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Proposals for Hunting on OWASA Property <br />April 22, 2005 <br />Page 4 of 4 <br />operates these programs at a net loss of approximately $50,000 per year. Waterfowl <br />hunting at Cane Creek would increase this by 10 to 20 percent. <br />Wildlife Resources Commission Proposal — The attached table surim- imizes the hunting <br />programs proposed by WRC for the Cane Creek Reservoir and Mitigation Tract. These <br />proposals represent substantially more intensive hunting activity on the Mitigation Tract <br />than previously discussed. It is notable, however, that no firearms would be allowed <br />under any of these programs without prior issuance of a Special WRC Permit for the <br />designated dates and hunt opportunities, thus providing a documentary record of all <br />firearms users permitted on the Mitigation Tract, <br />OWASA Staff Recommendation <br />Staff believes that the Board's September 4, 1980 resolution obligates OWASA to <br />provide an unspecified degree of hunting in accordance with its 404 Permit requirements, <br />but we recommend that waterfowl hunting not be allowed on the Cane Creek Reservoir. <br />OWASA is widely recognized for its leadership in source water protection, but we would <br />rather not depart from what appears to be standard industry practice in North Carolina of <br />prohibiting hunting on Class I drinking water supply reservoirs. Additionally, we do not <br />believe that any perceived benefits of waterfowl hunting at Cane Creek would justify the <br />increase in OWASA operating costs. <br />We do recommend that some degree of hunting be allowed on the Mitigation Tract in lieu <br />of waterfowl hunting on the reservoir, and that the Mitigation Tract be enrolled in the <br />WRC's Gamelands Program, which will greatly improve monitoring, management, and <br />enforcement activities on that property. Any hunting program on the Mitigation Tract <br />should be structured in such a way that it would be compatible with low impact passive <br />recreational use by the general public if such activities are desired in the future. <br />Please let us know if you need any additional information <br />Edward A. Holland, AICP <br />Planning ]director <br />Attachments <br />