Watershed Restoration
- Watersheds: Hewletts Creek and Bradley Creek
- Total Watershed: 7,478 acres (HC) & 4,583 acres (BC)
- State Designations: PNA & HQW
- Federal Listing: 303(d)
Overview
Hewletts Creek and Bradley Creek should set the standard for water quality and thriving coastal watersheds in our state. Both are designated as High Quality Waters (HQW) as well as Primary Nursery Areas (PNA), providing critical habitat for young fish and marine life. Yet despite these protections, these watersheds remain impaired and 303(d) listed due to ongoing pollution and high levels of fecal coliform bacteria. That contradiction lies at the heart of the problem.
The Issue
Since the 1970s, Hewletts Creek has suffered from chronic pollution, including major sewage spills in 2005 and 2013 that released millions of gallons of untreated wastewater. State agencies and local researchers have documented decades of stormwater runoff and sewer overflows, resulting in consistently high levels of fecal coliform bacteria. Despite its protected status, the creek remains on the 303(d) impaired waters list, closed to shellfish harvesting, and unsafe for recreation.
Our Solution
In addition to the stormwater mitigation efforts being carried out by the City of Wilmington through its Heal Our Waterways initiative, the North Carolina Marine & Estuary Foundation is launching a separate but complementary effort to restore Hewletts Creek and Bradley Creek, the Wilmington Tidal Creeks Restoration Initiative. In partnership with UNC Institute of the Environment, researchers will bring expertise in hydrology, water quality, and ecosystem function to understand why these creeks have lost some of their natural ability to recover. The goal is to restore system function, rather than just treating symptoms.
Over the coming months, researchers will create an unprecedented picture of how Hewletts Creek and Bradley Creek function as living systems. The resulting model won’t simply show where pollution exists; it will help identify where the landscape is working and where it needs help. Phase 2 of the initiative will take place next spring, building upon those findings to identify targeted opportunities for restoring natural function.
Acres
What's at Stake?
The Hewletts Creek and Bradley Creek watersheds span approximately 12,061 acres and reflect a broader challenge facing North Carolina’s coast. As pollution takes hold in systems of this size, the impacts ripple across ecosystems, local economies, and public health. North Carolina needs a model for restoring impaired waters, and with the right investment and leadership, these watersheds can become that model.
