Water Quality Testing Program

Goals

  • To measure the effectiveness of the Town's Septic Health Initiative and Stormwater projects.
  • To provide a general measure of water quality in the Town of Nags Head.
Marsh and Sound

Monitoring sites

Monitoring through-out Nags Head that will attempt measure the levels of bacteria and nutrients in groundwater as it gravitates from an area close to septic systems towards surface water monitoring sites. Monitoring locations include:

  • Nags Head Woods (1 groundwater monitoring well)
    •  Groundwater monitoring in an area without development to provide control data for the rest of the monitoring sites.
  • Wrightsville and Memorial Avenue area of Conch Shell Estates and Geo T. Stronach subdivisions (1 ocean outfall, 2 surface and 1 groundwater well)
    •  Ground and surface water monitoring at the north (Wrightsville Avenue) and south (Memorial Avenue) ends of these adjoining subdivisions.
    •  Will possibly show contrasts of an existing subdivision already developed with that of an area currently being developed.
  • Soundside Road (1 soundside outfall, 1 ocean outfall)
  • Old Nags Head Cove (2 surface monitoring sites in finger canals and 2 groundwater wells)
    •  Groundwater monitoring wells between septic systems and surface water monitoring sites.
  • Village of Nags Head (1 soundside ditch, 2 surface and 1 groundwater well)
    •  Ground and surface water monitoring in and around this subdivision will help to compare an area with centralized sewer such as this with other areas in Nags Head using septic systems.
  • South Nags Head - (2 drainage ditch surface monitoring sites, 2 groundwater monitoring wells and 1 ocean outfall)
    •  Ground and surface water to view impact on storm-water ditch
  • Jeanette's Pier (1 surface water)
  • Harvey Sound Access (1 surface water)
  • West-side subdivision of Vista Colony and Nags Head Acres 
    •  Groundwater monitoring is associated with the state permit requirements for the groundwater lowering systems.
  • Data Collection and Distribution
    • Collection by Town staff April through August
    • Groundwater lowering system testing is year round
    • Testing by private contractor in state certified laboratory
    •  Results available on town website (Coming Soon!)

Maps

View the North Map (PDF) or Mid Map (PDF) or South Map (PDF) to view the Water Quality sites being monitored.