Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Lakes And Ponds topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Sunset Beach ERC presses for detailed Twin Lakes treatment plan, monitoring and NCDEQ review
Summary
Committee members urged the Town to provide species-level treatment plans, acreage estimates and sediment assessments so the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality can review a proposed multi-year plan to manage noxious aquatic plants in Twin Lakes; members also weighed grant trade-offs and monitoring needs.
Mila, a member of the Sunset Beach Environmental Resource Committee, told the committee April 16 that the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Water Section has included the town’s lakes in its 2025 plan but requires detailed species lists, treatment-acreage figures and sediment-accumulation assessments before it will complete a consulting review.
"Rob Emmens, who is the coordinator of the grant, emailed Lisa and he said that we were included into the plan for 2025," Mila said, summarizing the agency’s request and adding that Emmens told the committee the effort is not a one-time measure but "a plan that will go for from two to five years." The committee noted that NCDEQ’s consulting review is provided at no charge if the town supplies the detailed information the agency requests.
Committee members and staff described current lake management as monthly service performed by Still Water; the transcript records the latest water testing on April 23, 2024. Mila and others said annual sampling is likely insufficient to characterize seasonal changes, and they urged more frequent water-quality and sediment monitoring to inform any multi-year eradication plan for noxious species such as alligator weed and dense emergent growth. "Considering that the Twin Lakes are part of the storm water retention system, it's really really vital to address that," Mila said, citing flood and property-risk concerns ahead of hurricane season.
The committee also discussed grant strategy: members warned that some state or county grants have application and reporting requirements that could exceed the grant value. "If it costs $5,000 to do the water quality testing, but the grant is only for $2,500, we're not even paying for the testing," one member said, arguing for a cost–benefit review before pursuing funding. The committee agreed to assemble detailed specifications (species, acreage to be treated, testing frequency and sediment assessment scope) and then evaluate whether specific grants are worth the administrative effort.
Next steps: staff and committee members said they will compile existing assessment files (including the assessment Rob Emmens performed last year), forward available documentation to subcommittee members and bring a recommended specification and grant evaluation to a future ERC meeting for a decision.
Proper names mentioned in discussion include the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Water Section, Still Water (private lake-treatment contractor), Twin Lakes and Jinx Creek.
