Last week during regular sedimentation monitoring in Alamance County, three more building sites were identified with insufficient and failing sediment control measures, all of which were allowing unfiltered runoff to leave sites and enter basins and streams or directly drain to the Haw. A particularly egregious situation was found at a Meritage Homes of the Carolinas development at Old Farm Rd, where overflowing retention ponds and downed silt fencing were discharging large amounts of sediment and runoff into County Home / Still House Branch. Turbidity readings from our HACH meter were 41.1 NTU upstream or just before where the runoff entered the stream, 800+ NTU just after the site of discharge and 688 NTU ¾ of a mile upstream at Gilbreath St and Shakori Hills Dr, where discoloration was first observed. Photos and video along with our data were submitted in a report to the NCDEQ Division of Energy, Mineral, and Land Resources and the NC Department of Water Resources.
Aside from the City of Burlington, Alamance County differs from the majority of the Haw Watershed in that it does not have a local program for sediment and erosion control, so jurisdiction falls to our state environmental agencies, who are insufficiently funded and staffed to manage the volume of construction and sedimentation issues in North Carolina. We will continue to monitor these sites as well as others throughout the county. This last week, we also investigated new DCI Homes constructions at Genevah Albright Rd which were brought to our attention by a local citizen who wished to remain anonymous. All three sites had inadequate sediment control measures, with muddy runoff leaving across the road and through storm drains into a basin only yards away from the Haw River. These kinds of tips and information from the ground are invaluable and collaborative participation to monitor sites and document illicit runoff events is critical. As we amass data, documentation and submit reports, we hope to generate support and demonstrate the need for the creation and implementation of a local program for sediment and erosion control in Alamance County.