“In May of this year, OCNRCD was awarded a State grant to continue our work on a Clean Water Project for the Caspian Lake Public Beach. Since then, OCNRCD has contracted with FluidState Consulting to produce the designs. FluidState and OCNRCD have extensive experience within the Caspian watershed, which was largely gained through creating the LakeWatershed Action Plan in 2023. This project was prioritized through that planning process. The project is being designed by Dana Allen, FluidState’s Principal, and managed by Will Marlier, OCNRCD’s Lake Watershed Program Specialist, and a Greensboro resident.
The goal of this project is to identify improvements that can be made to the Public Beach to benefit the lake’s water quality and shoreland habitat. While no designs have yet been drafted, this could include the addition of practices like rain gardens, shoreland buffers, pedestrian paths, boat launch improvements, and stormwater runoff management practices. This project will not address the dam.
Any practices that are eventually designed and implemented will first be considered through a robust stakeholder engagement process. Anyone, regardless of residency, is encouraged to participate and share their voice.
A Community Forum will be held at the Highland Center for the Arts on Thursday, September 25th, 6:30-8 p.m. This will be an opportunity for all those involved in and impacted by the design of the Clean Water Project on Caspian Beach to be informed and to be heard. The evening will start with a brief presentation from Will Marlier and Dana Allen to share the current status, objectives and known limitations of the project. Afterwards will be an opportunity for questions from the audience to be answered by any members of the panel. The goal will be to receive important feedback from the community to guide the creation of the designs.This conversation will serve as a discussion of ecological significance first and foremost, with a concentrated focus on improving water quality and wildlife habitat. Discussions about recreation, public access, and community engagement should all be considered primarily through an ecological lens. Again, the dam is not expected to be part of this conversation.
Please feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns to Will Marlier by email at will.marlier@orleanscountynrcd.org or by phone at (802) 624-7023.
