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nent domain as a way of obtaining RIVER land . Government seizure might CONTINUED FROM PAGE * 1 B be among residents ' worst fears . " One thing we didn' t want to see riding . But there ' s more to the was them come in , condemn a plan , bunch of property and turn it The river pours into one of the around to . public use, " said Joyner, city' s drinking-water sources , the who attended the first community Little River Reservoir. Several en- meeting and plans to serve on a dangered mussel species live in the task force advising planners . river and its tributaries, vulnerable Joyner, who built his house along to the silt from construction sites the river about three years ; ago , is miles away. If enough silt gets in , typical of the recent development the mussels die — and Durham in the Little River basin — custom- County loses another form of built homes , wildlife and a key indicator. of water But Wayne Cash , a local natu - quality. ralist who helped planners orga- Planners want to fight this cycle nize the community meetings , said as they search for ways to protect more development is likely to push the Little River. They can' t stop . farther north in Durham . development entirely, and they "There may not be in the next six don't want to , Luck said. . months a whole lot of pressure, but But the study aims to find which it takes a lot of time to develop a plots of land would best protect plan, " said Cash, president of the water quality — and which plots Eno River Association . " 1 think might offer recreation opportune- before we accomplish a great deal, ties such as walking trails . Plan- the pressure will certainly be ners have sought residents ' advice there . " at community meetings . They plan The Eno River Association and three more meetings this fall and the New Hope Creek Advisory hope to have a plan by December. Committee have used similar "We get people who live up there methods to protect other bodies of in a room, and some will say, ` Oh water — though the Eno River yeah , I used to hike up there as a Association also has been suc - ldd, "' Luck said. " So there are peo- cessful in raising money to protect ple who know something about this land. area that we don' t. " The Little River plan received a What planners do know is that boost this spring when Orange and an old American Indian trading Durham county commissioners path winds through the study area, voted to help buy a 390 -acre tract that the land is dotted with historic that straddles the two counties , houses and that residents in north- The river' s south fork runs right ern Durham crave more recre - through the land, which might be ation areas . Those would all be bought for. $ 1 . 6 million in grant and subjects for ' the study. government money. Although the city and county gov- Planners hope to protect enough ernments might set aside some wildlife corridors to allow animals money to buy land, planners hope to move unencumbered from the landowners might donate land or Little River to the Flat River to the take advantage of programs such Eno River watersheds — and to as conservation easements . Such protect the mussel species for methods offer tax credits in years to come , exchange for keeping land in its But even with a blueprint com- natural state , ing out in six months , Luck does- "We try to look at objective things n' t expect to have the land pro like parcel size , " Luck said . tected anytime soon . "Maybe folks can live on part 'of the "The Eno River effort, it' s 20 or land, 0;hen dedicate the other part. . 30 years old, and they're still work- There' s quite a bit of stewardship- ing on it, " he said. "It may b that of-the-landAype people out there , way with this . " I think that' s the kind of support that will make this happen . " Donations also discourage the Staff writer Barbara Barrett can be reached government from turning to emi- at 956.2433 or bbarrett@nando.com