. Coast watch. Marine resources; Oceanography; Coastal zone management; Coastal ecology. waters with high potential for clearing. Sampling is also stepped up for areas that are closed a few days following heavy rains. These waters are shut down because 2 or 3 inches of rain can wash high levels of bacteria and pathogens into the creeks. On the other hand, during a dry pe- riod, Shellfish Sanitation will test espe- cially productive waters in closed areas and open them for a short time. They are automatically closed again after one-half inch of rain. "When time permits, we check as many si
. Coast watch. Marine resources; Oceanography; Coastal zone management; Coastal ecology. waters with high potential for clearing. Sampling is also stepped up for areas that are closed a few days following heavy rains. These waters are shut down because 2 or 3 inches of rain can wash high levels of bacteria and pathogens into the creeks. On the other hand, during a dry pe- riod, Shellfish Sanitation will test espe- cially productive waters in closed areas and open them for a short time. They are automatically closed again after one-half inch of rain. "When time permits, we check as many sites as we can," Gilbert says. "The problem is it's usually dry everywhere. They're all call- ing, and we can only test so many sites. We try to alternate, pick an area with the most shell- fish ; Hewletts Creek appears to have a steady, nonpoint supply of the bacteria that closes shell- fish waters, and this is probably why it hasn't cleared enough to reopen, Gil- bert says. In other words, the problem is much broader than a single malfunctioning pump station. It starts miles inland at the far edge of the creek's watershed. Within this watershed boundary are two major malls and one of the fastest-growing areas in the county. In the immediate area of the creek, 22 devel- opments have been built since 1987, add- ing 745 housing units on 479 acres. "As development takes place, typi- cally the creeks are closed to shellfishing," says Patrick Lowe, assistant director of New Hanover County's Planning Depart- ment. "That's not to say that development in and of itself is the only source. As de- velopment takes place, there are changes in the physical parameters along the creeks that lead to ; Hewletts Creek — and others like it — are big sinks for the pollution that is swept from urban and residential develop- ment, marinas, dump sites, septic systems, agricultural fields and animal operations. Statewide, these nonpoint sources a
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