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n n <br /> ♦0� Q 'n5 IT <br /> March 26, 1990 <br /> George T. Everette <br /> Director, Division of Environmental Management <br /> Department of Environment, Health and Natural Resources <br /> State of North Carolina <br /> P. O. Box 27687 <br /> Raleigh, N.C. 27611 <br /> Dear Dr. Everette: <br /> On behalf of the Orange County Board of Commissioners <br /> and by its unanimous decision, I am writing to you to request <br /> that the Division of Environmental Management and the <br /> Environment Management Commission initiate the process for <br /> upgrading the watershed classification of Seven Mile Creek to <br /> a WS-I or WS-II status. At the present time, this sub-basin <br /> of the upper Eno River watershed is classified as a WS-III <br /> water supply as is the entire upper Eno basin. Lake Ben <br /> Johnston, the existing water supply reservoir for the Town of <br /> Hillsborough and Hillsborough's water supply intake lie <br /> within 300 yards of the confluence of Seven Mile Creek and <br /> the Eno River. <br /> Orange County has long maintained an interest in the <br /> Seven Mile Creek basin as a water supply and as a potential <br /> site for a reservoir. The County presently owns <br /> approximately 170 acres within the watershed, with the <br /> majority of this property located within the area which would <br /> be inundated by the normal conservation pool of a reservoir. <br /> In addition, the Seven Mile Creek area and the entire upper <br /> Eno basin upstream of the dam at Lake Ben Johnston have been <br /> designated as water supply watershed in the County Land Use <br /> Plan and are protected accordingly by the Land Use Plan and <br /> the County Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances. Generally, the <br /> Orange County ordinances and Land Use Plan define and protect <br /> both water quality critical areas and watersheds in a fashion <br /> that generally conforms to DEM's existing definitions and <br /> standards for water supply watersheds. Orange County <br /> regulations protect the Seven Mile Creek and upper Eno River <br /> basin from the effects of human activity by regulatory <br /> restrictions on density, impervious surface, types of land <br /> usage, stream buffers, stormwater runoff, industrial and <br />