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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNC0063096_meeting notes_20080715f ' Meeting Minutes for Western Wake Meeting July 15, 2008 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM Conference Room A Construction Grants and Loans Section Attendees • Pam Behm, Planning Section, Modeling and TMDL Unit • Dan Blaisdell, Construction Grants and Loans Section • Alan Clark, Planning Section • Kim Colson, Construction Grants and Loans Section • Jennifer Haynie, Construction Grants and Loans Section • Matt Matthews, Surface Water Protection Section • Jeff Poupart, Surface Water Protection Section, Point Source Branch • Jay Sauber, Environmental Sciences Section • Danny Smith, Raleigh Regional Office • Kathy Stecker, Planning Section, Modeling and TMDL Unit • Gil Vinzani, Surface Water Protection Section, NPDES East Unit Summary Below is a bulletized summary of the meeting: Holly Springs Issue • Holly Springs is currently permitted at 2.4 MGD and has the capacity for more. • Currently, the expansion for Holly Springs is almost complete. Tank testing is underway. There is nothing unique about the effluent today versus six months from now. The NOVs issued have been related to capacity. • The modeling completed for the Harris Lake study provided no new information regarding Utley Creek. • CH2MHill submitted a monitoring plan for Utley Creek to Kathy and Pam. Kathy provided comments to them. • It was indicated to DWQ that if the speculative limits for Harris Lake were accepted, then Holly Springs would like the discharge to remain in Utley Creek. • As part of the FEIS review process for the Western Wake Regional Water Reclamation Facility (WWRWRF), CH2MHi11 noted that EPA commented upon the fact that sending the discharge to the Western Wake Regional Water Reclamation Facility will result in more wetland impacts and a higher cost ($20M to $30M) to Holly Springs. CH2MHi11 wanted to run the monitoring study because of the high costs associated with the Holly Springs Effluent Force Main. • In 2000, DWQ did a study to look at the lakes below Holly Springs. Both were impacted by Holly Springs' effluent and contained massive amounts of algae. The ponds also possibly mitigate the effluent's impact on Harris Lake by functioning as a tertiary basin or lagoon. Currently, one pond's dam is breached. • Progress Energy is also looking at doing some stream mitigation along Utley Creek, which would essentially eliminate Thomas Mill Pond. • The letter dated April 26, 2005 makes it clear that DWQ did not grant approval to allow the increased discharge into Utley Creek. Instead, an SOC would be considered by DWQ for increased flow up to 6 MGD provided that the Town sends their discharge to the WWRWRF when it comes online. Harris Lake • If Harris Lake becomes a viable option, then it could save millions for Holly Springs to not go to the WWRWRF. • No speculative limits have been requested for Harris Lake as of July 15, 2009. It is the understanding of CG&L that the Partners are meeting with Fayetteville in an effort to get them onboard before submitting a request for speculative limits from Harris Lake. • If the Partners do request speculative limits, then the Modeling/TMDL Unit would want to look at the modeling again, as it was done for Harris Lake only. If the dam is indeed breached, then all of the nutrient load that was going into Thomas Mill Pond is now going into Harris Lake. • There is also a draft nutrient managent initiative to not allow any new discharges into lakes where a proposed chlorophyll threshold is exceeded. This could impact any potential discharge to Harris Lake. Conclusions • DWQ's position on Holly Springs leaving their discharge in Utley Creek has not changed.- They must remove their discharge when the WWRWRF comes online. They may also seek a SOC up to 6 MGD until then. • It remains unclear as to whether DWQ would allow a discharge into Harris. Lake. However, the Partners have yet to submit a speculative limits request. Action Items • Matt will contact Coleen about the conclusions related to Utley Creek (DWQ's position remains the same). Matt will draft a letter if she agrees. • Pam will review the model and get back with Dan on Tuesday, July 21st about whether Harris Lake can accept flow from the WWRWRF without exceeding the chlorophyll threshold currently under consideration. • Once the model review is complete, CG&L will meet with Coleen to make a recommendation about Western Wake (Week of 7/27). • CG&L will make a recommendation to the Corps of Engineers that will be DWQ's recommendation.