Greetings:

First SolarBees, and now mussels? It’s time to get serious about cleaning up Jordan Lake.

To refresh your memory: Jordan Lake is an artificial reservoir that provides drinking water to over 300,000 North Carolinians in addition to serving as a recreation area to over one million visitors every year. In 2002, the EPA deemed that the reservoir was polluted and that North Carolina needed to develop a plan to clean it up. In 2009, after years of negotiation, the Jordan Lake Rules were adopted by the state legislature. The Jordan Lake Rules are a management plan that utilizes scientifically-proven techniques to reduce pollution run-off into Jordan Lake. Unfortunately, in recent years the General Assembly has failed to implement these common-sense rules.

Previously, I wrote about the failed SolarBees experiment, which was a waste of time and money. After two years and $1.3 million dollars, the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) reported that the controversial water-churning devices were ineffective at reducing pollution in Jordan Lake.

Instead of implementing the Jordan Lake Rules, the Senate is playing the delay game again, this time with a budget proposal to use mussels for pollution cleanup. Specifically, it has earmarked $500,000 to study if fresh-water mussels can be used to clean up the excess nutrients and algae in Jordan Lake. While this idea is based loosely on a study conducted by Stanford, the scientific basis is taken out of context with no indication that it would work in Jordan Lake.

Furthermore, this “plan” of introducing a non-native species into any ecosystem can be downright destructive. A relevant example is the introduction of quagga and zebra mussels in the Great Lakes region. These mollusks have spread like wildfire; it has been estimated that power plants, water systems, and industrial complexes spend $500 million annually in mussel management.

The ideas that are coming from non-scientists in the General Assembly would be laughable if clean drinking water for over 300,000 residents was not at stake. The only way to reduce pollution in Jordan Lake is to stop pollution at the source. It is time to stop delaying the commonsense policies drafted to protect the health and well-being of North Carolina residents, waterways, and ecosystems. It is time to implement the Jordan Lake rules.

As the budget negotiations evolve, I will continue to update you regarding provisions that we find concerning. In the meantime, say no to mussels. Instead, say yes to the Jordan Lake Rules.

Sincerely,

Jesse Way, Stanback Intern
NC League of Conservation Voters