Agenda - 03-13-2012 - 5a - Laserfiche WebLink

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5 1 Council had originally approved OWASA's request on February 28, 2011, but on April 25, 2011 2 reconsidered its previous action and rejected the text change. On June 9, 2011, the OWASA 3 Board resolved to adopt and maintain a policy to purchase water from other communities or 4 obtain water from its Jordan Lake storage allocation only after first declaring a Stage 1 Water 5 Supply Shortage—provided that Carrboro and Chapel Hill approve the previously requested 6 WSMPBA clarification. 7 At the October 20, 2011 meeting, the OWASA Board discussed its June 9, 2011 policy 8 resolution regarding water purchases during drought and the importance of securing permanent 9 access to our Jordan Lake water supply allocation without the constraints of language presently 10 contained in the WSMPBA. The Board was in agreement to modify its June 9th position and 11 adopted a resolution stating that: 12 13 "OWASA shall only purchase water from other communities or obtain water from its 14 Jordan Lake storage allocation during periods of increased drought risk after it has declared a 15 Stage 9 Water Supply Shortage per OWASA's State-approved Water Shortage Response Plan 16 and OWASA's Water Conservation Standards as incorporated therein." 17 18 At the January 12, 2012 meeting, the OWASA Board will discuss a Proposed Drought 19 Response Operating Protocol (DROP) which describes the procedures (including water 20 purchases) and criteria that OWASA will use for making water supply and demand decisions 21 during an extended drought. At the meeting, the Board will also discuss the timing of when 22 OWASA should initiate a request to the North Carolina Environmental Management 23 commission to convert our Jordan Lake water supply Level II allocation (future) to Level 1 24 (active). The agenda materials for the January 12, 2012 meeting can be found at: 25 http://www.owasa.org/about/board-meetings.aspx. 26 27 Rowers Road Communitv 28 OWASA continues to work closely with the County staff (and other local governments) 29 to provide information regarding the provision of water and sewer services to the Historic 30 Rogers Road area. We have developed technical information and cost estimates for various 31 conceptual layouts and have provided lists and maps of properties and existing water and 32 sewer infrastructure in the vicinity. 33 Since the October 4, 2011 meeting where the Orange County Board of County 34 Commissioners approved funding for providing water service to certain properties within the 35 Historic Rogers Road area, OWASA staff have worked closely with Orange County staff to 36 establish streamlined procedures so that eligible property owners can request and receive the 37 intended benefit. Working within the parameters of the State Statutes and our policies and 38 founding agreements, we will continue to support this important initiative. 39 40 Forestry Management 41 Pursuant to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission's (WRC) forestry 42 management plan for OWASA's 490-acre Cane Creek Wildlife Mitigation Tract, 25 acres of 43 declining quality Virginia pine were clear-cut, and 25 acres of hardwood forest were thinned 44 during the fall of 2010. The 25-acre clear-cut was replanted with loblolly pines in January 2011, 45 as prescribed by the WRC plan. All operations were conducted according to forestry 46 management best practices; however, our plan protects substantially larger buffer areas than 47 required by existing regulations. We will complete the phased implementation of additional 48 forest management measures on this property in the coming years in compliance with 49 conditions of the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers 404 Permit that allowed construction of the 50 Cane Creek Reservoir.