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Discussion Paper -- Jordan Lake Options for OWASA <br />December 18, 1998 <br />Page 2 <br />What stake does OWASA already have in Jordan Lake? <br />Since 1988, OWASA has held a Level II (long term) allocation of 10 percent of Jordan Lake's water <br />supply storage capacity. This is expected to support an average withdrawal of 10 million gallons per day <br />(mgd). OWASA makes an annual payment of approximately $19,000 to the N.C. Department of <br />Environment and Natural Resources for this allocation. Additionally, OWASA owns 125 acres of land <br />adjacent to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers property on the western side of Jordan Lake, south of Highway <br />64 (Attachment 2). OWASA purchased 88 acres in 1989 and 37 acres in 1995 for a total cost of <br />$550,000. The Corps' amended Jordan Lake Master Plan designates an offshore intake site adjacent to <br />this area, per recommendations of an engineering study conducted for OWASA in 1991 at a cost of <br />$35,000.- It is important to note that no regulatory action has been taken to grant OWASA or any other <br />entity the right to use this site for water withdrawal purposes. <br />OWASA currently has a $60,000 contract with NCDOT to install a casement under U.S. 64 in the vicinity <br />of Mt. Gilead Church Road as part of the U.S. 64 improvement project. This will allow the installation of <br />a future water transmission line without the major expense of boring or tunneling under the highway. <br />Similar arrangements are planned as NCDOT improves Highway 15-501. <br />What do we know about Jordan Lake's water quality? <br />Data available from the past 10 years indicate that water quality in Jordan Lake is good and nearly <br />indistinguishable in quality from other Triangle area water supply reservoirs, except in the northernmost <br />section upstream of S.R.1008, where it is highly enriched with nutrients. <br />Comprehensive watershed/water quality studies exist for other important reservoirs in the Triangle region, <br />but no such study has been conducted for Jordan Lake. Consequently, there is no credible technical basis <br />for estimating the water quality impacts of development projects or other activities proposed near Jordan <br />Lake or in the watershed. Since 1988, OWASA has participated in the Triangle Area Water Supply <br />Monitoring Program, which has several sampling sites in Jordan Lake and expects to contribute funds and <br />staff support to the Jordan Lake watershed study proposed by the Triangle J Council of Governments. <br />Additionally, OWASA plans to participate in special efforts to develop and calibrate a nutrient response <br />model in order to determine whether nitrogen removal is warranted at wastewater treatment plants <br />upstream of Jordan Lake. <br />What facilities would OWASA need to withdraw water from Jordan Lake? <br />Three basic systems would be needed to withdraw water from Jordan Lake and treat it at the OWASA's <br />Jones Ferry Road Water Treatment Plant (WTP) in Carrboro: (1) intake system, (2) two pumping <br />stations, and (3) a transmission pipeline. <br />Intake facilities would be located to provide water in sufficient quantities, even during low lake levels. <br />The intake must draw from multiple levels in the lake in order to obtain the highest quality water at any <br />given time. <br />