BACKGROUND & HISTORY
JORDAN LAKE ONE WATER COALITION (JLOW)
The Jordan Lake Watershed is a massive regional resource comprising of 10 counties, 27 municipalities, and nearly 700,000 water customers. Efforts to date have not been sufficient to enable Jordan Lake to meet water quality goals. As population continues to grow in the Jordan Lake watershed, water quality and water supply challenges continue to increase. The Jordan Lake One Water (JLOW) Coalition aims to reevaluate the current water resource management paradigm and move towards a more collaborative, interdisciplinary, and innovative approach.
How did these efforts begin? In 2017, Triangle J Council of Governments (TJCOG), now known as Central Pines Regional Council (CPRC), began facilitating conversations of stakeholders representing local government, conservation groups, water utilities, agricultural and private industry stakeholders seeking to work together to improve water quality in the Jordan Lake Watershed. Interest was so high that a JLOW Advisory Committee was formed to develop a workplan, completed in 2019 with the input of stakeholders defining how JLOW should monitor, evaluate, and quantify benefits of integrated water management efforts, and how a JLOW organization should be financed and governed. In 2020, the JLOW Advisory Committee, North Carolina Division of Water Resources (NCDWR), and numerous stakeholders collaborated to develop a recommended One Water
framework for the Jordan Lake watershed as part of the Jordan Lake Nutrient Management Strategy Rules Readoption process.
WHAT IS ONE WATER?
One Water is the idea that all water has value. Putting One Water into action means collaborating to manage water resources to meet environmental, social, and economic goals more efficiently than going it alone. The Jordan Lake One Water Coalition (JLOW) is a partnership of local governments, organizations, businesses and individuals who are working together across the million-acre Jordan Lake Watershed to develop alternative approaches to business-as-usual water management. We realize that addressing water quality, water supply, wastewater, and stormwater in separate silos in each of our jurisdictions isn't working. We know that our region is full of smart people who want to pilot innovative water management approaches to the benefit of our rivers and reservoirs. JLOW is already working collaboratively with stakeholders and state regulators to envision integrated water policy options for the Jordan Lake Watershed.
Let's work together to protect water quality now and in the future as our region continues to grow. Becoming a member of Jordan Lake One Water helps you to have a voice in shaping potential compliance alternatives to water quality regulations and securing a sustainable water future for the next generation.
WHY SHOULD YOU JOIN JLOW?
JLOW aims to develop strategies* to improve water resource management that support environmental, social and economic goals. Many types of projects have been developed to achieve a single goal, like nutrient reduction, habitat protection or economic development, and most of these have additional benefits that have not been valued. JLOW projects or strategies will aim to provide multiple benefits for communities and ecosystems. Some stakeholders may find it more beneficial to pursue different strategies than others, and this is encouraged.
By joining JLOW members are indicating their support for One Water and integrated strategies that support a balance between economy, quality of life for all, and the environment throughout the watershed.
In the short term, JLOW is working with the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) to recommend approaches to the under-development Jordan Lake Rules with an emphasis on regulatory flexibility and assuring that voluntary actions taken to preserve Jordan Lake water quality in advance of regulations are acknowledged. Local governments in the watershed, businesses and organizations and nonprofits doing business or having an interest in water use, water quality or water-based recreation can all benefit from being part of JLOW.
Groups of people speaking together have more power.
As a member of the JLOW organization, your voice will be part of advocating for Jordan Lake water quality and triple bottom line benefits for watershed stakeholders.
Things are changing fast, and we need to get ahead of the curve.
In 2010, 1.1 million people used Jordan Lake for drinking water. By 2030, we expect 6 million to depend on the reservoir for their drinking water needs. We need to proactively manage, with the growth we are seeing in mind, to ensure water supply, water quality and ecosystem health in cost-effective, socially equitable ways.
JLOW is the only organization working with state government to address water management in the role of a quasi-advisory organization rather than as a traditional regulated entity.
*Projects or strategies that JLOW endorses could include physical projects installed, like a stormwater project to limit flooding and/or nonpoint source pollution, or a program or policy enacted, such as incentives or ordinance modifications at the city or county level. Strategies are initially evaluated using the JLOW Strategy Prioritization Tool, which qualitatively evaluates triple bottom line benefits in more detail.
News and Updates
Contact us
PBarry@centralpinesnc.gov
Central Pines Regional Council
HStuart@ptrc.org
Piedmont Triad Regional Council
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