Orange County NC Website
124 <br /> to development because of the high erosion potential that can <br /> result from development activity. Steep slopes in the <br /> Township are generally associated with stream valleys, <br /> especially the Eno River. The most significant area of steep <br /> slopes in the Township is at Occoneechee Mountain, between I- <br /> 85 and the Eno River in the extraterritorial jurisdiction of <br /> Hillsborough. <br /> Water Supply Watershed: A portion of the Upper Eno Watershed <br /> extends into Hillsborough Township from the west. Two <br /> impoundments in the watershed, Corporation Lake and Lake Ben <br /> Johnson, respectively serve as the drinking water supplies, <br /> for the Orange-Alamance Water System and the Town of <br /> Hillsborough. Additionally, about five hundred acres of the <br /> Little River Watershed, which drains into the Little River <br /> Reservoir, an impoundment serving the water needs of the city <br /> of Durham, lies along the northern boundary of the Township. <br /> Poor Soils: Most of the area outside the Town's planning <br /> jurisdiction contains soils that are suitable for both <br /> agricultural and urban development. Scattered areas, though, <br /> especially in the northern tier of the Township, are <br /> characterized by soils with a .heavy clay content. Poor <br /> percolation and the potential for shrink-swell associated <br /> with these soils create problems for building foundations and <br /> the use of septic tanks. <br /> Cultural and Natural Resources <br /> Certain areas of Hillsborough Township possess unique or <br /> exemplary natural and physical characteristics that are of <br /> great value. The value is not necessarily monetary. It may <br /> be historical, biological, spiritual, or of value to the <br /> planning process. <br /> The most important biological resources in the Township are <br /> the Eno River and Occoneechee Mountain. Two species of <br /> special concern, the Atlantic Pigtoe and Notched Rainbow, <br /> have been recorded in the Eno River east of Town. A species <br /> of special concern in one that exists in small populations, <br /> is faced with major habitat loss in Orange County, or is the <br /> target of exploitation. Occoneechee Mountain is one of the <br /> most significant biological sites in Orange County. The flora <br /> of the Mountain and the north slope area known as 'Panther's <br /> Den' include large stands of mature mesic hardwoods, over <br /> twenty species of ferns, and at least four species identified <br /> by the State as endangered or threatened. <br /> 3.9-7 <br />