Agenda - 09-14-2021; 12-2 - Information Item – Memorandum Regarding Administrative Updates to the Eno River Voluntary Water Management Operations Plan (WMOP)

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17 INTRODUCTION The Water Management Operations Plan (WMOP) was the result of a Capacity Use Investigation (CUI) by the Department of Environmental Quality(DEQ) (formerly, Department of Natural Resources and Community Development)—Division of Water Resources (DWR) and a subsequent cooperative effort by the DWR and primary water users at the time to avoid a formal Capacity Use designation and regulations. The WMOP, instead, established voluntary water use restrictions that provide for equitable use of the water resources, while providing for minimum flows in the Eno River. The requirements in the WMOP are managed and administered by the water users and Orange County, with oversight and coordination by DWR. The DWR is responsible for production of the quarterly and annual reports based on available information and organization of an annual meeting of the water users group. Based upon the EMC Resolution (attached), the intent of the WMOP is to institute a "voluntary water management plan [that] includes the essential elements of a declared capacity use area with the exception of the provisions for enforcement, ... [to] satisfactorily address the capacity use-related problems in the Eno River area." The specific changes or additions made for each of the previous modifications or revisions listed on the cover page (March 1989, July 1990, March 2000) are not entirely known. However, the changes made in July 1990 and March 2000 included revisions to Table 1. Both versions of Table 1 are included in this current version of the WMOP.The March 2000 revision of Table 1 was specifically concerned with integrating the minimum release requirements for the newly constructed West Fork Eno River Reservoir (WFER). These minimum release requirements were from federal and state permits (Clean Water Act - Sections 401/404, and NCDEMLR Dam Safety Permit) for the dam construction and established outside of requirements by the EMC related to the Eno River WMOP. This revision is limited to editorial changes for clarifications, background information, intent statement based on the EMC Resolution, and to create a modern digital version. This revision in no way implies any management or operational changes to the WMOP. Issues with using the Eno River as a dependable water supply had been documented for many years, dating back to the 1950's, especially during times of drought. As a result, the Orange County Board of Commissioners formed a water resource task force in the early 1980's to study potential options available to improve the situation, who issued a report of their findings in May 1981. According to the Capacity Use Investigation (CUI), issued December 1988, by the DEQ, "The [task force] report discussed possible designation of the Upper Neuse Basin as a Capacity Use Area; concerns over maintaining instream flow needs; water supply limitations; water conservation; potential reservoir sites; and other related items.The County has worked closely with the State in attempting to achieve their water resource objectives." The CUI continues describing the findings from the task force report, "The State has worked closely with the local governments in the Eno River Area in attempting to provide for adequate water supplies and minimum instream flow needs. The State has assisted local water supply interests in determining storage volumes available in the three reservoirs [i.e, 4