Agenda 02-20-24; 6-b - Orange County’s Proposed 2024 Priority Legislative Issues

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9 November 15, 2023 UNRBA Submittal of Recommendations for a Revised Falls Lake Nutrient Management Strategy research studies conducted on Falls Lake, or its watershed, were used to support development of a comprehensive monitoring report, watershed model and three lake models. These tools have been used to assess potential future management approaches and guide the development of recommendations based on science and realistic public policy. What the UNRBA is providing with this transmittal is a condensed summary of critical findings and a set of consensus principles that should be extremely helpful in crafting a revised Falls Lake Strategy. In short, the information developed during this evaluation process shows a reservoir that is eutrophic but meeting its designated uses (drinking water supply, recreation, and aquatic life support). It also shows a lake that is subject to elevated algal activity and ongoing development in the watershed. As reflected in Consensus Principles II, land conservation and continued implementation of the new development rule are essential components of a long-term strategy. Actions to improve watershed health and address current nutrient loading will provide protection of this important water resource. Thankfully, the water quality in the lake is stable and sufficient to support uses. The challenge for the future is to maintain the water quality and make improvements where reasonably possible. The lake continues to have chlorophyll-a levels above the standard some of the time, but the lake is meeting the uses required under the water quality requirements of NC. The UNRBA's set of recommendations for a revised nutrient management strategy are described and summarized in the attached document, Concepts and Principles for the UNRBA Recommendations for a Revised Falls Lake Nutrient Management Strategy. The UNRBA Board of Directors unanimously approved this document and a focused set of revised consensus principles, Consensus Principles II, on September 20, 2023. These important principles carry the description of"II" because the jurisdictions in the watershed submitted the previously referenced Consensus Principles to help guide the development of the current rules. The UNRBA is committed to continue to work collaboratively with DWR, DEQ and the EMC and provide assistance and support as DWR and the EMC establish and carry out a process to see that the revised Falls Lake rules are developed and adopted. We believe that this process should proceed with strong reference to the UNRBA's work and Consensus Principles II. These principles and the Concepts and Principles Document represent a condensed summary of our findings after 10 years of work. The UNRBA is also providing extensive technical documentation of the modeling tools used to support our recommendations. We believe the work conducted by the UNRBA, its members, and the researchers at the NC Collaboratory to expand the scientific understanding of the watershed and the lake will allow the development of a strategy and set of revised rules that will continue to move management of this watershed and lake forward into the future. The revised Rules should reflect the principles identified. The successful completion of the UNRBA modeling efforts and development of the guiding documents for the revised rules would not have been successful without direct input from the organizations and stakeholders operating in the watershed. DWR planning and modeling staff have been actively engaged throughout this process. The UNRBA sincerely thanks everyone who has participated in this project as a provider of data and information, reviewer of models and reporting, facilitator of external discussions, and active participant in discussing the challenges and path forward for this unique system. The next phase of work will be led by DWR as the State moves through its rules readoption process. The UNRBA will also assist and promote keeping this process open and collaborative, engaging a