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2 <br /> release of water is done by a very old piece of equipment and does not function properly. This <br /> causes waste of water. The second issue is that the Board should consider putting in its 20-year <br /> comprehensive plan at least a mention of a 20-year net safe yield value for Lake Orange. She <br /> said that the Town of Hillsborough has, for a number of years, offered $25,000 to supplement the <br /> purchase of this equipment. <br /> She thanked the Orange County Engineering staff, including Kevin Lindley and Paul <br /> Thames, for being courteous and professional. <br /> Petition to the Commissioners of Orange County, North Carolina <br /> As citizens of Orange County, North Carolina, we ask that our Commissioners take <br /> immediate action to responsibly manage the precious water resources in Lake Orange, the only <br /> water reservoir in northern Orange County, a public-private partnership established in 1967 and <br /> managed by the County. <br /> Specifically, we request that you: <br /> - Immediately provide the funds to purchase and install the equipment to permit remote <br /> valve control and measurement of the actual water discharges from Lake Orange. <br /> - Advocate for responsible use of the impounded water by demanding that water <br /> releases from Lake Orange for users be no more than the calculated 20-Year Net <br /> Safe Yield. <br /> Petition Fact Sheet for Lake Orange Water Releases <br /> Water Release Not Effectively Controlled <br /> - Orange County controls the release of water from Lake Orange based on a Voluntary <br /> Capacity Use Agreement that was developed in 1988 and updated in March 2000 <br /> when the Hillsborough Reservoir (WFER) was placed on line. <br /> - Release of water from Lake Orange is done by manually turning a valve and waiting <br /> 36 to 48 hours before discharged water gets to a measurement gauge in Hillsborough <br /> (over 9 miles away) to try to ascertain if the desires result is attained. <br /> - Significant Risk exists that more water than desired is released as no direct <br /> measurement is made of the water amount actually released. <br /> - The Town of Hillsborough has allocated $25,000 towards the purchase and <br /> installation of remove valve control for Lake Orange plus for remotely monitored <br /> measurement capability. <br /> - Orange County must implement the remotely controlled valve and monitor equipment <br /> by allocating an additional $55,000 to responsibly manage water releases. <br /> Excessive Water Releases Permitted <br /> - The current Voluntary Capacity Use Agreement allows up to 2.76 Million Gallons per <br /> day for users. <br /> - The 20-Year Net Safe Yield (NSY) for Lake Orange is assessed as 1.0 Million Gallons <br /> per day, significantly less than the amount permitted. <br /> - The County must demand appropriate release amounts — no more than the 20-Year <br /> NSY to ensure a sustainable amount of water will be available during drought periods <br /> and summer time periods where risk of drought is greatest. <br />