By Sarah Watson

Published: May 8, 2008

Representatives from two engineering firms compiling a detailed state-mandated water supply plan for localities in the Lynchburg region discussed their methods with stakeholders Thursday.

Michael Lawless and other engineers with Blacksburg’s Draper Aden & Associates have been working on the region’s plan for about a year and a half and expect to have a complete draft by June. The plan will detail growth and supply projections 50 years down the road and consider alternative sources for all localities.

The plan was mandated by the General Assembly following the 2002 drought as a way to plan for future growth and water needs, preferably on a regional level, said Bob White, Region 2000’s deputy director. Once the plan is complete, it will need to be adopted by all localities and ultimately approved by the Department of Environmental Quality.

“The reality is this region is generally fairly water rich, but there are other regions that are not,” Lawless said. “Also, we have adequate water now, but we will need to look at where our demands may be in 50 years and that may change the picture.”

Growth corridors in Virginia are generally managed by local comprehensive plans and the idea is to make each water supply plan a working document that is updated at least every five years, Lawless said. That way the supply is kept in check with growth and if things change, localities can start searching for alternative sources.

Some of those long-term alternatives in the Central Virginia area could include building new reservoirs, tapping ground water, increasing capacity at area water treatment plants to meet higher demands and even raising existing reservoir dams, said Noelle Slaughter, an engineer with Malcolm Pirnie Inc. Slaughter’s firm is developing a comprehensive list of alternative sources for Region 2000 localities.

Right now, Lynchburg depends on the Pedlar Reservoir and the James River to meet its needs. The city also sells water to some surrounding localities and currently there’s adequate supply for both, Lawless said.

Those working on the plan are also using numerous types of existing records to plot out private and public water sources, including looking at the thousands of wells in the region.

“One of the challenges in doing this is finding the data on all the private water supplies,” Lawless said. Since residential developments in Campbell and Bedford counties sometimes rely on private wells to serve new homes, engineers are also looking at whether there is sufficient groundwater to support anticipated growth.

Another concept that Lawless is looking at is whether, amid possible climate changes, the James River can supply enough water to sustain growth pressures.

Down the road, if development continues and climate circumstances shift causing the river levels to be lower than expected, localities may need to revisit their reliance on the James, Lawless said.

Climate models show the possibility that rainfall could be more intense with much of the water running off rather than soaking into the ground, Lawless said. That ground water feeds wells and even some streams.

“The challenge will be to capture it and use it before it runs into the river,” Lawless said. “Every time you build a parking lot or building, you’re increasing impermeable surfaces, which reduces water going into the ground and aquifers.”