Jordan Lake Visit Conclusions

State of North Carolina
Department of Natural Resources and Community Development
512 North Salisbury Street • Raleigh, North Carolina 27611
S. Thomas Rhodes, Secretary

June 10, 1986

James G. Martin, Governor
Representative William W. Cobey, Jr.
U S. Congress
510 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Congressman Cobey:

I appreciated the opportunity to visit Jordan Lake with
you and the Chatham County Board of Commissioners to discuss the
management and development of the Jordan Lake project. I am
sending you this letter to give you my present conclusions about
the situation at Jordan Lake.

Our Department is convinced that the demand for camp sites at
Jordan Lake will be heavy. It is in the public interest to
continue construction of the Poplar Point Campground to provide
services for those who want to use the lake. At the developed
recreation sites such as Poplar Point, our uniformed state park
rangers will be on hand to provide services to the visitors.
These sites have the facilities for sanitation and trash
collection that are needed to protect the environment at the
project. We believe that the more project visitors we can direct
to these state -managed sites, the fewer problems will be
experienced by Chatham County citizens and by County government.

Since the Lake was filled, no camping facilities have been
available and all the visitors have come for day visits only.
The completion of camp sites will begin to substantially increase
the economic benefits experienced by Chatham County. Visitors
who come to stay for a week or more will be purchasing more food,
fuel and other supplies in the County, rather than bringing then-
along from their areas of residence.

As we discussed on the site visit, the recreation plan for
Jordan Lake calls for a small number of large recreation
areas, rather than many smaller areas scattered all over the
project. One rationale for this design decision was to leave
large areas of undisturbed land for the state gameland program.
Because large areas will be left undeveloped, we have
extensive land available for hunting and fishing and for
wildlife, including non-game species such as the bald eagle.

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Representative William W. Cobey, Jr.
June 10, 1986
Page 2

Large camp sites are also more economical to operate. The State
is making a large investment in personnel to manage the developed
recreation areas at Jordan Lake and we have to make sure that we
use these resources as efficiently as possible. Finally, the
location of several large camp sites near the central area of the
lake was necessary to allow for an environmentally sound sewage
treatment system. We are very pleased that the Corps of
Engineers designed these recreation facilities so that no
wastewater and no nutrients will be discharged into the lake.

At this point there is no practical possibility of
reprogramming funds from the Poplar Point site to build trails or
other types of facilities. Another consideration is that the
Corps planning and design process is not suitable for building
simple foot trails We have explored this thoroughly and
reluctantly concluded that the Corps process cannot be used for
this purpose. Any diversion of funds from the Poplar Point site
will just make it more difficult for the State to get the public
off the roadsides and into properly managed areas. Based on the
extensive experience of the Corps of Engineers with large
projects elsewhere in the country, and based on the experience of
our own Department's staff members in managing large recreation
sites for TVA, we are confident that the Poplar Point Campground
will provide a high quality recreation experience for the
visitor.

After the eagles began roosting at Jordan Lake, our
department met with both the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the
North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission to determine what
steps needed to be taken to protect them. Both of these wildlife
management agencies approved the construction of the Poplar Point
Campground. The eagles first came to Jordan Lake at a time when
recreation use was already heavy, including intensive use of
motor boats. We do not believe that the Poplar Point Campground,
many miles away from the major roosting area for the eagles, will
have any significant effect on this endangered species. Colonel
Wayne Hanson has stated that he is willing to close the upper end
of the lake above State Road 1009 to boat traffic if this is
determined to be needed to protect the eagles. Up to this point,
the responsible wildlife agencies have not recommended that this
step is needed. I can assure you that we are very aware of the
presence of the eagles at Jordan Lake and will be directing our
activities to be compatible with their continued use of the lake.

We very much appreciate the leadership shown by the Chatham
County Trails Association and by the Audubon Society in
constructing trails at Jordan Lake. Staff members from our
Department have met with these citizen groups on a number of
occasions to work together on plans for trails at Jordan Lake.

Representative William W. Cobey, Jr
June 10, 1986
Page 3

The Corps of Engineers Resource Manager has offered his
assistance in constructing one trail segment and we believe that
our Division of Forest Resources will be able to assist with
trail construction in another area of the project. We are also
working with these citizen organizations on related areas of
interest, such as the designation of special natural areas on
project lands and planning for canoe access to the lake.

There seems to be some continuing misunderstanding about
trash collection at the project. Trash is collected from the
trash cans at the developed sites operated by State Parks and
Recreation and hauled at our expense to the landfill. We do not
deposit this trash in the dumpsters operated by the County.
Litter is a problem along roadsides and in some non -developed
areas where crowds have gathered. Litter control will require
further effort.

We are particularly concerned about the problems that Chatham
County has experienced with law enforcement at the Lake. This is
a serious situation that needs attention by all concerned
parties. Representatives from our Department and from state law
e nforcement agencies have met with the Chatham County Sheriff s
Department on several occasions recently to seek solutions for
these law enforcement problems. It appears that the major
problems are arising not at the developed recreation area managed
by the Division of Parks and Recreation, but on the gamelands
portion of the project, which was never intended for intensive
recreation use. This has led to the serious problems of
obstruction of public highways, litter, unsanitary conditions,
and occasional fights and other violent episodes.

After meeting on site with all the law enforcement
representatives and the Sheriff of Chatham County, we have
determined that a primary problem area across the lake from the
Ebenezer Church Boat Ramps needs to be closed to public use. As
you saw, the Corps of Engineers has constructed a fence to block
off this area and the Wildlife Resources Commission enforcement
officers, State Alcohol Law Enforcement officers and the State
Highway Patrol have put in special efforts to assist in
surveillance of this area to make sure that the destructive
patterns of use are stopped. We may need to take a similar action
at some other areas at the project.

We believe that these recent actions have been a step in the
right direction, but they have certainly not solved the problem.
There will be a continuing burden on the Chatham County Sheriff's
Department to respond to emergencies or law violations. We have
previously written to you our conclusion that the federal
payments to Chatham County in lieu of taxes are inadequate and
inequitable. The standard per acre payment that may be

Representative William W. Cobey, Jr.
June 10, 1986
Page 4

appropriate in the western states is not a satisfactory
compensation in the eastern states, and particularly not at
situations like Jordan Lake. We have asked your help in
seeking changes in this federal law to make this payment in lieu
of taxes more equitable.

I have not yet completed my review of what steps should be
taken by state government on the law enforcement problem. There
are several possible options, including assistance to the County
or additional state personnel to handle law enforcement problems.
I have an open mind on this and will be actively in touch with
you, with Chatham County representatives, and with the North
Carolina General Assembly to work toward a fair solution to the
law enforcement problem

You have our commitment to continue to work with your office
and with the Chatham County Commissioners and with the citizens
of Chatham County to understand and respond to whatever problems
are experienced at Jordan Lake The lake offers a valuable
recreation resource which is available to low and moderate income
citizens of Piedmont North Carolina. We believe that Chatham
County citizens will also be heavy users of the lake and that the
economic benefits of the lake for Chatham County will continue to
grow and become a significant element in the economy Through our
joint efforts, we should be able to solve the problems that we
have experienced.

Sincerely yours,

S. Thomas Rhodes

cc: Mr. Earl Thompson
Mr. Marvin Hoffman
Colonel Wayne Hanson
Ms Dee Dee Curry
Mr John N. Morris
Dr William W. Davis
Mr Charles Fullwood