Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
Pam Hemminger said new development rules have been dealt with in phase one. She <br /> said existing development issues will be handled in phase two. She hopes the jurisdictions will <br /> come out of this with a toolbox of things that can be done. <br /> Chair Jacobs asked if there has been any discussion about storm water credits or <br /> pollution credits. <br /> Pam Hemminger said this is on the table as part of the nutrient credit program. She <br /> said the level of the credits would have to be approved by multiple entities. <br /> Chair Jacobs asked what happens to monitoring at the end of the 4 or 5 year period. <br /> Pam Hemminger said the Division of Water Resources (DWR) thought 4-5 years would <br /> be sufficient for monitoring, and they are aware of how expensive the monitoring is. She said <br /> she does not know what will happen in the future, and it will depend on the answers that are <br /> given by the current monitoring. <br /> Commissioner McKee referred to Pam Hemminger's earlier comment about the design <br /> of the lake being the reason for the issues in the upper end. He said his property contains two <br /> ponds, and one stays clear all of the time; but the second shallower pond is almost never clear <br /> due to algae blooms. <br /> Commissioner Price asked about the differentiation between farm and residential <br /> runoff. <br /> Pam Hemminger said the information from the monitoring will show where problems <br /> exist, and then the department will work out strategies depending on the lay of the land and <br /> what is out there. She said best management practices will have to be put in place. She <br /> noted that there are new development rules, and several areas are being moved off of septic <br /> systems, which will build up credits. <br /> Pam Hemminger said there are only two small natural lakes in the state of North <br /> Carolina and all of the others are man-made. She said these are not made deep enough, and <br /> this is a problem all over the state. <br /> 3. Oranqe Well Net Update <br /> Tom Davis reviewed the following background information and PowerPoint slides: <br /> The Department of Environment, Agriculture, Parks and Recreation's (DEAPR) groundwater <br /> observation well network, Orange Well Net (OWN) uses a combination of bedrock and regolith <br /> wells spread across the main types of bedrock geology present in Orange County. Regolith <br /> wells, which measure groundwater levels in the unconsolidated material present above <br /> bedrock in the subsurface, monitor natural stresses on the quantity of groundwater available in <br /> storage which are caused by variations in climatic conditions. Bedrock wells monitor changes <br /> in groundwater levels in the bedrock across the County. <br /> WELL NET PowerPoint <br /> • Orange Well Net Update <br /> • Orange County <br /> • Department of Environment, Agriculture, <br /> • Parks and Recreation <br /> • Orange Well Net Goals <br /> A. Primary Goal: <br /> • Monitor natural stresses on the quantity of groundwater available in storage caused by <br /> variations in climatic conditions. <br />