20051457 Ver 1_Re Fwd FW New River Stream Gauge.msg_20090126

Strickland, Bev
From: Tom Reeder [Tom.Reeder @ncmai1.net]
Sent: Monday, January 26, 2009 9:22 AM
To: Elizabeth Biser
Cc: Tom Fransen
Subject: Re: [Fwd: FW: New River Stream Gauge]
Elizabeth - This is a USGS stream gauge that has historically been funded by EEP. For some
reason (we do not know why, but I would assume that it has to do with funding shortfalls),
EEP has decided to no longer fund this gauge. We (DWR) can find the funding to keep this
stream gauge going until July (2009) but due to the cuts that we are expecting for next
fiscal year, we could not pick this up for any longer than that.
Just let us know if you want us to fund this through July. Thanks.
Elizabeth Biser wrote:
> Tom,
> Do you know anything about the situation with the New River Stream Gauge?
> Thanks,
> Elizabeth
-- - - - - -- Original Message -- - - - - --
Subject: FW: New River Stream Gauge
Date: Fri, 23 Jan 2009 15:54:48 -0500
From: Susan West Horne (Rep. Cleveland) <Clevelandla @ncleg.net>
To: <elizabeth.self @ncmail.net>
CC: Rep. George Cleveland <George.Cleveland @ncleg.net>
Elizabeth,
Representative Cleveland asked me to forward the email below to the
Department of Environment and Natural Resources for assistance. Please
advise him with recommendations.
Thank you!
Susan
Susan W. Horne
Legislative Assistant
Representative George G. Cleveland
(919) 715 -6707
clevelandla @ncleg.net <mailto:clevelandla @ncleg.net>
*From:* Rep. George Cleveland
*Sent:* Friday, January 23, 2009 3:38 PM
*To:* Susan West Horne (Rep. Cleveland)
*Subject:* FW: New River Stream Gauge
Susan - Please forward this to the NCDENR to see if they can help or
recommend which agencies can be of assistance.
George
> ---------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - --
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> *From:* Tess Sanders [mailto :tens @whiteoaknewriver.org]
> *Sent:* Thursday, January 22, 2009 3:03 PM
> *To:* Rep. George Cleveland
> *Subject:* New River Stream Gauge
> Dear Representative Cleveland,
> I am writing today asking for your assistance in saving the New River
> Stream Gauge located near Gum Branch Road (USGS Station Number
> 02093000). This stream gauge has been collecting important
> environmental data for almost 50 years now. Sadly, the gauge is
> threatened with decommissioning if funding is not secured by February
> 133 2009.
> The gauge offers real -time stream flow data that is important for
> protecting public safety on our waters. With the establishment of
> paddle trails and the most welcome surge in local folks getting out
> and paddling on the New River, the availability of accurate and timely
> data to judge whether there is sufficient (or too much) water for
> paddling is critical. Our public waters are a huge draw for tourism as
> well as an integral part of our local heritage. Losing our stream
> gauge will severely impact these activities. Elmer Eddy of The
> Stewards of the White Oak River Basin says, "We do not plan a paddle
> trip to clean up trash and litter in Onslow County without first
> checking this gauge. It is the only gauge in Onslow County that lets
> us know whether we can or cannot paddle the upper reaches of all our
> rivers in Onslow County. We use it constantly. Our good work will be
> hampered without it."
> Scientists working to protect our public trust waters also find the
> data collected by the gauge invaluable. Dr. Michael Mallin of UNCW
> writes, "The availability of the stream gauge for the New River has
> proven to be of great value in scientific studies of that system.
> Using the data from the gauge, we were able to statistically correlate
> river flow with nitrogen loading to the New River Estuary, indicating
> that the majority of the nutrient load no longer comes from the
> Jacksonville or USMC sewage treatment plants, but rather from the
> agricultural and developed areas upstream, coming in from non -point
> source runoff. The gauge will be of great use in any hydrological or
> pollutant modeling efforts for this system, and is certainly of key
> value in determining how drought or high river discharge periods
> impacts the algal bloom problems that periodically impact the estuary.
> Such devices are well worth the cost of upkeep and it is critical
> scientifically to keep it functioning!" Stephanie Garrett of NC
> Department of Environment and Natural Resources adds, "I use the
> stream height and flow data when evaluating our water quality data at
> my monitoring station located at the bridge where the gauge is. The
> gauge data has also been extrapolated for downstream sampling data as
> well. I sample there monthly and being able to look at both weather
> (rainfall) data and stream flow is extremely useful in my work."
> In the near future a 1 MGD wastewater treatment plant will be
> constructed in the Richlands area that will utilize infiltration ponds
> and membrane treatment of wastewater for the region. The ponds will be
> built adjacent to the river, which is classified as Nutrient Sensitive
> Waters. Frank Sanders, Director of Operations for Onslow Water and
N

> Sewer Authority (ONWASA) explains, "Onslow Water and Sewer Authority
> utilizes this gauging station now and will in the future because a
> regional water reclamation facility is going to be constructed on
> property just upstream from this gauging station. There are already
> concerns about water quality of the New River expressed by
> environmental groups and the North Carolina Division of Water Quality
> for this reach of the river. Quantifying the flow in the river will be
> important to not only Onslow Water and Sewer Authority that will
> construct and operate this wastewater plant, but will be used by
> multiple agencies monitoring the efficiency of the plant's operation.
> Additionally, I would think that it will be important for use in
> evaluating the effectiveness of efforts in determining the future
> Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for the river. We request that this
> stream gauge not be abandoned."
> Susan Cohen, Coordinator of the Defense Coastal /Estuarine Research
> Program also utilizes this gauge. She writes, "The loss of this gauge
> would impact our program for two reasons:
> 1. It is one of the few long -term gauges in Coastal NC. Most of the
> other gauges that measure flow into the estuaries have 10 - 12 years
> of record. This gauge has 50 +.
> 2. We were leveraging this gauge as part of the New River work - If we
> lose the gauge, then we lose (1) our ability to calculate loads at Gum
> Branch, (2) our ability to determine the export from the watershed
> between Gum Branch and Jacksonville, and (3) our ability to place the
> hydrologic regime of the study period within a larger context of 50+
> years of flows."
> The stream gauge is also important for monitoring flow levels during
> tropical storms, hurricanes and other major rain events. Real -time
> data enables NC Cooperative Extension to assist farmers in managing
> their livestock through potentially hazardous circumstances.
> Sadly, even though the data collected by this gauge is of critical
> importance to citizens and the scientific community, its continued
> operation is threatened by a lack of funding. The gauge has been
> funded by several entities over the years, most recently by the North
> Carolina Ecosystem Enhancement Program ( NCEEP). The USGS agreement
> with the NCEEP expired June 30, 2008. USGS continued to operate the
> gauge without funding but cannot continue to do so. Jeanne Robbins of
> the USGS explains, "In the absence of a formal agreement we are no
> longer permitted to continue operation of the gauge. These funding
> agreements are entered into through the USGS Cooperative Water Program
> where USGS can provide up to 50% of the funds for operation of our
> data collection sites and hydrologic investigations. In this
> particular case, the USGS funds $6,600 and the *partnership amount
> needed is $7,400 *, for a total cost of $14,000 for the current fiscal
> year."
> Because of the impact of the loss of the gauge on various recreational
> and scientific applications it is imperative that we ensure continued
> funding for this essential resource. Please help us save our stream
gauge.
> Sincerely,
> Tess Sanders
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> White Oak -New Riverkeeper
> Elmer Eddy
> Stewards of the White Oak River Basin
> Tess Sanders
> White Oak -New Riverkeeper
> PO Box 358
> Jacksonville, NC 28540 -0358
> 910 - 382 -1370
> www.wonriverkeeper.org <http: / /www.wonriverkeeper.org> Member
> Waterkeeper Alliance
> "A river is more than an amenity, it is a treasure" — Oliver Wendell
> Holmes
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