Agenda - 10-21-1997 - 11a - Laserfiche WebLink

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5 Provisional Cane Creek Recommendations June 26, 1997 Page 3 pro-active water supply protection decisions made more than a century ago by cities such as New York, Boston, Portland, Oregon, and Portland, Maine. • As a water supplier, OWASA acknowledges a preference for non-structural protection strategies. Open space preservation and land use management through acquisition, zoning, and development controls is a practice with widespread support in the water industry and is preferable to technological methods, such as stormwater detention, tributary subimpoundments,and other engineered solutions, with unproven or inconsistent performance records. (Comment: It is noted that this institutional preference, which somewhat conflicts with efforts to minimize effects on watershed residents,was not shared unanimously by the Cane Creek Watershed Advisory Committee.) • Community input, stakeholder equity, and effective partnerships are essential. OWASA is committed to applying to Cane Creek the valuable technical and political experience gained during the 1989-91 University Lake protection efforts. Present Water Quality Water quality in Cane Creek is generally good and in compliance with applicable regulatory standards, but it is not pristine. As in University Lake and other Piedmont reservoirs, Cane Creek is enriched by nutrients that contribute to a range of conditions that may compromise both public health and aesthetic objectives. Cadmus conducted an in-depth review of current management practices and conservation plans for the five active dairy farms in the watershed. Findings and predictive analyses revealed a high degree of compliance with recommended agricultural practices for cropland,pastureland, and animal waste management. Inspection of recent and ongoing pesticides data from the reservoir and tributaries revealed occasional traces of agricultural herbicides. On the few occasions when these were detected in the reservoir itself,they were at levels more than 10 times lower than pesticide standards for treated drinking water. Modeling analyses indicate that development regulations and practices currently in place are not sufficient to prevent future deterioration from new development. Overall findings and management options are summarized below. Details are available in the August 1996 Cadmus report. Major Findings: • Existing water quality is acceptable,but not pristine.