Lake James Environmental Association

Newsletter
Fall 2014

Inside This Edition

Message from the President

Remembering Eston Ross

Four Actionable Updates

News Updates

Jim Darsie Interview

Did you know?

Educational Outreach
2014 Riverfest

5
6

Protect and enhance the health

and beauty of Lake James and
its watershed

Board Members
George Johnson (P)

Otis Wilson (VP)

Richard Spitz (T)

John Phelps (S)

.Jack Raker

Ted Restel

Bob Long

Jimmy Blanton

Eric Loomis

Bo McMinn

Wendell Sugg

Allan Pinkul

Buddy Barrett

Judy Francis

Jim Darsie

Keith Smith

Kaitlyn McMinn

Lauren Norell
Tracy Childers
Russell Hennesey
Nora Coffey (ex officio)

Message from the President:

This was quite a year. In addition to our routine water sampling,

stream flow and lake level monitoring, silt mapping, educational
outreach programs and keeping members informed, we
responded to problem reports and were involved with
lake development rezoning
Radon Action Month
a shoreline cleanup
PCB testing in fish
Kids in the Creek for all McDowell 8th graders
Catawba RiverFest
a basin-wide Water Supply Plan
an emerging Forest Management Plan
a proposed shooting range near the lake, and
an annual meeting where several new board members were elected to
terms starting in 2015

All these topics support our 4 major objectives: Clean Water, Ample Water,
Clean Air, and Clean, Attractive Surroundings and were addressed at our
annual meeting. The entire PowerPoint presentation can be viewed at
http://www.ljea.org/2014-annual-report.html.
Some of these topics are the subject of updates or articles below. Issues that
would benefit from your action are labeled Actionable Updates and contain
some red text. While longtime readers are familiar with most of the programs,
new members need to learn about them, so I hope we achieved a workable
balance for all of you.
This edition begins with some remembrances of Eston Ross, a pioneering
protector of Lake James.
We wish you a safe, Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday.
George

LJEA
P.O Box 430
Nebo, North Carolina 28761

www.ljea.org

info@ljea.org

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Remembering Eston Ross

Eston Ross, an
early proponent
and protector of
Lake James and
an exemplary
person, died on
August 29, 2014.
Here are
remembrances
from three who knew him well.
Rance Henderson: I saw Eston often since we were
there together in Holiday Shores. Of course, back in
those days there weren't all that many other places at
Lake James to be.... Eston literally beamed when
talking about the beauty and purity of the Lake waters
and the need for us all to work hard to keep it that way.
Eston believed that everybody deserved to be treated
with respect and he put that into practice.

to Save Lake James. Not only did this assistance come

in the form of financial help for postage and research,
but we got Eston's presence and business savvy at
meetings with Crescent Resources in Charlotte.
Eston was both a partner and a mentor to me; even
perhaps a father-figure at times. He helped me in more
ways than I could ever list. He was a true friend, mentor
and the best influence any man could have. I truly loved
Eston Ross more than anyone will ever know. Everyone
in western North Carolina should know that none of the
accomplishments achieved at Lake James for the
publics good would ever have happened if not for Eston
Ross and Lake James Environmental.

FOUR ACTIONABLE UPDATES

Actionable Update on Proposed Shooting Range

Bill Bell, Jr.: Eston Ross was a great and caring man.
He was a patron saint to Lake James and the Catawba
River chain. In my opinion, Eston Ross, Jimmy Blanton,
my father and those early pioneers are the reason we
have a class 2 lake now. They stopped all kinds of bad
things in the early days, such as straight piping into the
Catawba River and made sure waste water treatment
plants were up to par. Its hard to fathom how much we
owe to Eston Ross. He was a community leader and a
fine Christian man.
Paul Braun: On a rainy afternoon in January 1998, I
received a phone call that changed my future and the
future of Lake James. The call was from the late Eston
Ross. This call was the beginning of a wonderful
partnership and friendship. Eston wanted to meet with
me after a friend had mailed him an article printed on the
front page of the News Herald and two other papers.
The article was a cry for help to preserve Lake James for
public parklands underscoring why the public should
become the true owners of lands being developed by
Crescent Resources.
At this time, I had formed a grassroots organization
Citizens to Save Lake James - complete with a board
and officers. I had a petition effort underway, along with
a game plan that was crude at best. However, Eston
knew he was meeting someone who was committed and
would not give up.
I invited him to a meeting. I had also invited some
political figures and environmentalists, as well as forest
service and state parks officials to hear my plan. After
the meeting, Eston told the members of Lake James
Environmental about the effort and what we were trying
to accomplish. The board decided to back the Citizens

Status of the shooting range proposed for Wolf Pit Road

just off 126 near the Linville Access has been updated.
Based on feedback from the public, including LJEA, the
NC Wildlife Resources Commission has authorized
additional sound testing after the leaves are down.
When the results are analyzed, if the Commission still
wishes to pursue this site, it will hold another public
hearing, this time in Burke County. See status of
shooting range proposal at:
http://www.ncwildlife.org/Hunting/BeforetheHunt/Shootin
gRanges/ProposedShootingRanges.aspx
Another location, Lone Mountain on highway 64, has
been suggested as more suitable than Wolf Pit Road.
Please let your public officials know what you think about
these two locations.
Actionable Update on Basin Water Plan
You may recall from the last newsletter the Catawba
Wateree Water Management Group (CWWMG) consists
of representatives from 18 water supply utilities + Duke
Energy. They drafted a plan to help assure adequate
water during drought for the next 50-100 years. The

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plan recommends several measures to expand useable
storage, but is weak on conservation and efficiency,
especially regarding water used for power generation.
We also found that simulation studies which supported
policy recommendations rely on a simplistic scoring
system. Water supply adequacy is based solely on endof-day water level readings. Using this single criterion
ignores economic effects on water-using businesses and
impacts on recreation/tourism. Further, over-precise
limits allow only two feet between a lake level that is
Adequate, i.e., 49 feet down, and one that is a
Failure, i.e., 51 feet down. (For comparison you may
recall what the lake was like when it was down 15 feet
for dam work in 2011.) It is preposterous to consider 49
feet down an Adequate water supply for policy
purposes. It is only adequate for generating power
which cannot be done below 51 feet down.

Other constructive criticisms of the plan and responses

to those are at
http://catawbawatereewmg.com/2014/WSMP_Comment
s-and-Responses_20141007.pdf . These include
thoughtful comments from the Catawba Riverkeeper and
from the Catawba-Wateree Relicensing Coalition.
Please make your own thoughtful comments to help
encourage prudent, long-run water management at:
feedback@catawbawatereewmg.org.
Progress of the Water Supply Master Plan can be
monitored at
http://www.catawbawatereewmg.org/projects.html .
Actionable Update on Radon Action Month
January each year is Radon
Action Month, an EPA program
to raise awareness of the
radioactive, colorless, odorless
gas that causes lung cancer and
is more widespread in both
counties than most people
realize. LJEA supports the local
extension services in this
program by helping publicize the
risks and opportunities to deal with them. The county
extension services hold information sessions and hand
out free home test kits for radon. They also guide
people to information about how to mitigate homes that
have actionable amounts of the gas. When it is
available, we will forward information about Burke and
McDowell counties information session plans. We
encourage you to test your home in January if it has not
been done.

Actionable Update on Forest Management Planning

This was sent out as an announcement earlier. Issues

most important to Lake James are protecting its views
and protecting the lake from further siltation, especially if
additional roads or poorly done timbering are allowed in
its watershed.
The US Forest Service is soliciting public input about its
draft proposals. This particular topic concerns potential
additions to Wilderness Areas of the Forests. Please
provide your comments by January 5, 2015 through
either the online Collaborative Mapping Tool (by sending
comments to NCPlanRevision@fs.fed.us), or sending
hard copy comments to 160 Zillicoa St, Ste A, Asheville,
NC 28801. Details below:
USFS Announcement: Management Plan for Pisgah
and Nantahala National Forests
The US Forest Service has announced an opportunity
for the public to participate, from home, in evaluating
potential additions to wilderness areas. The
inventory maps for potential additions to wilderness
have been updated and are now available for viewing
on the Forest Plan Revision website:
www.fs.usda.gov/goto/nfsnc/nprevision. The next step
in the process to identify potential additions to
wilderness land is to evaluate the areas based on
wilderness characteristics. You may view the
interactive maps through the online Collaborative
Mapping Tool and provide comments on the
evaluation of areas. If you prefer, hard copy maps of
the areas will be available at the ranger district offices.

NEWS UPDATES
Update on Fireboat Prospects
In the last newsletter Otis Wilson described his
exploration of the potential need and support for a Lake
James fireboat. He asked readers to reply with specific
information about their and their neighbors willingness

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to support an investment in this capability. No replies
were received. Combined with the current inability of the
fire departments to tackle this investment on their own,
prospects for a fireboat at this time are remote.

Update on PCB Testing at Lake James

You may recall that LJEA and
the Community of Lake James
partnered with the Catawba
Riverkeeper and the NC Division
of Water Quality to sponsor a
test for PCBs in Lake James fish
(testing that had never been
done here before). Analyses of
fish caught in September reveal
that PCBs were detected in
Channel Catfish from both sides
of the lake. The actual readings
were:

Catawba side - Two composite tissue samples:

.038 and .018 mg/kg
Linville side Sample from single specimen:
.022 mg/kg

These results are below the NC action standard of .05

mg/kg. It remains to be seen whether NCDENR will
recommend additional testing or issue a fish advisory.
Meanwhile, it is good to be informed of the current
readings.

Board Member Interview:

Meet Jim Darsie
Q: Characterize yourself in 10
words or less.
A: I prefer to stay busy and
have several ongoing projects.
Q: What is your
background/profession?
A: I was raised in a strong Christian family. My
education includes a BS in chemistry from Wheaton
College and an MD degree from Baylor College of
Medicine. I did a year of general surgery at the
Cleveland Clinic and my Ear Nose Throat Head and
Neck residency at Duke University. I practiced in Keene

NY for five years and in Lenoir for twenty-eight years

and have been retired for seven years.
Q: What factors led to your decision to build a home at
Lake James?
A: Weve had a sailboat on Lake James since 1980 and
a lot in East Shores since 1991. The lot was used as
often as possible for swimming and sailing and we really
loved the lake, its beauty and clear water. After retiring
we worked on house plans and I acted as the owner
contractor. (I have worked with Habitat for Humanity for
many years.) My son and I did a lot of the work on the
house. It was a great experience and took about a year
to complete.
Q: Describe a formative experience in your past that
shapes your environmental consciousness today and
influenced your decision to help protect the lake.
A: I grew up near Pittsburgh, PA and as kids we swam
in the filthy rivers before they were cleaned up. What a
difference there is between those rivers and Lake
Spofford in NH and Lake James.
Q: To what other environmental groups/organizations
do you belong?
A: I am Lake James Lakekeeper for the Catawba
Riverkeeper Foundation.
Q: What opportunities do you see for LJEA and the
Catawba Riverkeeper to strengthen each others
effectiveness in the Lake James area?
A: The fact that these groups work closely together is
great. I would like to have more ongoing education
available for everyone who uses the Lake so they can be
more aware of potential problems and let us know so we
can assist in getting them corrected. The relationship
with the Riverkeeper and their legal assistance can be
very helpful.
Q: What do you think are the major opportunities to
improve the health of Lake James and its watershed?
A: One major opportunity is limiting sediment and this
will be an ongoing project. It is important to educate
everyone about how sediment deposits are decreasing
storage capacity for future drought response. Keeping
pressure on Duke Energy to become more efficient in
their cooling operations will be important. I think the
meetings with Crescent Communities last year were
professional and helpful in protecting the lake and
viewshed. We need to continue a good relationship with
Crescent Communities. We also need to have an

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ongoing positive relationship with the Forest Service so
we are informed about what they are doing and they will
understand our concerns.

Did You Know?

LJEA receives numerous problem reports. These are
some issues from 2014:

My skin itched after swimming

How do I stop the trash accumulating in our
cove?
Theres foam in the water
There are dead fish or dead clams in the water
The water looks very muddy or an odd color
The water smells bad
They want to change the waterfront zoning
Theres mud running down my street
Why do they want to put a gun club so close to
the lake?
Our cove is filling up with silt
Theres a sunken houseboat near the launch
site

An Enviroscape model
of a small watershed
was operated
collaboratively by
student board
member Kaitlyn
McMinn and some of
the students in each
group. Kaitlyn set up the watershed with several kinds
of (fake) pollutants and the students made it rain. Then
they discussed what happened to the pollutants and
why. It was pretty clear that the rain caused erosion and
the pollutants washed downstream into the lake. Then
they discussed how to prevent such problems in the
future and actually tried out some of the ideas in
miniature.

Educational Outreach

A Groundwater
Model was
demonstrated by
LJEA volunteer
Marshall Taylor, a
Water Resources
Engineer. He
illustrated with food
coloring how contaminated surface water eventually
affects drinking water wells and even streams and lakes
by flowing horizontally from the ground into them.

This year we continued to benefit from the counsel and

support of a science teacher and a science student from
each of Burke & McDowell counties, serving as board
members. In addition to our McDowell County Kids in
the Creek Program, Freedom High School students in
Burke County saw a demonstration of the Groundwater
Model by LJEA member Marshall Taylor. Schools in
both counties were also provided with a total of 300
radon home test kits to support their science programs.

The following week, guided by teams of teachers and

LJEA volunteers, groups of students traveled to the
Marion Greenway for three days of hands-on, feet-in
(and sometimes whole-body-in) activities to assess the
quality and quantity of water flowing in the Catawba
River. Water quantity was assessed by measuring a
cross-section (profile) of the rivers water and multiplying
that area by the rate of flow, which they also measured.

2014 Kids in the Creek

This years Kids in the Creek Program involved, for the
first time, all 400+ 8th graders in McDowell County. On
two days in early September, teams of LJEA volunteers
and McDowell teachers ran in-school workshops to
acquaint students with the nature of watersheds and
how water behaves on and under them. Various maps,
posters and charts were used as references for students
to research specific questions about water and its
quality.

Students were able to estimate the total stream flow in

units of cubic feet per second (cfs). As a matter of
information, stream flow over the three-day program
trended downward from 275 cfs to 200 cfs and the longterm (32 year median) was 145 cfs. So flow was higher
than typical but to be expected after rainfall two days
earlier.

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Both short-term and long-term measures of water quality

were obtained. For
short-term results, water
samples were taken. At
a chemistry station, run
by teacher Melanie
Shaver, students
examined water
samples from the river
for properties that affect
the rivers health.
Students experienced
first hand a variety of electronic test instruments. Since,
however, the contents of the river can change from
moment to moment, the short-term, point-in-time
samples do not necessarily represent the quality of the
water five minutes or five hours later. Therefore, a
longer-term measure of quality is needed to characterize
the waters typical condition. If aquatic life can sustain
itself in their habitat, it must be of sufficient quality.

Thus, to assess long-term water quality, student groups,

in the water, captured visible aquatic life such as bottomdwelling insects, mussels, snails, crayfish, small fish,
etc. The presence or absence of particular species,
some of which are more sensitive than others to
pollutants, indicates the quality level of the water in
which they live.
Conclusion: Overall, both types of quality measures
indicated that Catawba River water at the Greenway is
of good quality, if a bit cloudy after storms.

2014 RiverFest
RiverFest was hosted by the Lake James State Park on
September 20th, a lovely, sunny Saturday. LJEA had a
booth offering exhibits and activities to inform visitors of
our mission and programs.

We also held free, on-water demonstrations of water

sampling and lake bottom mapping, which were sold
out after the first hour. As is typical, there was a lot of
discussion about the lake, our programs and valuable
networking among the organizations represented.
Hot spots in our booth included Al Pinkuls colorful
video display of bottom
mapping results,
Marshall Taylors
demonstration of the
educational
Groundwater Model,
and conversations
around the lake map.
This was the first year
we linked three canopies to provide a sheltered traffic
pattern that facilitated visitor access. It worked quite
well.
The on-lake water sampling demonstration by Bob Long,
who leads our monthly
sampling program,
showed passengers
how our equipment is
used to reveal
information about the
lakes water quality,
i.e., clarity, depth vs.
temperature and
dissolved oxygen levels. Also explained was that water
samples are delivered to a certified lab for analysis of
physical and chemical properties. LJEA has built a
water quality history of the lake over more than a dozen
years in all sorts of weather conditions, including
extended wet and dry periods.
The bottom mapping demonstration, by Al Pinkul and
Ted Restel, acquainted passengers with our GPS, sonar
and computer equipment. Passengers observed realtime mapping as it occurred. It was explained how the
GPS and sonar are calibrated for accurate location (Is

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the GPS indicating where we really are?) and accurate
depth (Since the lake level varies, how can the sonar
provide measurements that are comparable over time?).
Both calibrations are accomplished immediately before
data gathering runs are made.
GPS Calibration: The boats GPS sensor is parked next
to a survey-based pin at the end of a dock. If the GPS
gives the correct location, it is accurate (i.e., calibrated).
Depth Calibration: The actual lake level elevation is
obtained from the current Duke Energy reading. This
figure is then compared with Lake James full pond
level, 1,200 feet above mean sea level. For example, a
current reading of 1,198.2 feet is 1.8 feet below full
pond. This 1.8 foot difference is entered into the sonar
equipment as a correction factor. Thus, regardless of
the actual lake surface level at the time of measurement,
the depths are recorded relative to the 1200 ft. standard,
which is constant.
Groundwater Model Demonstration: Water Resources
Engineer, Marshall Taylor, demonstrated the
Groundwater Model, which captivated most observers by
revealing how water moves underground. See Kids in
the Creek discussion for more detail.