Action Items
* Action
items #1 and #2 are the top two priorities of this
committee.
1.
The Association encourages
each area to hold at Spring or Fall Area meetings,
training on interbasin water transfer, and to be
actively involved in the study of water allocation.
2008
2.
The Association encourages
Districts in areas of declining aquifer levels and other
water supply sources to increase their awareness of the
problem and begin to develop a strategy for addressing
water conservation by contacting NC Division of Water
Resources. 2005
NEW ITEM THAT WAS NOT ADOPTED,
WILL BE STUDIED BY THIS COMMITTEE DURING THE SUMMER OF
2007
3. The President and members of the Water Resources
Committee of the North Carolina Association of Soil and
Water Conservation Districts meet formally with the NC
DOT Division offices to request that the members of the
Board of Transportation, as rapidly as possible, put in
place a policy, or policies, that require the N.C.
Department of Transportation to take all steps necessary
to ensure that stormwater and related non-point
pollution discharges from impervious surfaces built
and/or maintained by the NCDOT is treated to the same or
higher standards as is required of those private and
public entities receiving Phase II National Pollution
Discharge Elimination System permits; and those policies
adopted by the Board of Transportation take into account
the capacity and management of the surface water
management system into which the treated water will be,
or is likely to be discharged.
2007
Policies & Positions
1.
The Association authorizes the Water Resources
Committee to hold one or more meetings each year, in
addition to the Association’s Annual Meeting, to
evaluate progress in accomplishing Water Resources
objectives.
2005
2.
The Association strongly opposes the interbasin
transfers of water from any river basin to another river
basin.
2007
3.
The Association recognizes the value of buffers,
riparian areas, wetlands and stream bank restoration
including the use of new bioengineering technologies, as
a viable concept and approach to watershed protection
and management and urges Districts to seek grant funding
and implement these measures where practical.
2003
4.
The Association supports
continuation of Drainage Districts.
2003
5.
The Association supports a
program for monitoring groundwater in North Carolina.
Furthermore, the Association urges the General Assembly
to appropriate additional funds for ongoing groundwater
and surface water monitoring.
2003
6.
The Association will continue membership and
support in the National Watershed Coalition with payment
of annual dues to include the amount of dues.
2006
7.
The Association will continue membership in and
support the work of the N.C. Water Resources Congress.
Annually, the Water Resources Committee shall seek
$1,000 from the Association to send a representative to
the Water Resources Congress Meeting in Washington D.C.
and to the National Watershed Coalition meetings and
this representative reports back to the Water Resources
Committee.
2006
8.
The Association encourages each respective
district to assume and carry out those responsibilities
as prescribed through the Commission as generated under
the Water Supply Watershed Protection Act and other
water quality and agricultural-related regulation and
programs.
2003
9.
The Association urges the
Division of Water Quality to continue working with local
Districts in ongoing basin wide planning efforts.
2003
10.
The Association urges Districts to become active
participants and leaders for local nonpoint source
planning and implementation activities using a watershed
approach. Individual districts are encouraged to
consider multiple programs and funding sources (such as
319, Environmental Quality Incentive Program,
Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program, Clean Water
Management Trust Fund, Federal Wetland Reserve Program,
EEP, etc.) when addressing water quality issues.
2006
11.
The Association of Soil and
Water Conservation Districts recommend that local SWCD’s
become actively involved in developing and implementing
targeted ag sediment and stormwater
management projects to identify and deal with problems
in identified watersheds and impaired stream segments.
The Association urges the NCDENR Division of Water
Quality and Division of Soil and Water Conservation, to
support and assist District’s efforts by providing
additional funding, guidance and coordination of
sediment projects with accelerated technical assistance
and cost-share funding.
2008
12.
The Association actively
supports the Aquatic Weed Control Program of the N.C.
Division of Water Resources and encourages management
alternatives that can minimize aquatic weed infestations
in watercourses.
2003
13.
The Association will work with
other governmental bodies and groups at the state and
national level to encourage the NC Division of Water
Quality, EPA Region IV, and the Department of the Army
Corps of Engineers to develop and implement a Nationwide
Section 404 discharge permit which would allow, in a
timely manner, the construction of in-stream regional
stormwater control structures, if no suitable
alternative exists.
2006
14.
The Association shall urge US
Congress and the NC General Assembly to increase PL-566
funding for ongoing and eligible NRCS watershed
projects.
a.
The Association urges the NC
General Assembly to appropriate annual funds to share in
PL-566 costs with local governments under guidelines set
forth in GS139, Article IV.
b.
The Association encourages
Federal and State funding to address rehabilitation,
restoration and repair or removal of older watershed
structures which have reached their design life-span
and/or no longer meet safety requirements based on a
change in land use or new dam safety requirements.
c.
The Association encourages the
Association President, individual Districts and other
project sponsors to write to US Congress and NC General
Assembly and other appropriate officials to encourage
their efforts to increase appropriations.
2007
15.
Whereas local and state governments have already
appropriated funds under PL566 for the outstanding Swan
Quarter and Yadkin County (Deep Creek) PL566 projects,
the Water Resources Committee of the Association
resolves at its January 8, 2007 meeting, that the US
Congress should immediately appropriate adequate funds
to complete these two projects.
2007
16.
The President and members of the Water
Resources Committee of the Association should draft
letters to their representatives in Congress to request
immediate appropriation of adequate funds to complete
the Swan Quarter and Yadkin County (Deep Creek) PL566
projects. 2008
17. The Association shall support NACD and the
National Watershed Coalition in their work with Congress
to provide funding for NRCS to upgrade, rehabilitate, or
remove dams and other structures built under federal
authority. The funding is needed for structures at, or
near the end of their designed life expectancy and/or
dams that do not meet applicable standards because of
changes in land use and other factors not associated
with inadequate operation and maintenance.
2008
