'Like' on Facebook!
Support the Republican Newspaper! It's only $9.95/year for the online edition!
Jul. 14, 2011
Friends of Deep Creek Lake – a nonprofit community group dedicated to the watershed's protection, preservation, and restoration – presented an update report to the Garrett County commissioners last Tuesday morning. Executive director Barbara Beelar stressed the importance of the county's role in revitalizing the 86-year-old man-made, state-owned lake.
"Our taxes are your revenue," Beelar told the commissioners about DCL users and property owners. "We have a relationship, and I don't think that's been fully understood or explored."
She noted the lake's natural aging process is evidenced in the amount/types of submerged aquatic vegetation, invasive species, and sediment build-up in many of Deep Creek's 20+ coves. The ramifications of not addressing these problems quickly, she reported, include declining property values, the loss of tourism tax revenue, and increased restoration costs.
"The faster we move on this, the less sediment we're going to have to remove, and the less negative impacts we're all going to experience," Beelar said.
She reported that the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) recently completed Phase I of the Deep Creek Lake Sediment Plan/Study and is expected to publish the results in the next few weeks.
Funded by the DNR, the $100,000+ study looked at sediment build-up in 10 specific coves, included a survey characterizing existing sediment throughout the lake, and compared past/current data and samples.
As noted by DCL manager Carolyn Mathews in an article titled "DNR Selects 10 Coves For Sediment Study" in The Republican's Oct. 28, 2010, issue, the chosen coves represented areas where DNR did not have sufficient data. In addition, some coves were selected because they represented different drainage basins, soil types, slopes, or land uses.
The results of Phase I will determine if DNR should move to Phase II of the study/plan, which will quantify and characterize the accumulated sediment and identify "reasonable, feasible, and sustainable" alternatives to address that issue, Mathews noted in the article.
During last week's meeting with the commissioners, Beelar indicated that Phase II could begin as early as Sept. 1 if funding can be secured.
"They (DNR) want you guys to pay for Phase II," Beelar told the commissioners.
She asked the commissioners to fund the $180,000 project. Possible revenue sources, she noted, include dock permit fees, the state "flush tax," state/federal coffers, and through establishment of a public/private restoration fund.
Beelar also asked the commissioners to lobby lawmakers to establish watershed implementation programs to address lake issues.
Commission chair Gregan Crawford indicated he was well aware of the importance of Deep Creek Lake and has contacted the DNR about the need to make a commitment to address the problems.
"But it's very hard to get the DNR's attention," Crawford said.
More here.
If you or someone you know is considering buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! I take great pride in referrals, and I assure you, I will take great care of your friends, family & colleagues! As member of the Garrett County Board of Realtors, I can assist you with ANY listed property, regardless of the listing broker.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment