By Stephanie Stephens, YRK Water Quality Advocate

On March 19th, Yadkin Riverkeeper (YRK) hosted the final forum of their series on local water quality issues and the proposed High Rock Lake Nutrient Management Strategy, or High Rock Lake Rules. The forum was held in the lower Yadkin region, hosted by Catawba College at their fabulous Center for the Environment. We want to give a special thanks to expert presenters Bill Kreutzberger of the Yadkin Pee Dee River Basin Association, who presented on the wastewater sector of the Rules, Keith Larick of the NC Farm Bureau Federation, who educated on the agricultural sector of the rules. Following the forum, Chris Sloop, the District Resource Conservationist at Rowan County Soil and Water, presented on the North Carolina Agriculture Cost-Share Program designed to help farmers with best management practices in an affordable way. We are so appreciative of everyone who showed up for this forum. It was an excellent turn-out, with more than 50 people attending, including YRK board members Colleen McDaniel and Andrew Jacobson.

Going forward, the High Rock Lake Rules drafts still need to be finalized, including the wastewater and new development stormwater drafts. A new Nutrient Strategy Program Consultant will be hired by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality to replace long-time rules coordinator Joey Hester, and the process will move forward to presentation of all sector draft rules to the Environmental Management Commission sometime in early 2027. The Commission is a 15-YR member council appointed by the Governor, the Senate Pro Tempore, the Speaker of the House and the Commissioner of Agriculture. This Commission is responsible for adopting rules for the protection of North Carolina’s air and water resources. Once the drafts are approved, there will be a 90-day period of public commenting, with a timeline expectation of mid-late 2027.