High Rock Lake in the Yadkin Pee Dee River Basin has long been experiencing deteriorating water quality conditions resulting from excess nutrients and sediment. The Department of Environmental Quality is in the process of soliciting partner and stakeholder feedback to inform the drafting of a series of Administrative Rules to create a nutrient sensitive water (NSW) management strategy for the High Rock Lake watershed. The NSW strategy's goal will be to establish mandatory nutrient controls to address a wide range of point and non-point source pollution sources in the watershed.

As part of the partner and stakeholder engagement process, an Agriculture Technical Advisory Group was created to generate sector specific recommendations to the state on regulations and other actions needed to improve water quality in High Rock Lake. A Steering Committee, which includes agriculture representatives, is also active to guide management recommendations for the watershed and prepare conceptual rule proposals.

More information about the overall High Rock Lake Nutrient Strategy development process can be found on DEQ's Nonpoint Source Planning High Rock Lake Nutrient Strategy webpage.