Agenda 11-02-23; 4-a - Resolution Endorsing Consensus Principles II for Revised Falls Lake Rules

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=26 the concepts and principles that outline a revised strategy based on the latest science, good public policy, and common ground among the many stakeholders. Reexamination of the Rules Under the Adaptive Management Provision- While the Rules were being developed, UNRBA member jurisdictions developed the Consensus Principles to address key provisions of the rules and recognize uncertainties about the basis for the requirements. The Consensus Principles are a memorandum of agreement between the jurisdictions in the watershed that called for a two-stage approach to nutrient reductions and the potential for reexamination of Stage ll. This adaptive management provision was critical because it put in place a review process ahead of the very restrictive provisions of Stage II. In basic terms,the Falls Lake Rules adopted by the EMC allow for a "reexamination" of the required actions under Stage II. An entity is allowed to initiate and conduct a reexamination using a DWR-approved assessment process as laid out in the rules (15A NCAC 02B .0275 (5)(f)) and to bring findings back to the Division and the EMC. The UNRBA began planning for the reexamination under the cited provision in 2011. In 2013, a framework for conducting the reexamination was developed and approved by DWR. This framework established the plan to review historic data and models for Falls Lake, develop recommendations for additional monitoring, conduct the monitoring, and develop modeling tools to allow assessment of the lake and evaluate different management approaches. The UNRBA's plan included a watershed model and three lake water quality models. The primary purpose of the UNRBA monitoring program was to provide the necessary data and information to support development of the models that would be used to evaluate updated management approaches. Prior to collecting data, the UNRBA evaluated all available data that had been collected on Falls Lake and its watershed. The monitoring program and other provisions of the reexamination required approval by DWR. The UNRBA secured necessary approvals from DWR for evaluation of the current Falls Lake Nutrient Management Strategy including the UNRBA Monitoring Plan and UNRBA Monitoring Quality Assurance Project Plan (OAPP). These documents and the publicly accessible database are available on the UNRBA monitoring website. Also as required by the Rules, the UNRBA submitted and DWR approved the Description of the Modeling Framework and the UNRBA Modeling OAPP that specifies how the models should be developed and assessed for performance. The UNRBA conducted a model selection process and selected the following models: the Watershed Analysis Risk Management Framework (WARMF)to conduct watershed and lake modeling,the Environmental Fluid Dynamics Code (EFDC)as the second lake model, and a statistical/Bayesian model as the third lake model. The purposes and relationships of these models toward developing a revised strategy is described in the Conceptual Modeling Plan (Figure 2). The UNRBA has not only provided DWR with the J, Cost Benefit required documentation for the �J `V-,�Analysis s ,� jj Data and reexamination but has also provided Models tiL Reexamination documentation of all its process and decision-making including model ~-- Workable selection and discussions of the Strategy? contracts and scopes of work forYes Test No those efforts. DWR representatives Management/ regularly attend the meetings of the Regulatory Implement and UNRBA, and many follow-up Options Ntleded discussions have occurred with the agency to ensure there is a clear Figure 2. UNRBA Conceptual Modeling Plan for the Reexamination of Stage II 7