Science- and Consensus-Based Water Resource Management in the Upper Neuse River Basin

1. Forrest Westall, UNRBA and McGill Associates; Alix Matos, Brown and Caldwell Science- and Consensus-Based Water Resource Management in the Upper Neuse River Basin March 26, 2018

2. History of Falls Lake • Dam completed in 1982 • Eutrophication predicted by (1) Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and (2) Fiscal Analysis • Water quality issues noted in Neuse River prior to construction Falls Lake Master Plan Neuse River Basin, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Wilmington District and the State of North Carolina, May 2013

3. Assigned Designated Uses • Water Supply – City of Raleigh • Aquatic Life Use • Flood Protection • Primary and Secondary Recreation https://www.indyweek.com/indyweek/whos-responsible-for-the-falls-lake-mess/Content?oid=2441223

4. Water Quality Impairments • Turbidity in upper part of lake • Chlorophyll a in upper part of lake and part of Beaverdam Impoundment (in draft)

5. Falls Lake Nutrient Management Strategy Load Reduction Requirements • Separate rules for each regulated sector • Two stages of compliance

6. Falls Lake Nutrient Management Strategy Two (2) Stages DWR Fiscal Analysis estimated implementation costs for all sectors (NCDWR 2010) • Stage I - $604 million • Stage II - $945 million Strategy allows for reexamination of the load reduction requirements Working to Balance Action with Level of Problem PROBLEM ACTION

7. UNRBA Approach to the Reexamination • Consensus Principles – members agreed to implement Stage I • Began planning for the reexamination of Stage II

8. UNRBA Water Quality Monitoring Program • August 2014 to present • Monitor 38 stations in the watershed for nutrients, carbon, and chlorophyll-a • Collect supplemental data collection at DWR lake stations • Conduct targeted special studies to support modeling

9. UNRBA Water Quality Monitoring Website • DWR Approved Monitoring Plan and Monitoring Quality Assurance Project Plan • Study plans and data summary reports • Link to the UNRBA data portal https://www.unrba.org/monitoring-program

10. UNRBA Modeling & Regulatory Support Project • Ranked and selected watershed and lake models • Developed Modeling Quality Assurance Project Plan for approval by DWR • Begun collecting watershed data Atmospheric Deposition https://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/fs15099/

11. Past UNRBA Stakeholder Events & Planned Communications Efforts • Implementation potential to screen 55 nutrient reducing measures for the UNRBA Credits Project • Two events to hear overall concerns on the reexamination • Description of watershed modeling framework and kickoff data acquisition process • New communications support project to enhance stakeholder input

12. Next Steps: UNRBA Monitoring Project • Continue full program until at least October 2018 • Develop Annual Report to summarize available data (August 2014 to December 2017) • Decide if transition to long-term program or continue at current levels

13. Next Steps: UNRBA Modeling & Regulatory Support • Develop data management plan to QA model inputs and outputs • Summarize watershed data inputs and technical information received from Stakeholders • Hold Stakeholder meeting to discuss input and assumptions before modeling begins

14. Questions Forrest Westall, PE(828)252-0575 forrest.westall@mcgillengineers.com Alix Matos, PE(919) 233-9178 amatos@brwncald.com