NC S1170

Requires the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to develop basinwide hydrologic models for each of the 17 major river basins in North Carolina, prioritizing basins at risk of water shortages.

Models must include surface water, groundwater, water transfers, ecological flow requirements, future withdrawal projections, and other relevant data based solely on public records subject to review and comment.

Directs the Department to establish risk criteria for determining if river basins face unacceptable water shortage risk and to develop ecological criteria protecting river basin integrity in consultation with wildlife and fisheries agencies.

Requires the Department to work with neighboring states on shared river basins and to report annually to the Environmental Review Commission on model development progress.

Directs the Department to develop a plan with municipalities and county commissioners to provide greater public access to water resource and funding information, and to jointly report on water efficiency measures implementation.