The North Carolina Division of Water Quality has released its latest list of rivers, streams and lakes that are too polluted to meet federal standards. It has grown to 153 pages in length. WFAE’s Julie Rose reports:

Portions of every river basin in the Central and Eastern part of the state are on the list, including stretches of the Catawba and Yadkin Rivers and parts of Lake Wylie and High Rock Lake. In many cases, the rivers will stay on the "impaired" list for years before the state is able to improve water quality.

Division of Water Quality spokeswoman Susan Massengale says the biggest pollution problem for North Carolina's lakes and rivers isn't toxic chemicals, it's dirt.

"Loose soil that gets carried off in storm water, whether it be from agricultural sources, whether it's from areas where there's been heavy construction where you have land disturbance, those soils coming into the waterway can really impact habitat," says Massengale.

The sediment can carry nutrients into the water that cause algae to grow too quickly and rob fish of oxygen. Toxic chemicals like PCBs and mercury are a lesser problem, but still present in many of the state's rivers. Pollution is one reason the number of fish kills reported statewide more than doubled last year compared to 2007.

The Environmental Protection Agency requires the state to make a plan for improving water quality in every lake and river on the latest impaired list. The Division of Water Quality is accepting public comment on the list until January 25.