PRESERVE EAST
DURHAM COUNTY
......the most promising management strategy for the watershed will likely involve actions to minimize impacts from active construction, protect sensitive areas from future development, and implement both major and minor restoration projects in existing urban, agriculture, and silviculture areas. Lick Creek Study

Water Quality page UNDER CONSTRUCTION - UPDATES coming APRIL 30

#3 - Run-off/
sedimentation

 

 

Durham County is not listening to the experts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

MORE LICK CREEK STUDY RESULTS FURTHER DOWN

Recently UNRBA ( Upper Neuse River Basin Association ) presented to the Durham City Council on Low Impact Development and how important it is to properly manage stormwater and set aside critical areas such as steep slopes and stream buffers, particularly in Durham and Durham County where the clay soils are so prone to erosion. 

Sarah Bruce presented to the Durham City Council at a worksession on March 6 regarding the importance of using Low Impact Development principles in new developments to reduce both environmental impacts and possible future costs to address environmental restoration and stormwater retrofit needs.

Learn more about LID here

The conversion of farmlands, forests, and unmanaged lands to suburban development
will likely have negative consequences on water quality in Lick Creek. The anticipated
changes will greatly increase the amount of impervious cover in Lick Creek from its
current level of 5.9% to an ultimate level of 22.6% (Fraley-McNeal et al. 2007). When
the amount of impervious cover in the watershed almost quadruples, what will be the
effects on water quality and aquatic habitat? The Center for Watershed Protection’s
Watershed Treatment Model predicts that when fully built-out, the Lick Creek watershed will export almost 30% more nitrogen and 10% more sediment (total suspended solids [TSS]) than it currently does (Fraley-McNeal et al. 2007). From
Lick Creek Watershed Critical Lands Protection Analysis - January 24, 2008 Report on the health of Lick Creek today, and how it will get worse with more development.

Given the imminence of future development
in the watershed, the susceptibility of Triassic soils and stream channels to erosion, and
the downstream drinking water supply in Falls Lake, we believe the focus of the Lick
Creek Restoration Plan should be to minimize future impacts and to preserve high quality
areas.Lick Creek Study

#4 - The city does shows interest in water quality - yet will allow detrimental development take place

City of Durham Releases First Annual "State of Our Streams" Report

Three Grants Coincide with Release of Report to Help Strengthen City's Efforts to Improve Water Quality

FROM DURHAM COUNTY "In an effort to improve and protect the water quality of Durham County’s many waterways, the Durham Soil and Water Conservation District is engaging in a number of projects throughout the County with this goal in mind. A few of the District’s programs, stream restorations, erosion stabilization, and stormwater wetlands, are highlighted below…"

-(excerpt) Lick Creek, a tributary of Falls Lake, has been identified as severely impacted for water quality and its banks are highly eroded, resulting in high sedimentation of water flowing into Falls Lake. With the cooperation of the local landowner, the District has received funding for and plans a restoration of the most impacted portion of this creek.

  • Received $539,000 Clean Water Management Trust Fund grant in August of 2006
  • Seeking 14 acre easement donation from landowners
  • Presently working with Clean Water on revising easement language for donated land
  • May 14, 2007– Grant execution date
OTHER USEFUL INFORMATION
1998 DENR Study of Nuese River BAsin includes this on Lick Creek

1998 Planned Strategy

1.   Substantial work will be needed in Durham County to address the impacts of urban stormwater if the stream is to be restored.
2.   Instream restoration may also be required in light of the entrenched
      condition and poor habit quality of the stream.
3    This watershed has been targeted by the NC Wetlands Restoration Program for riparian zone and wetlands restoration (NCDWQ, 1998).

Chatham County

Very acive citizenry fighting urban sprawl

Chatham Citizens For Effective Communities

Development stutters in Chatham County

 
MORE FROM THE LICK CREEK STUDY

 

  
"In order to meet overall water quality goals of Falls Lake and the larger Neuse
River Basin, we recommend post-construction water quality treatment be required
for all new developments.
· In addition to the 1-year detention requirement, which provides some channel
protection storage, discharge volume criteria should be considered. A
performance criteria which limits the increase in volume, rather than peak
discharge, could spur the use of environmentally sensitive design (LID/BSD).
Lick Creek Field Assessment Technical Memo 12
· Increase nutrient offset fee to push the economic incentive towards providing
stormwater management rather than paying a nitrogen offset fee.
Information needed to support recommendations in Watershed Plan:
· Review permit conditions in the new City of Durham MS4 NPDES permit
Subwatershed 4 (Headwaters, “Doc Nichols”): The smallest of all the subwatersheds at
698 acres (1.1 sq miles), this subwatershed is bound by a few low-density residential
parcels along Doc Nichols Rd. to the north and east. The majority of the land use here is
forested, however much of this area has been cleared for timber harvesting (>100 acres).
Current impervious cover estimated at 2.8%. The upper reaches of the subwatershed are
steep, and exposed diabase sills were frequently observed. Upstream of the Olive Branch
Rd. crossing, the mainstem is broadened by extensive beaver wetland complexes.
RIPARIAN BUFFER PRESERVATION
AND STREAMBANK RESTORATION
IN THE
UPPER NEUSE RIVER BASIN:
A BLUEPRINT FOR THE FUTURE
A Report to the
North Carolina Clean Water Management Trust Fund
By:
TRIANGLE J COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS
In Partnership
With The
Upper Neuse River Basin Association
June 30, 2000