Agenda - 02-05-2013 - 4b - Laserfiche WebLink

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Chair Barry Jacobs January 17, 2013 Page 3 after it has declared a Stage 1 Water Supply Shortage per OWASA's State - approved Water Shortage Response Plan and OWASA's Water Conservation Standards as incorporated therein. " Historic Ropers Road (Wafer /Sewer) OWASA staff has provided technical information on water /sewer issues as requested by County staff. Working within the parameters of the State Statutes, our policies and founding agreements, we will continue to support this important initiative as requested by County staff.. Mountains -To -Sea Trail In response to the County's inquiry, the OWASA Board expressed support (Attachment #3) for this County -led initiative. Our position remains unchanged and we think the benefits to the citizens of the County and State exceed the manageable security and water quality risks that OWASA will assume if the initiative goes forward. Forestry Management Pursuant to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission's (WRC) forestry management plan for OWASA's 490 -acre Cane Creek Wildlife Mitigation Tract, 25 acres of declining quality Virginia pine were clear -cut, and 25 acres of hardwood forest were thinned during the fall of 2010. The 25 -acre clear -cut was replanted with loblolly pines in January 2011. All management activities were conducted according to forestry management best practices; however, we left substantially larger (and completely undisturbed) water quality buffer areas than required by current regulations. We will continue the phased implementation of the WRC's plan on this property in the coming years in compliance with conditions of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 404 Permit that allowed construction of the Cane Creek Reservoir. Upon the recommendation and guidance of the WRC and North Carolina Forest Service, OWASA also commissioned development of a draft plan for sustainable management of our remaining forest lands (about 1,900 acres). We hosted a community meeting in November 2010 to present and receive comments on the draft plan prepared by our consulting forester, and we received extensive comments from citizens, local elected boards, and several State agencies. We have deferred action on the draft plan to address higher priority matters. Communications We are very pleased that newly elected Commissioners Dorosin, Price and Rich met with us on January 11, 2013 for an overview of our operation and to discuss items of mutual interest. We welcome the opportunity to meet with the Commissioners to keep you informed about our work and to receive your feedback. Please let us know if you would like additional information on any of the above topics or information regarding other issues or aspects of our operation. C1