DEQ-CFW_00070374

EMC Meeting_ May 2008
Request for Permission to Proceed to Public Hearing with the
Proposed Reclassifications of Cie Fear River to Class Water Sum
and Class WS-IV CA, and
Tuskeegee Creek to Class Tr
Hello. My name is Elizabeth Kountis. In March of this year, DWQ
requested and received the Water uality Committee's p�sion to taxe
two requests for reclassification to the EMC. I'm here today along with
Adriene Weaver to request the EMC's permission to proceed to 9-ublic
hearing with the proposed reclassifications. We will ask for your approval
on each proposed reclassification separately, like we did at March's WQC
meeting.
The first request received is for an approximately 10-mile portion of the
Cape Fear River that is located in Bladen and Cumberland Counties, which
is currently classified as Class C, to be reclassified for a proposed Water
Supply IV watershed. The request was submitted by the Lower Cape Fear
)A
ater and Sewer Au hnrity. The reason for this reclassification is to allow
construction of a new water supply intake. Water from this proposed intake
would initially be utilized by Smithfield Packing Company, and in the future
would also be potentially used by several southern coastal plain
municipalities. As some of you may remember, in October 2004, the EMC
the Division of Water Resources, and the Lumber River COG entered into a
Cooperative Agreement to assure that groundwater resources are monitored
and "a regional plan for long-range, sustainable water supply sources is
developed" that would include Smithfield's participation and investigation
of additional water sources, including surface water sources.
DEQ-CFW 00070374

DWQ studies conducted in 2007 showed that the subject waters meet Class
WS-IV criteria. The Division of Environmental Health and Division of
Water Resources do not object to the proposed reclassification. In addition,
the two local governments with jurisdiction in the proposed water supply
watershed, Cumberland County and Bladen County,_do not object and
su ort the reclassification. Finally, an Environmental Assessment has been
submitted cy-nc-4 r e c c?,v,4 i h c(- F ol'sT .
The memorandum and other attachments that you received provide more in-
depth information regarding the proposed reclassification such as the exact
location of the involved waterbodies, the current land uses of surrounding
lands, and the regulations associated with the reclassification.
A public hearing is anticipated for this reclassification in fall 2008. Then it
would be presented again at the January 2009 EMC meeting, with a
proposed effective date of March 1, 2009.
At this time, I'd like to request EMC's permission to go to public hearing
with this reclassification. I would be happy to answer any questions that you
may have.
Adriene Weaver will now give a brief overview of a second reclassification
request...
In June 2007, the Division received a request to reclassify South Tuskeegee
Creek and Apple Tree Branch to trout. South Tuskeegee Creek is a
DEQ-CFW 00070375

headwater stream of the Tuskeegee Creek and Apple Tree Branch is a
tributary of Tuskeegee Creek.
Wildlife Resources Commission data for Graham County shows that the
lower reaches of Tuskeegee Creek have wild trout. For this reason, the
request was expanded to have the entire Tuskeegee Creek watershed
reclassified to trout.
In October 2007, the Division's Biological Assessment unit conducted a
reclassification study for the Tuskeegee Creek watershed to determine if
there were reproducing populations of trout in the watershed. The results of
this study indicate that a reproducing population of trout does reside in
Tuskeegee Creek watershed. Based on this finding, the entire watershed
meets the EMC's trout waters regulation criteria and therefore a
reclassification of the watershed is justified.
In your package you should have received a memorandum and a map that
provides more additional details regarding this proposed reclassification
such as the location of the watershed, other waterbodies requested to be
reclassified to trout, current land uses in the Tuskeegee Creek watershed,
and regulations associated with the reclassification.
The Division anticipates on having a public hearing in the fall of 2008. The
proposed effective data of the reclassification is estimated to be March 1,
2009.
At this time, I'd like to request that the EMC approve sending the Tuskeegee
Creek Watershed Trout Reclassification proposal out to public hearing. I
would be happy to answer any questions you may have.
DEQ-CFW 00070376