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Durham Council hears Falls Lake nutrient plan as UNRBA seeks regional funding
Summary
City staff presented the Upper Neuse River Basin Association(UNRBA) fiscal year 2026 priorities and requested DurhamCity support for the UNRBA budget; presentation emphasized benefits of a regional "investment-based" option over strict nutrient pound accounting and highlighted concerns about stage 2 requirements.
Durham City officials received a presentation on the Upper Neuse River Basin Association(UNRBA) fiscal year 2026 work and budget, which focuses on managing nutrients that contribute to algal growth in Falls Lake. The presentation described Falls Lake as impaired for chlorophyll a and reviewed the UNRBAeffort to stabilize the reservoir under rules first adopted in 2011.
City and UNRBA staff said Falls Lake has seen reductions in nitrogen and phosphorus since the 2011 rules, but that chlorophyll a (a measure of algal biomass) remains a concern in some conditions and locations. Staff warned that a potential shift to a stage 2 regulatory approach would carry very large costs and, in some cases, require technologies or actions that may not be feasible now.
UNRBA priorities presented to council included maintaining the existing rules where effective, pursuing an "investment-based" option for some source categories (agriculture, existing developed lands, and state/federal lands), and addressing the difficulty of accounting strictly in pounds of nitrogen and phosphorus. Presenters said the investment-based approach would allow jurisdictions or regulated entities to fund projects where they provide the most water-quality benefit rather than require on-site fixes that can be impractical.
Council members asked how credits or investments would be sized and how long-term accountability would be assured. Staff said pricing and credit allocation remain under discussion and that the approach is intended to be more flexible and effective than relying solely on pounds, particularly for existing developed lands and DOT-owned rights-of-way. Staff added that wastewater dischargers would likely continue to be regulated on pounds because their discharges are measured at treatment plants.
City staff noted Falls Lake and Jordan Lake generally show good conditions most of the time, with algal blooms and scums occurring seasonally or in specific locations; staff urged residents to report suspicious blooms. The presentation emphasized that regional cooperation is central: Durham is one of the larger UNRBA members and would be a significant funder of any shared program. The managersaid the citywould contribute to the UNRBA f.y. 2026 budget as part of a multi-jurisdiction effort.
