Nutrient Offset & Buffer Mitigation Program

To see a map of nutrient offset and buffer mitigation banks in North Carolina, click here.

Nutrient Offset & Buffer Compensatory Mitigation

If a proposed development project has explored all practical alternatives for avoiding and minimizing impacts, and project impacts exceed applicable permit thresholds, then mitigation will be required. The mitigation plan must be implemented and/or constructed before any permanent building or structure on site is occupied. In the case of a public road project, the mitigation plan must be implemented before the road is opened to the public. Proof of payment into a mitigation bank or in-lieu fee program or completion of an approved permit-specific mitigation project must be provided to DWR to satisfy this requirement. Options for compensatory mitigation include:

Mitigation banks: Applicant satisfies the mitigation requirement by purchasing mitigation credits from an approved mitigation bank.
In-lieu fee mitigation: Applicant satisfies the mitigation requirement by purchasing mitigation credits through the N.C. Division of Mitigation Services.
- List of active DMS projects with DWR project numbers (for Mitigation Project Information Upload Form)
Project-specific mitigation: Applicant satisfies the mitigation requirement themselves, either at the project site or at an off-site location.

Nutrient Offset Mitigation may be required for any new or existing development where nutrient reduction requirements exist as part of a nutrient management strategy. In North Carolina, there are four nutrient management strategies: Neuse River Basin, Tar-Pamlico River Basin, Falls Lake Watershed and Jordan Lake Watershed. Please visit the Division of Water Resource's Planning Section website for more information on Nutrient Practices and Crediting. This map is a very useful tool provided by DWR that provides site-specific details including the Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC), river basin, watershed, sub-watershed, and delivery factors where applicable.

Purchasing nutrient offset credits from a private mitigation bank or the NC Division of Mitigation Services (DMS) are options available to new or existing development where nutrient reduction requirements exist. All payments must be in compliance with 15A NCAC 02B .0703, the Nutrient Offset Credit Trading rule (*readopted effective 4/1/20, recodified from 15A NCAC 02B .0240, the former "Nutrient Offset Payments" rule) and G.S. 143-214.26.

Riparian Buffer Mitigation may be required for any project within an area covered by a Riparian Buffer Protection Rule for impacts to the protected riparian buffer listed as "(potentially) allowable with mitigation", " allowable with mitigation upon authorization", or "prohibited" in the Table of Uses. For more information about the Riparian Buffer Protection Rules, including the Table of Uses, click here.

Guidance Documents

Flowchart - Steps to Establishing a Bank
Map of DWR Approved Nutrient Offset & Buffer Mitigation Banks
Presentation - What It Takes to Do Offset Banking in NC
Standard Procedures for the Purchase & Sale of Nutrient Offset Credits
Find Your HUC [Use this map to find the Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC) assigned to a particular area. This map includes 8-digit (subbasins), 10-digit (watersheds), and 12-digit (subwatersheds) HUC levels.]
Find a Surface Water Classification (Use this map to click on a streamline to find the surface water classification assigned to that stream segment.)
Consolidated Buffer Mitigation Rule - 15A NCAC 02B .0295
DWR Clarifications on Implementation of Buffer Mitigation Rule (March 2017)
Clarified Procedures for Calculating Buffer Mitigation Credits & Nutrient Offset Credits (November 2019)
Site Viability Assessment Policy Update (2021)

Templates

Attachment A - Authority Document (required for all UMBIs)
Attachment B - Jordan Credit Yields Table (required for UMBIs in the Jordan Watershed only)
Conservation Easement Template for 404 and Buffer/ Nutrient Bank Sites
Credit Release Request Form (for requesting a credit release)
Banking Instrument Modification MEMO ( for requesting modifications to existing Banking instruments)
Ledger Templates
Mitigation Banking Conservation Easement Template for Buffer & Nutrient Offset Sites
Mitigation Credit Transfer Certificate (for selling Buffer credits and non-permanent nutrient offsets)
Mitigation Credit Transfer Certificate (for selling Permanent Nutrient Offsets in lbs/year)
Mitigation Project Information Upload Form (click here for step-by-step instructions on how to use the form)
Nutrient & Buffer Credit Release Tables
Site Viability Assessment Request Form
Statement of Availability Template Buffer (for providing proof that a Sponsor has credits available in a particular service area)
Project Credit Table Template (November 2019- Excel workbook; updated July 2023)