Frequently Asked Questions

Maintenance of drainage easements is the responsibility of the property owner.

No. Exceptions are made for minor encroachments such as driveways and utilities.

Floodplains are the flat or low areas adjacent to the channel of a river, stream, or watercourse, lake, or other body of standing water, which has been or may be covered by floodwater.

Floodplain certificates for a home mortgage can be obtained by contacting a professional land surveyor. Many mortgage companies rely on national certification companies to determine floodplain location.

Stream buffers are natural or vegetated areas through which stormwater runoff flows in a diffuse manner so that the runoff does not become channelized and which provides for infiltration of the runoff and filtering of pollutants.

Waters of the State include any stream, river, brook, swamp, lake, sound, tidal estuary, bay, creek, reservoir, waterway, or other body or accumulation of water. They can be surface or underground, public or private, natural or artificial. Finally, they must be contained in, flow through, or border upon any portion of this State (including any portion of the Atlantic Ocean over which the State has jurisdiction).  G.S. 143-212(6)

A stream is a body of concentrated flowing water in a natural low area or natural channel on the land surface (15A NCAC 02B .0610). There are three stream types: ephemeral, intermittent, and perennial.

Ephemeral streams are features that only carry stormwater in direct response to precipitation. They may have a well-defined channel, and they typically lack the biological, hydrological, and physical characteristics commonly associated with intermittent or continuous conveyances of water. These features are typically not regulated by NC DWR or the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.  

Intermittent streams have a well-defined channel that contains water for only part of the year (typically during winter and spring). The flow may be heavily supplemented by stormwater. When dry, they typically lack the biological and hydrological characteristics commonly associated with continuous conveyances of water. These features are regulated by NC DWR and typically regulated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.  

Perennial streams have a well-defined channel that contains water year-round during a year with normal rainfall. Groundwater is the primary source of water, but they also carry stormwater. They exhibit the typical biological, hydrological, and physical characteristics commonly associated with the continuous conveyance of water. These features are regulated by NC DWR and typically regulated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

A modified natural stream means the channelization or relocation of a stream. Consequently, the flow is relocated. They exhibit the typical biological, hydrological, and physical characteristics commonly associated with the continuous conveyance of water. These features are regulated by NC DWR and are typically regulated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 

A ditch or canal means a man-made channel other than a modified natural stream. They are constructed for drainage purposes and typically dug through inter-stream divide areas. They may exhibit hydrological and biological characteristics similar to streams. These features are typically not regulated by NC DWR or the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Division of Water Resources (DWR) determines the presence and location of waters of the State, including streams. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers determines waters of the U.S. Guilford County Watershed Protection and Stormwater Management staff determines compliance with Buffer Regulations.

“Blue-line stream” means that a stream appears as a broken or solid blue line (or a purple line) on a USGS topographic map. Streams do not have to be “blue-line” to be considered waters of the State.

No! While topographic maps and soil surveys may be helpful for some streams, a stream does not have to appear on a map to be regulated.

Watersheds are areas encompassed by nature’s boundaries in which the surface runoff flows to water supply reservoirs, by way of surface flow, streams, and creeks.

Water pollution hurts everybody. Sediment is one of the top three pollutants in the state. Reducing flooding problems is a by-product of water quality management.

To find out if your property is located within a watershed, please call Guilford County Planning and Development or view the watershed map.

To help determine the jurisdiction of a property, you may go to the Guilford County's GIS Data Viewer, search or zoom to the property of interest, and turn on the jurisdictional boundary map layers by clicking “Map Layers” in upper left corner of the GIS Data Viewer and checking the boxes for the “City Limits Boundaries” and “Extra Territorial Jurisdictions” layers. This will help you determine the appropriate community to contact for your questions.

Built-upon area is the portion of a property that is covered by impervious or partially impervious surface including buildings, pavement, gravel, and recreation facilities. To calculate built-upon area add the square footage of all surfaces covered by building, asphalt, gravel, concrete and divide by area of the tract of land.

Yes. Gravel is considered an impervious material.

Low-density expresses that development density or intensity that does not exceed certain limits established in the Water Supply Watershed Protection Rules. High-density development exceeds the limits, thereby requiring engineered stormwater controls in conformance with the requirements of the Water Supply Watershed Protection Rules.

Stormwater Control Measures (SCMs) are permanent structural devices that are designed, constructed, and maintained to remove pollutants from stormwater runoff.

Watershed Critical Areas cover the most sensitive portion of the watershed adjacent to a water supply intake or reservoir where risk associated with pollution is greatest. The General Watershed Area covers the remainder of the watershed draining to the reservoir or intake.

Tiers are areas within the Watershed Critical area. Their distance from normal pool elevation of a reservoir determines each of the four tiers. Each tier has its own development standards.