Orange County NC Website
2 <br /> This evening I'll present two of the reasons we <br /> oppose siting a disc golf course at Blackwood <br /> Farm Park: 1 ) to preserve its forest hydrology and <br /> aquatic ecosystem health, and 2) to protect hikers. <br /> Barbara Driscoll will. also present on this topic <br /> after me. <br /> First, development of a disc golf course in this <br /> forested area ,will change the local hydrology and <br /> adversely effect the aquatic ecosystem. <br /> At present, the forest is an area of groundwater <br /> recharge. Much of the rainfall slowly infiltrates <br /> down through the subsurface some of that is <br /> slowly released to streams, and some slowly <br /> makes its way to replenish aquifers. A relatively <br /> small amount of that rainfall travels as overland <br /> flow to streams. Construction of a disc golf course <br /> would change that dynamic. As fairways are <br /> cleared of trees and shrubs, and as footpaths are <br /> 1 <br /> made connecting the fairways, there will be more <br /> overland flow, more soil erosion, and groundwater <br /> infiltration will reduce. Sediment transport is <br /> particularly detrimental when the holes cross the <br /> 2 streams or the lake. In these cases soil erosion will <br /> 3 <br /> 4 <br /> 5 <br />