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2 <br />In early - April, DEM staff contacted County staff to <br />ascertain if a mutually - acceptable classification <br />could be reached between Hillsborough and Orange <br />County for the Eno River watersheds upstream of <br />Hillsborough. DEM is exploring this possibility <br />because Hillsborough did not submit comment to the <br />EMC on the watershed, and because the rules have <br />changed since County consideration occurred in Fall <br />1991. DEM would like to receive joint comment from <br />Town /County staff. No other watersheds which could <br />qualify for a higher classification have the <br />potential for joint classifications. <br />In October, the County requested that the upstream <br />Eno be broken into two basins based on present and <br />future land use patterns: the Upper Eno (watershed <br />sub - basins north of US 70 /Southern Railway, <br />including Lake Orange, Corporation Lake and the <br />planned West Fork Eno reservoir), and the Middle <br />Eno (Seven -Mile Creek and Lake Ben Johnson sub- - <br />basins along I -85). A classification of WS -II was <br />requested for the Upper Eno, and WS -III for the <br />Middle Eno. <br />County staff has evaluated all of the upstream <br />Eno against the new rules and determined that both <br />Upper and Middle Eno combined could qualify as a WS- <br />II watershed. In addition, such a change to a <br />higher classification for the Middle Eno area would <br />not hamper economic development potential. On April <br />13, the Planning Board /EDC Work Group endorsed <br />combining the watersheds and requesting WS -II <br />classification. The Planning Board concurred with <br />this finding at its April 14 meeting. <br />Town officials and Hillsborough water resources <br />advisor John Hartwell have indicated they are <br />receptive to the possibility. A meeting between <br />County and Town staff is to be held on April 21 <br />regarding a joint letter of request for the County <br />Manager /Town Manager. <br />Although the request is from Town and County <br />Managers to DEM staff), Board authorization is <br />requested, since the Board adopted a resolution in <br />October 1991. <br />RECOIMNDATION:The Administration recommends that the Board <br />authorize the Manager to sign the joint letter of <br />request, to be sent to DEM staff for use in <br />preparing recommended watershed classifications. In <br />order to meet DEM's deadline of April 24, <br />authorization is needed at this meeting. <br />v <br />