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D. ADJOURNMENT <br /> The Board adjourned this portion of the meeting by consensus. The information session <br /> followed and is stated below. <br /> INFORMATION SESSION <br /> 1. U.S.. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY (USGS) <br /> Environment and Resource Conservation Director David Stancil made this <br /> presentation. He said that there has been an eight-year process of evaluating the County's <br /> groundwater resources. Two studies have been developed about the groundwater resources. <br /> David Stancil gave a slide presentation summarizing the activities over the past eight years of the <br /> Water Resources Committee. He said that generally speaking, there is good groundwater quality <br /> in Orange County. Most of the concerns continue to be iron and manganese. Fifty-one wells were <br /> selected across the County and it was learned that there are some high radon readings, <br /> particularly in the south central area of the County. <br /> He showed a map of maximum groundwater yield and said that deeper wells do not <br /> necessarily yield more water. The Water Resources Committee findings of the 2001 study follow a <br /> lot of the USGS study work. The goal was to have the Water Resources Committee bring a report <br /> back to the Board of County Commissioners and have the Commission for the Environment take <br /> over and develop a report on implications on potential policy measures. He made reference to the <br /> list of findings in the agenda abstract. <br /> The committee's recommendations were as follows: <br /> 1) Conduct further research into water-borne radon results in south central Orange, <br /> to see if there is a health concern present. <br /> 2) Create an ongoing ground water monitoring program using wells to evaluate <br /> changes in yield and water quality changes over time in areas of the County that <br /> are seeing significant new development. <br /> 3) As the Commission for the Environment reviews groundwater and surface water <br /> resource management options, the Committee recommends that a "water <br /> budget" approach be studied for use as a means to tie together planning and <br /> use of these inextricably related components of our water resources. <br /> 4) Based on the groundwater yield in the 1996 USGS report, there are five <br /> watersheds in the County that may not be able to sustain the density of <br /> development that current zoning will permit. The committee recommends that <br /> potential changes to the zoning in these watersheds be revisited as part of the <br /> ongoing update to the Land Use Element of the Comprehensive Plan, and that <br /> sustainable groundwater yield be incorporated into the decision-making process <br /> for zoning. <br /> 5) The County should consider requiring that new subdivision lots locate a well site <br /> (as well as a septic/wastewater site) prior to subdivision approval. <br /> 6) Water conservation is not just for surface water. The use of lower-flow <br /> appliances and reductions in water use for private wells should also be pursued. <br /> The next step is to receive comments from the Board of County Commissioners to <br /> pass along to the Commission for the Environment and the Water Resources Committee. A report <br /> will be brought back in early 2003. The Planning Board should probably also be involved. <br /> Commissioner Halkiotis asked about the higher than normal radon levels in south <br /> central Orange County. David Stancil said that there are some newer large masses of granite in <br /> this area, which tends to give off more radon activity. <br /> Commissioner Halkiotis asked about the over pumping and the reasons for this. <br /> David Stancil said that there was more of a concern about the inadequacy of motors and the <br />