The Raleigh Tribune

The Raleigh City Council voted unanimously to oppose commercial development in the Falls Lake watershed. Council members took the action at its March 2 meeting in response to a proposal being considered by the Wake County Board of Commissioners that would include converting a lumber yard within the watershed into a shopping center.

The City of Raleigh strongly believes that commercial development in the Falls Lake watershed would impede efforts to protect the lake’s water quality. Falls Lake is the area’s primary source for drinking water.

The N.C. Division of Water Quality (DWQ) has released its draft rules for addressing high nutrient levels in Falls Lake. Associate City Attorney Dan McLawhorn told the City Council the proposal “strongly reflects” consensus principles endorsed by the City of Raleigh and other municipalities in the region for protecting and restoring the lake’s water quality. The primary difference in the two documents centers on requirements imposed on new roads developed by the N.C. Department of Transportation.

High nutrient levels have been recorded in the Falls Lake reservoir. These nutrients could lead to more frequent algae blooms and low dissolved oxygen levels in the lake, possibly resulting in extensive fish kills. The North Carolina General Assembly has directed the state Environmental Management Commission (EMC) to develop and implement a nutrient management strategy for the Falls Lake reservoir. The implementing rules are to take effect by Jan. 15, 2011. The EMC will be holding hearings on DWQ’s draft rules to get input from the public, including municipalities.

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