Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
November 18, 1986 <br /> Meeting of the <br /> ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> Chapel Hill, North Carolina <br /> PROP OSAL <br /> (For Submission to the Board Members and to be recorded in the minutes) <br /> Over the past two years there has been increased concern about the ecology and <br /> environmental status of Lake Orange. It appears that the status of the lake has <br /> changed from a "potential reservoir" or "back up water supply" to "a primary" source <br /> of water for northern Orange County, Hillsborough and Chapel Hill due to a growth in <br /> population and new residences in the radius of 20 or more miles. <br /> It has been brought to my attention in a conversation with Mr. John Wray, who is <br /> affiliated with the Division of Water Resources in Raleigh, that environmental studies <br /> were not required at the time Lake Orange came into being (about 1967). These <br /> studies were not required until the early 1970s. He informed me that an environmental <br /> study has never been done at Lake Orange to his knowledge. <br /> It was requested, approximately one year ago, that a study of this type be undertaken, <br /> and it was stated that it would be "looked into." It is felt there there are more reasons <br /> now than ever before for a study of this kind to be done, and it is formally requested <br /> again at this time. <br /> There has been a great deal of residential growth around the perimeter of Lake Orange <br /> itself. Up until approximately 5 or 6 years ago, there were only about 8 cottages on <br /> the lake, At present there are approximately 20 to 25 dwellings, either established or <br /> foundations being started. At this rate of growth, which is predicted to increase <br /> drastically taking into account that three or more parcels of land have been divided <br />