Jordan Lake: Difference between revisions

| name = B. Everett Jordan Lake

| image = Jordan Lake Sunrise.jpg

| caption = The sun rising over Jordan Lake, taken from Farrington Road

| image_bathymetry =

| caption_bathymetry =

| agency = [[United States Army Corps of Engineers]]

| location = [[Chatham County, North Carolina|Chatham]] / [[Durham County, North Carolina|Durham]] counties, [[North Carolina]], [[United States]]

| coords = {{coord|35|45|0|N|79|1|30|W |region:US-NC_type:waterbody |display=inline,title}}

| lake_type = [[Reservoir]]

| inflow = = [[Haw River]], [[New Hope Creek]], Morgan Creek, and Little Creek

| outflow = [[Haw River]]

| catchment =

| basin_countries = United States

| length = {{convert|16|mi|km}}<ref name="UACE brochure"/>

| width = = {{convert|5|mi|km}}<ref name="UACE brochure"/>

| area = {{convert|13940|acre|km2}}<br />{{convert|31800|acre|km2}} [[flood control]] pool<ref name="UACE brochure">{{cite journal|last=US Army Corps of Engineers|title=B Everett Jordan Dam and Lake|journal=Brochure}}</ref>

| depth = = {{convert|14|ft}}<ref name="UACE brochure"/>

| max-depth = = {{convert|14038|ft}}<ref name="UACE brochure"/>

| volume = {{convert|45800215100|acre ft|hm3}}

| residence_time =

| shore = {{convert|180|mi|km|abbr=on}}<ref name="UACE brochure"/>

| elevation = {{convert|216|ft|m|abbr=on}} <ref name="UACE brochure"/>

| islands =

| cities =

| frozen = never

| pushpin_map = North Carolina#USA

| pushpin_label_position =

| pushpin_map_alt = Location of Lake Mattamuskeet in North Carolina, USA.

| pushpin_map_caption =

| website =

| reference =

'''B. Everett Jordan Lake''' is a [[reservoir]] in [[New Hope Valley]], west of [[Cary, North Carolina|Cary]] and south of [[Durham, North Carolina|Durham]] in [[Chatham County, North Carolina|Chatham County]], [[North Carolina]], in the [[United States]]; the northernmost end of the lake extends into southwestern [[Durham County, North Carolina|Durham County]].

Part of the [[Jordan Lake State Recreation Area]],<ref name="UACE brochure"/> the reservoir covers {{convert|13940|acre}} with a shoreline of {{convert|180|mi}} at its standard water level of {{convert|216|ft}} above sea level. ItEmpounded in 1974, it was developed as part of a [[Flood#Flood defences.2C planning.2C and management|flood control]] project prompted by a particularly damaging [[1945 Southeast Florida hurricane|tropical storm]] that hit the region downstream in September 1945. Constructed at an original cost of US $146,300,000, it is owned and operated by the [[United States Army Corps of Engineers]], which dammed and flooded the [[Haw River]] and [[New Hope Creek|New Hope River]] between 1973 and 1983.

The '''Jordan Lake Dam''' (also known as the B. Everett Jordan Project and the New Hope Dam) is located at {{coord|35|39|15|N|79|4|0|W |region:US-NC_type:landmark |name=B. Everett Jordan Dam}} {{convert|4&nbsp;miles (6&nbsp;|mi|km)}} upstream from the mouth of the [[Haw River]] in the upper [[Cape Fear River]] [[drainage basin]]. Completed in 1974 by the [[Nello L. Teer Company]], it is {{convert|1,330&nbsp;feet (405&nbsp;|ft|m)}} in length and has a top elevation of {{convert|266.5&nbsp;feet (81&nbsp;|ft|m)}} above mean sea level.<ref name="UACE brochure"/>

During the construction of the reservoir, much of the area was permanently changed. The [[Durham and South Carolina Railroad]] was relocated from the New Hope basin to higher ground but its stations were not rebuilt, and the line itself was soon abandoned.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Capehart |first1=Al |title=Durham to Duncan – Norfolk Southern |url=http://wedcrew.yolasite.com/resources/Historical_Pictures/Durham%20to%20Duncan-Norfolk%20Southern.pdf |accessdateaccess-date=15 September 2019}}</ref> Many farming families were relocated as the project was developed and several roads in eastern Chatham County were either rerouted or taken out of commission completely. Some of the roads were never demolished, but simply allowed to flood over. When the lake is at low water volume, many of these roads can still be seen and some have even been utilized for makeshift boat ramps.<ref>{{citationCite news |last=Taylor |first=Mike needed|date=July2024-03-05 2012|title=Unusually low reservoir levels reveal remnants of submerged town from 1980s: 'For years, these ruins have been virtually invisible' |url=https://www.yahoo.com/news/unusually-low-reservoir-levels-reveal-020000396.html |access-date=2024-03-05 |work=Yahoo News |language=en-US}}</ref>

Jordan Lake serves as a major water supply for about 250,000 (1990) people incentral North Carolina. Allocations made in 2002Round 4 total 6395.9% of the water supply mgdpool. Governmental units allocated water from Jordan Lake arein TownsRound of4 Cary(approved andby Apexthe (32NC mgd),EMC Chathamon CountyMarch (69, mgd2017), Cityinclude ofthe Durhamsystem (10jointly mgd),operated Townby Towns of HollyCary Springsand (2 mgd)Apex, Townwhich ofalso serves Morrisville (3.5and mgd),the OrangeWake County (1portion mgd),of OrangeResearch WaterTriangle & Sewer AuthorityPark (5 mgd46.2%),; and WakeChatham County -North RTP(13%); SouthCity of Durham (316.5 mgd%).; AsTown of 2014Holly theSprings [[North(2%); CarolinaOrange DepartmentCounty of(1.5%); EnvironmentOrange andWater Natural& Resources|NCDENR]]Sewer DivisionAuthority of(5%); WaterCity Resourcesof isRaleigh conducting(4.7%); a roundTown of applicationsPittsboro for water allocation(6%).<ref>[httphttps://cleanjordanlakefiles.orgnc.gov/about-usncdeq/Water%20Resources/files/permits/jordanlake/EMC_Final_Decision_Round_4_Jordan_Lake_Allocation_2017-04-04.pdf Clean{{Bare JordanURL Lake]PDF|date=March 2022}}</ref><ref>[httphttps://wwwfiles.ncwaternc.orggov/?pagencdeq/Water%20Resources/files/permits/jordanlake/Revised_Jordan_Lake_Water_Supply_Allocation_Recommendations_20170310.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=317March NCDENR2022}}</ref> DWRHowever, Permitsin &2019, Registrationfollowing the »fourth round Jordanof Lakeallocations Waterthe SupplyCity Allocation]</ref><ref>[http://wwwof Raleigh relinquished its 4.ncwater7% water supply pool allocation.org/?page=313 NCDENRAs DWRsuch Currentit Allocations]</ref>is expected that the remaining unallocated portion of the water supply pool is 8.8%.

Jordan Lake was declared as nutrient-sensitive waters (NSW) by the [[North Carolina Environmental Management Commission]] from 1983, the year it was impounded. The lake is [[eutrophic]] or hyper-eutrophic owing to excessive nutrient levels.<ref>[http://www.jordanlake.org/web/jordanlake/background NCDENR DWR Background]</ref>

The Jordan Lake Rules are designed to improve water quality in the lake. The rules were developed with extensive meetings, public hearings and negotiations between residents, environmental groups, local and state government agencies and other stakeholders. The rules mandate reducing pollution from wastewater discharges, [[stormwater runoff]] from new and existing development, agriculture and fertilizer application.<ref>[http://www.jordanlake.org/ NCDENR DWR Jordan Lake Rules]</ref><ref>[http://portal.ncdenr.org/c/document_library/get_file?uuid=fd6c684b-2c8e-4617-a890-551ad77cd680&groupId=235275 Jordan Lake Rules fact sheet]</ref>

From July 2011 several NC laws have been passed delaying and weakening the rules, culminating in a plan to deploy floating arrays of in-lake circulators intended to reduce harmful algae and excessive chlorophyll.<ref>[http://www.jordanlake.org/web/jordanlake/read-the-rules NCDENR - Read the Rules]</ref><ref>[http://www.waterworld.com/articles/print/volume-28/issue-9/weftec-editorial-features/using-circulators-to-control-wastewater-pond-odors.html Using Circulators to Control Wastewater Pond Odors]</ref> However, they proved ineffective in a testing program and were removed in 2016.

On December 21, 2017, Researchersresearchers at Duke University have discovered elevated levels of several perfluorinated compounds an unregulated family of industrial chemicals including some that can raise cancer risks in Jordan Lake and drinking water treated by the town of Cary. Cary water treatment officials, who have independently confirmed the findings of Duke researchers, say the town's water is safe to drink. They also point out that the compounds detected are still below health advisory levels set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Testing still continues as of March 8, 2018.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.wral.com/elevated-levels-of-perfluorinated-chemicals-found-in-cary-drinking-water/17205916/|title=Elevated levels of unregulated chemicals found in Jordan Lake, Cary drinking water :: WRAL.com|last=WRAL|work=WRAL.com|access-date=2018-03-08|language=en}}</ref>

In 2009 the [[U.S. Army Corps of Engineers]] worked with local activists to establish Clean Jordan Lake, a nonprofit "friends of the lake" group.<ref>cleanjordanlake.org</ref><ref>[http://www.indyweek.com/indyweek/jordan-lake-turtles-herons-and-styrofoam/Content?oid=1409882 Independent Weekly: Jordan Lake: Turtles, herons and Styrofoam]</ref> Volunteer cleanups aided by the Corps of Engineers began in 2010.<ref>{{cite web | last=Curliss | first=J. Andrew | title=Littered lake gets a cleanup | website=NewsObserver.com | date=May 12, 2010 | url=http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/05/09/474110/littered-lake-gets-a-cleanup.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100512191254/http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/05/09/474110/littered-lake-gets-a-cleanup.html | archive-date=May 12, 2010 | url-status=dead | access-date=November 25, 2018}}</ref><ref>[http://chatham.mync.com/site/Chatham/news/story/51274/volunteers-wanted-to-clean-up-jordan-lake/ NBC 17: Volunteers Wanted To Clean Up Jordan Lake]</ref> Since then, Clean Jordan Lake has organized over 300 community service cleanups, formed the Adopt-A-Shoreline Program that comprises 19 groups that clean habitually littered areas three times per year, and formed the Adopt-A-Feeder Stream Program with semi-annual cleanups to prevent trash from reaching the lake. As of late 2017, 5,600 volunteers have removed 13,500 bags of trash (enough to fill 40 large dumpsters) and 4,300 tires. Clean Jordan Lake estimates that 80% of the trash is from stormwater runoff and 20% from recreational use of the lake.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://chathamcountyline.org/pdfs/CCL.may17.web.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2017-10-23 |archive-date=2017-10-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171023230531/http://chathamcountyline.org/pdfs/CCL.may17.web.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>[{{Cite web|url=http://issuu.com/_aca/docs/2014_fall_newsletter/1]|title=Talking Trash: Fall 2014 by ACA &#124; Canoe - Kayak - SUP - Raft - Rescue - Issuu|date=October 29, 2014 }}</ref>

* [http://www.ncwater.org/?page=313 Permits & Registration » Jordan Lake Water Supply Allocation]