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Overview of Drinking Water in the Upper Neuse River Basin
Map courtesy of Upper Neuse River Basin Association
The Upper Neuse River Basin is a 770 square mile area in the Piedmont area of North Carolina. The Upper Neuse is home to about 190,000 people and contains nine public drinking water supply resevoirs that together serve over 500,000 people. The Basin drains to the Falls Lake Resevoir, Raleigh's major water resource. Other water supplies include:
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Lake Mitchie
- Little River Resevoir (Durham)
- Lake Holt (Butner/Granville County)
- Lake Orange (Orange County)
- New Hillsborough Lake (Hillsborough)
- Corporation Lake
- Lake Ben Johnston (Hillsborough)
- Lake Rogers (Creedmoor)
Current-Land Use
The major land cover types of the basin are forest (61%) and agriculture (16%). Most of this open space is in the headwaters of the Flat, Little, and Eno Rivers. Seventeen percent (17%) of the basin is urban or suburban.
Growth and Development Pressures
Water quality degradation is increasing in the Upper Neuse River Basin due to the effects of development and population growth. A fifty percent (50%) increase in population is projected in the Falls Lake Basin by 2025. This growth will likely lead to the development of an additional 50,000 acres of land and consume 76% of the remaining undeveloped land in the basin.
Growth brings jobs and other benefits, but it must be carefully planned. The natural beauty, recreation opportunities, and clean water of a healthy environment are often what attract people to this area. Strategic land conservation can protect these amenities by balancing growth and protection. Sustainable economic development and prudent land conservation go hand-in-hand.
Solutions
Solutions
According to a new report released by the Triangle GreenPrint Project (a joint initiative of the Triangle J Council of Governments, the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and the Triangle Land Conservancy), the current rate of land protection in the region must double from 8% to 15% within 25 years. After that, many of the best opportunities will be lost and properties that remain undeveloped could be prohibitively expensive.
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