Muddy Water Watch
Be a Muddy Water Monitor
Construction sites are required by law to control sediment runoff, and right now, that law needs defenders. The current EPA is facing deep proposed budget cuts to enforcement, meaning fewer federal eyes on polluters. Local monitoring has never mattered more.
According to a 2023 EPA report, construction site sediment runoff is 10 to 20 times greater than runoff from agricultural land. As rapid development continues across our watershed, that sediment is ending up in the Haw and its tributaries, carrying debris, chemicals, and bacteria harmful to people and aquatic life. In North Carolina, water quality standards are state rules that protect lakes, rivers, and streams based on their designated best uses. When construction runoff goes unchecked, it threatens those protections for everyone downstream.
Haw River Assembly volunteers are trained to monitor local construction sites, evaluate potential violations, and can report sediment and erosion control failures directly to county and state sedimentation officials using the free Muddy Water Watch app.
Through our Muddy Water Watch training, you'll learn to identify sediment pollution, spot failed erosion controls, and make a real impact on water quality in your neighborhood.
Training Schedule
Training programs will be held in order of public interest. We are happy to train individuals and groups if you are interested in the following counties; Alamance, Guilford, Wake, Durham, Orange, Chatham, and Rockingham. If you are interested in participating in the project, please contact emily@hawriver.org.
For Volunteers
Muddy Water Watch App: Find the app, instructions, and reviews here.
NC Surface Waters Classification Map: Know your watershed. Classifications determine water quality standards and protections in your area.
Watershed Classification Acronyms Explained: Scroll to the bottom for the acronym key you'll reference in the field.
Impaired Waterways List (303d): See which waterways are already classified as impaired and how they can be removed from that list.
For Deeper Reference
Stormwater Best Management Practices Manual: Visual examples of successful stormwater controls and ordinances.
Erosion and Sediment Control Planning and Design Manual: Detailed procedures and practices across eight chapters.
General Permit Information / NPDES NCG01000: NC DEQ fact sheet on stormwater discharge requirements for construction activities.
Water Quality Standards: Current NC surface water quality standards, governed by rules 15A NCAC 02B .0100 through .0300, effective November 1, 2025.
North Carolina Administrative Code, Subchapter 02B: The full regulatory text governing surface water classifications and quality standards in NC.