initiating any discharge into these waters, unless alternative thresholds are specified in the applicable Regional Conditions.

Counties entirely within designated trout watersheds: Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga

Counties partially within designated trout watersheds (see maps): Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Cherokee, Clay, Henderson, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Surry, Wilkes, Yancey

View Watershed Maps

Endangered Species and Critical Habitat

The Endangered Species Act (ESA) protects federally listed species and their critical habitats. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ensures compliance through its permit programs. Section 7 of the ESA directs all federal agencies to use their existing authorities to conserve threatened and endangered species.

Programmatic Biological Opinions (PBOs)

A Programmatic Biological Opinion (PBO) is a document issued under the ESA that evaluates the potential effects of a broad or recurring federal action. These opinions streamline environmental compliance for multiple similar activities.

Standard Local Operating Procedures for Endangered Species (SLOPES)

SLOPES are agreements that streamline ESA Section 7 consultations for routine activities. They define procedures and criteria for quick evaluations without separate consultations.

Online Resources

IPaC Planning Tool – Provides project site screening for species and habitat proximity.

Geospatial (GIS) Data Resources

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Wilmington District

State: North Carolina

Mission Statement: The Wilmington District Regulatory Division is committed to protecting North Carolina’s aquatic resources and navigable waters across its 100 counties through a dynamic, transparent, and timely permitting program. Our interdisciplinary team delivers balanced decisions, fosters public trust, and upholds the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ mission to safeguard waters of the United States, including wetlands, while providing exceptional public service.

Permitting

  • Wilmington District Regional General Permits: The Wilmington District maintains 16 Regional General Permits for activities occurring in Waters of the United States in North Carolina.
    View Regional General Permits
  • Wilmington District Nationwide Permit Regional Conditions: The Wilmington District has issued regional conditions that apply to activities authorized by Nationwide Permits in North Carolina.
    View Nationwide Permit Regional Conditions

North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) Funding Agreement

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Wilmington District, currently receives and utilizes funds from the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) to help expedite the review of Department of the Army (DA) permit applications for transportation projects. This arrangement is authorized under Section 214 of the Water Resources Development Act of 2000, as amended by the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014.

Read the NCDOT Section 214 Agreement

Western North Carolina Trout Watersheds

Many watersheds in Western North Carolina are subject to special conditions due to the presence of waters that contain trout habitat.

  1. Obtain written approval from the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission and submit a copy to the Wilmington District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, before discharging dredged or fill material into waters of the United States within any of the 294 designated trout watersheds in North Carolina.
  2. Submit a Pre-Construction Notification (PCN) to the district engineer before initiating any discharge into these waters, unless alternative thresholds are specified in the applicable Regional Conditions.

Entirely within designated trout watersheds: Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Swain, Transylvania, and Watauga

Partially within designated trout watersheds: Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Cherokee, Clay, Henderson, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Surry, Wilkes, and Yancey

View Trout Watershed Maps

Endangered Species and Critical Habitat

Programmatic Biological Opinions (PBOs)

A Programmatic Biological Opinion (PBO) is a document issued under the Endangered Species Act that evaluates the potential effects of a broad or recurring federal action—such as a long-term plan or a group of similar projects—on federally listed species and their critical habitats. For the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), PBOs provide a streamlined approach to environmental compliance by covering multiple future actions under one biological opinion. This allows the USACE to implement routine activities, like maintenance or permitting, more efficiently while still ensuring protection of threatened and endangered species. Below are the Programmatic Biological Opinions currently available for use in North Carolina.

Standard Local Operating Procedures for Endangered Species (SLOPES)

Standard Local Operating Procedures for Endangered Species (SLOPES) are agreements developed between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to streamline the Endangered Species Act Section 7 consultation process for certain types of activities that are not likely to adversely affect listed species or their habitats. SLOPES outline standardized procedures and criteria for evaluating permit applications, enabling USACE to quickly determine whether an activity qualifies for expedited review without requiring separate consultation for each individual project.

Geospatial (GIS) Data Resources

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