Orange County NC Website
W, 63 <br /> members may include their investments in their tracking reports, but the estimated nutrient <br /> reductions associated with the projects will be maintained in the agricultural reporting system. <br /> • Anticipated timeline for completion <br /> As noted previously, the primary reporting and compliance assessment metric will be based on <br /> investments. Actions and projects with State-approved nutrient reduction credits would continue to <br /> be tracked and reported in annual reports for informational purposes. Representatives of agriculture <br /> would continue to maintain their tracking methods and reporting for agricultural production and <br /> nutrient losses. <br /> In addition to the annual reports, interim reports (e.g., every five years) will be developed <br /> summarizing the previous period of implementation. Interim evaluations and reporting can address <br /> concerns and assist with tracking trends and accomplishments during the 25-year assessment <br /> period. Challenges that arose during the preceding five years will be noted and revisions to the <br /> program suggested as needed. DWR's assessment of water quality and nutrient loading to Falls <br /> Lake in their five-year status reports will be summarized as well. Water quality conditions in other <br /> impoundments in the watershed will also be summarized. Additionally, these interim reports will be <br /> used to identify and track questions and issues that need to be considered in the full reassessment. <br /> These interim reports would be submitted by the Watershed Organization based on information and <br /> discussions with members and partners including DWR. Interim assessments provide an opportunity <br /> to revise the program to address challenges, concerns, and new technologies. Changes and <br /> modifications to the program may be considered by the Watershed Organization and DWR. As with <br /> the IATA, the five-year report will also be used to reaffirm commitments of participating jurisdictions <br /> and support their capital improvement project planning. Members who choose not to participate in <br /> the program for the following years would negotiate a compliance framework with DWR. Alternative <br /> compliance frameworks may be developed during the rules review process and included in the <br /> revised rules. <br /> The UNRBA recommends the revised strategy include a long-term reassessment of the program <br /> (e.g., 25 years)to evaluate performance, identify necessary program changes, and consider evolving <br /> technologies and climatological conditions. It is anticipated that the Watershed Organization would <br /> coordinate this review process and include a technical assessment of water quality conditions to <br /> help guide the readoption of the program with appropriate revisions as part of the reevaluation. The <br /> technical assessment would review monitoring data collected by DWR and other organizations and <br /> may recommend collection of additional monitoring data. The technical assessment may also <br /> require modeling support to assess proposed changes to the program. DWR and the Watershed <br /> Organization will work cooperatively to provide the data needed to support the evaluation. To <br /> prepare for this assessment,the Watershed Organization could hire a contractor to develop a <br /> monitoring plan and other supporting guidelines for the collection and analysis of data, including <br /> modeling as needed. DWR would work in conjunction with the Watershed Organization to develop <br /> this assessment process and would provide support in the collection of additional data. This <br /> adaptive management provision provides a reasonable period of time to assess the program and to <br /> determine if changes are needed for the future. Planning for this report and supporting studies <br /> should begin no later than 20 years after the start of the program. <br /> Compliance Determination <br /> The revised nutrient management strategy will likely be submitted to the NC EMC as a joint <br /> compliance framework for the continued improvement to water quality and quantity in the Falls Lake <br /> watershed. Compliance will likely be determined based on the Tier 1 members meeting and <br /> reporting on their annual investment levels as specified in an approved program document. This <br /> approach is consistent with EPA's Integrated Planning for Municipal Stormwater and Wastewater <br /> 44 <br />