Whose Water Is It Anyway

13 Pages·2015·1.59 MB·English

Transylvania Natural Resources Council

February 3, 2015

To: Transylvania County Board of Commissioners

From: Transylvania Natural Resources Council

Subject: Transmittal of Water Conference Report

In 2014 the Transylvania Natural Resources Council (TNRC) organized a public conference
entitled “Whose Water Is It Anyway?” The purpose of the conference was to facilitate and

expand public dialog and promote informed decision-making about water-related issues in
Transylvania County. The conference, which was co-sponsored by the County and Brevard

College, and benefitted from significant support from the City of Brevard and various non-
government entities in the community, was held at Brevard College Porter Center on November

15, 2014.

Please find attached to this letter an assessment report on conference implementation and
participant feedback to date. This report has been prepared by Peter Chaveas, who chaired the

conference working group, members of TNRC and numerous other representatives of the
community who served on the conference committees. Additional information about the

conference is also included for your review.

We look forward to presenting this report and responding to any questions you might have at
the Transylvania County Commissioners meeting on February 9, 2015. Thank you for your

support of the conference and for your service to Transylvania County.

Respectfully,
Susan S. Brown

Chair, Transylvania Natural Resources Council

Attachments:

Conference Report to Commissioners
Conference Program

Financial Resources Available for the Conference
Evaluation Questionnaire for Participants

TNRC

Hosted by the Transylvania County Cooperative Extension Center 98 E. Morgan St. Brevard, NC 28712 828.884.3109
Transylvania Natural Resources Council

Whose Water Is It Anyway?

November 15, 2014

Report to the Transylvania County Board of Commissioners

from

The Transylvania Natural Resources Council

BACKGROUND

In July 2013, the Transylvania Natural Resources Council reported to the Board of

Commissioners regarding its meetings from October 2012 to May 2013 with representatives

of wide range of economic activities linked to our County’s rich natural resources. That
report concluded that following consultations with Commission Chair Hawkins and Brevard

College President Joyce, the TNRC would lead the organization of a public conference for

April 2014. The conference, to be co-hosted by the County and the College, would have two

principal objectives: “further expand the participation of the entire interested Transylvania

County community in the conversation and determine a future action plan to continue to

engage citizens in addressing concrete challenges to our natural resources and the economic
future of our County.”

ORGANIZING THE CONFERENCE

The TNRC proceeded to organize a working group headed by Peter Chaveas and Mark

Tooley. The working group was composed of TNRC members and others from across the
community who either expressed interest or who were recruited because of their specific
talents or experiences. The membership evolved and grew as the organizational process

proceeded.

A major change in plans for the conference developed when in the late summer of 2013, the
Conservation Fund offered its experience and organizational and financial resources to
conduct a three day workshop in Brevard in March 2014 focused on “Balancing Nature and
Commerce in Transylvania County.” It was concluded that the offer should be embraced and
that the TNRC-organized conference would be postponed to November.

TNRC

Hosted by the Transylvania County Cooperative Extension Center 98 E. Morgan St. Brevard, NC 28712 828.884.3109
A large majority of the participants in the Balancing Nature and Commerce workshop found it
very valuable and it further energized the organizers of the November Conference. While the
workshop generated valuable discussions, it was by invitation only and therefore did not engage
all interested citizens. On the other hand, it did convince the conference organizers that a one
day public conference was more likely to be successful if it narrowed its focus to one of a
myriad of issues identified during both its work of the preceding year and during the workshop.
It was unanimously concluded that the focus should be on water resources.

Having agreed to focus on water, the working group chose the intentionally provocative title
“Whose Water Is It Anyway?” for the conference and proceeded to focus on recruiting high
quality speakers and panelists, soliciting financial support, and organizing a range of public
relations efforts to make the conference as widely known as possible throughout the County.
The full program for the conference, including biographies of the speakers/panelists and a
listing of the financial resources made available for the conference are attached. In seeking
speakers/panelists the organizers made every effort to identify individuals who had a direct
knowledge of the County. In the end it was not always possible to identify individuals who had
appropriate expertise or experience and were willing to speak but all speakers were from North
Carolina, all had at least some direct knowledge of Transylvania County and all were highly
knowledgeable in their respective fields.

Efforts to make the conference known across the County included presentations to service
clubs, community centers and the Rosman Board of Aldermen as well as participation in the
HalloweenFest in Brevard and Rosman Heritage Day. Information was disseminated by WSQL,
WGCR, Comporium Cable and the Co-Ed Cinema. The Transylvania Times provided extensive
coverage through press articles, both before and after the conference, guest columns and paid
advertising. The Mountain Voice published conference press releases. The web sites of the NC
Cooperative Extension Service, the County, City of Brevard and Brevard College provided
information, including a page on the Extension Service web site that permitted individuals to
register their interest. The latter contributed to several e-mail lists that permitted the organizers
to keep all interested parties regularly informed in advance of the conference. Included were all
local elected officials. Finally, posters, handouts and banners were distributed extensively
throughout the County.

The entire conference was recorded on video along with a shorter set of interviews of the
speakers/panelists immediately after the conference. Links to the videos are available on the
web pages of the NC Cooperative Extension Service, the County, College and the City of
Brevard. They also can be accessed on YouTube by searching for “Whose Water Is It Anyway
Conference” and “Whose Water Is It Anyway Interviews”.
THE CONFERENCE AND PARTICIPANT ASSESSMENT

On November 15, 2014, the conference was held at the Brevard College Porter Center. 177
attendees registered but a number did not and the organizers believe that participation exceeded
200. The participants were a more diverse group of County citizens than is often the case for
such gatherings. In addition to the formal program, a “Share Fair’ with 14 participating
organizations (see conference program) was conducted in the Center Lobby providing
opportunities both before the conference and during break periods for many one-on-one and
small group discussions.

The degree to which the conference was a success is probably best judged by feedback from
participants. Each participant was provided with a “Conference Evaluation” (copy attached) and
asked to rate the conference on a 1-5 scale (with 5 indicating “Highly Successful”) in terms of
its achievement of its two principal objectives:

1. Individual speakers and panelists offered their expertise and practical experience to present
evidence-based information about water issues of concern to our community.

2. The conference was organized in such a way as to encourage and expand dialogue among
participating citizens about our water resources.

Approximately 15% of participants returned their evaluation, an exceptionally high level of
response. With one exception, all respondents rated the conference achievement of objective
one as a 4 or 5. Further comments indicated that the presentations by keynote speaker Ryke
Longest and by Keith Webb of McGill Associates stood out as particularly valuable but all of
the speakers made noteworthy contributions.

Responses indicated that the conference was somewhat less effective in achieving objective
two. However, with two exceptions, no one rated the success level lower than 3 and again most
gave ratings of 4 and 5.

CONCLUSIONS

The Conference Evaluation asked participants several open ended questions about conference
highlights, areas for improvement and next steps for addressing water and other natural resource
issues in as inclusive a manner as possible. Drawing on those responses as well as on numerous
conversations with participants both before and after the conference and on the observations of
the organizers and other TNRC members, the TNRC offers the following conclusions:
- The Conference was highly successful in providing new, relevant information. There is a
demand for more information and significant interest in the community in further such
gatherings (periodic conferences or workshops), both to explore water issues in more
detail and to consider other subjects. In particular, there is interest in having both more
and more specific information about how individual land owners would be impacted by
various options for drawing water from the French Broad or other sources. Interest was
also expressed in learning more about wells, springs and reservoirs as sources, about
threats to water quality and about land use planning.

- Citizens are anxious to hear from their elected officials and policy makers about timely
steps being taken to address the community’s water related challenges and they want
evidence those officials are working in a manner that involves close collaboration among
county and municipal entities.

- The possible challenge posed to the County’s water resources by future demands for
inter-basin transfers and downstream transfers, and the planning and measures required to
protect County interests were new subjects to many participants. They need more
attention both for their substance and as a motivator for concerted community
engagement.

- The role played by the Transylvania Times in publicizing the conference, in providing
opportunities to explore specific issues, and in reporting the conference was frequently
and favorably cited. There is a clear interest in the community in hearing more as county
and municipal plans advance. Other media can also play a role. The organizers were not
as successful in utilizing the tools of social media as desirable.

- There is a clear demand within the community for more of this kind of activity. This
conference was organized almost exclusively by volunteers. It worked well but if this is
to become a regular, periodic activity, continuing reliance on an all-volunteer force would
be ill-advised. Future events should be led by county personnel or contractors with
relevant expertise. The TNRC should play a central role in identifying issues. Volunteers
should still be looked to as a valuable resource but in a support capacity.

- Attendance at the conference was both fairly large and diverse. We should strive to do
better. Two hundred people cannot be fully representative of our community and there
appeared to be resistance from some segments of the community to being involved at all.
The reasons for this need further investigation to determine how we can be even more
inclusive.
- Participants in the conference were not as engaged as desired and some felt that the
format was not as conducive to questions, answers and comments as desirable. More time
and other new approaches are needed to facilitate greater engagement at future events.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The development and execution of the conference was an outstanding team effort. Those who
contributed are too numerous to list here but at the risk of overlooking some deserving
individual, the following are worthy of special mention: Susan Brown, Eric Caldwell, Nancy
Coleman, Don Surrette, MaryAnn Mickewicz, Bart Renner, Jennifer Frick-Ruppert, Mac
Morrow, Jay Johnston, and LeAnn McCraw. Peter Chaveas led the conference working group
throughout. Mark Tooley co-chaired the effort until other commitments caused him to step
aside but he continued to be a key contributor. The organizers are indebted to Mike Hawkins
and David Joyce for their interest, support and guidance. We particularly appreciate the effort
by elected officials Mike Hawkins, Ann Hollingsworth, Page Lemel, Charlie Landreth, Larry
Chapman, Mac Morrow and Jimmy Harris for taking the time from their demanding schedules
to contribute to and participate in the conference.
Financial Resources Available for the
Whose Water is it Anyway? Conference

Transylvania County $4000

City of Brevard $1500

Non-Government sources

Can’d Aid (Oskar Blues) $1500

Sierra Club $1000

Comporium $ 500

Proceeds from Bench Raffle $ 167.64

Printing services were provided at cost by UPS and on-screen publicity at the Co-Ed
cinema was provided at no cost.
WHOSE WATER IS IT
ANYWAY?
Learn more, have your say.
November 15, 2014
Paul Porter Center
Brevard College
Whose Water Is It Anyway?
Learn More/Have Your Say
Moderator: Eric Caldwell, Western District Extension Director, NC Cooperative Extension Service
8:00am Registration Light breakfast refreshments available
Share Fair Opens
9:00am Welcoming Remarks: Vice President Scott Sheffield, Brevard College
Chair Mike Hawkins, Transylvania County Board of Commissioners
9:15am Keynote: Ryke Longest, Director, Environmental Law and Policy Clinic and
Clinical Professor, Duke University Law School
“Whose Water Is It Anyway?” How Water Governs Us
Panel Presentations and Discussions with Q & A
10:15am Panel 1

Local Water Needs: What is the range of requirements we can foresee for water over the near and long term: drinking,
business and industry, recreation, etc., and what can we say with confidence about the quantity and infrastructure we will
need? What are the related costs?
Panel Members are Keith Webb, Consulting Engineer, Vice President, McGill Associates, Asheville
David Whitmire, Headwaters Outfitters
David Morris, Oskar Blues
11:45am Break Light refreshments available
Share Fair Continues
12:15pm Panel 2
Water Sources and Watershed Management and Concerns for Our Supply: How do we utilize and protect our
resources and property rights? What Should We Be Concerned About: Drought, Inaction, Neighboring Jurisdictions, etc?
Panel Members are Bill Dowbiggin, Consulting Engineer, Vice President, CDM Smith, Raleigh
Mitch Peele, Senior Director for Public Policy, North Carolina Farm Bureau Federation
Jaime Laughter, Transylvania County Manager, former Town Manager, Mills River
1:45pm Closing Remarks Mac Morrow, President Elect, Transylvania County Historical Society
SHARE FAIR PARTICIPANTS
Brevard College – Voice of the Rivers Historical Society City of Brevard
Natural Resource Conservation Service CMLC NC Youth Camp Association
Forest Service Oskar Blues French Broad Stewards
Riverlink Friends of Ecusta Soil Conservation
Headwaters Outfitters TIME Transylvania County
OUR SPEAKERS
Ryke Longest
Clinical Professor of Law
Director, Environmental Law and Policy Clinic
Duke University School of Law
Ryke Longest teaches Water Resources Law at University Duke School of Law. He also directs the Environmental
Law and Policy Clinic, which teaches students how to represent nonprofit environmental organizations as part
of a public interest law firm. Before he became a professor, Ryke was a Special Deputy Attorney General working
for the North Carolina Department of Justice. During his career at NCDOJ, Ryke represented state agencies
charged with protecting North Carolina’s environment. Ryke’s practice has included client counseling, trial
representation and appellate work at all levels. His research interests and specialties include: water resources,
water quality, air quality, fisheries, oil and gas law, administrative procedure and environmental justice. He
has spoken and is published widely on these subjects. He is a graduate of UNC/Chapel Hill and of UNC School of Law. He was North
Carolina Water Conservationist of the Year in 2013.
Ryke is the seventh generation of his family to live in North Carolina, with the first six living in what is now Duplin County along
Rockfish Creek, where his fourth great grandfather, Lt. Daniel Teachey, fought in the Duplin Militia. Teachey was descended from
German refugees from the Palatine who came to Carolina colony by way of England where they anglicized their German names.
Keith Webb
Vice President, McGill Associates
Keith Webb is a Vice President with McGill Associates and serves as the principal of Asheville office. McGill
Associates is a consulting engineering firm started in Asheville and provided water resources, wastewater
collection and treatment, civil/site, electrical engineering and landscape architecture services. The firm is
celebrating 30 years of services and now has offices in Asheville, Hickory, Pinehurst, Boone and Cary, North
Carolina and Sevierville and Knoxville, Tennessee. Keith is a native of Buncombe County in Western North
Carolina and has a bachelor of science in civil engineering from Clemson University. He has worked with
McGill Associates for more than 28 years and has more than 34 years of engineering experience related to water
resources, water supply and treatment, wastewater treatment and storm water projects for a large number of
North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee communities. He has worked with a number of Western North
Carolina communities with the development of new water supplies and the design and construction of new
treatment plants to provide safe drinking water to their customers.
David Whitmire
Headwaters Outfitters
David Whitmire was born Transylvania County and resides in the Quebec Community where his family has had
a presence since 1824. David graduated from Rosman High School 1982 and married Debi Whitmire in 1985.
Together, they have two daughters. David was a founder and owner of Sapphire Landscaping (1984), and a founder
and an owner of Headwaters Outfitters (1992). Because of his interest in the outdoor lifestyle, including canoeing,
bow hunting, and Conservation, he serves in a volunteer capacity as the Program Chairman with the North Carolina
Bow Hunters Association, as Co- Chairman of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Council, and as a member of the
French Broad River Stewards and River Link. He also served on the Board of Directors of the French Broad River
Foundation from 1990-1992, and as President of the NC Professional Paddle sports Association from 1995-1997.
David has won several awards for his accomplishments, including: Friend of the River Award 1992 from the
French Broad River Foundation for river clean-up efforts and work against building of headwaters dams; Presidential Award in 2010
for service to NC Bow Hunters Association; and a Life Service Award in 2012 from the NC Bow Hunters Association. David has a long
history of water-related recreation on and in the water of Transylvania County, fishing and camping along streams throughout the
county, but mainly in its southwestern waters, since childhood. He started paddling the French Broad with his family in the early to
mid-1970’s, and flushed thru his first strainer in a Canoe in 1977 on the West Fork of the French Broad. He began whitewater canoeing
in 1985; paddled the North Fork Gorge for the first time in 1990; has visited a large number of the waterfalls in the county; been a guide
on helicopter tours of the gorges sections of the Toxaway, Horse pasture, Thompson, and Whitewater Rivers, and worked as a river/safety
boater for several photo and movie shoots on the rivers in Transylvania County.
David Morris
Lab Manager, Oskar Blues Brewery
Born on the coastal waters of South Carolina David Morris received his BS in Biology and Psychology
from the College of Charleston in 2006. After a stint abroad he attended Clemson University graduating
in 2013 with a MS in Bio systems Engineering with emphasis in wastewater treatment and biofuel
production. He currently lives in Brevard, NC and is the QA/QC Lab Manager at Oskar Blues Brewery.