Holiday Mountain Resort Treatment Facility Permit Mod

Holiday Mountain Resort (HMR), located just upstream from the White River along South Sylamore Creek has requested a modification to their waste treatment facility which will allow a connection to their existing waste treatment facility. The request would allow a sewer connection from a 37 home development called Creekside Subdivision along South Sylamore Creek - the exact location of which is not obvious from the permit modification application. About year ago when HMR requested a renewal of their operating permit, it was specifically stated that there was no plan to allow this planned subdivision to hook into the HMR facility. The subdivision developer has already apparently secured the easements from the owners who own property the sewer line will traverse and is obviously working with Holiday Mountain Resort to make the necessary modifications to thier treatment plant so it will handle the effluent from this new subdivision. The NPDES permit modification application clearly shows these agreements. I suspect this subdivision is located on the opposite side of South Sylamore Creek from HMR's existing facility and I will be trying to identify exactly where these houses will be built with respect to S. Sylamore Creek and the HMR treatment facility. I will also attempt to specifically locate where the sewage connection line will run and if it crosses South Sylamore Creek, where and how this crossing is to be made.

Another area of concern is that there apparently is an SWPPP in the works for the first several lots of this subdivision which is described as involving less than 5 acres. I suspect this listing of less than 5 acres hass being defined so that a comprehensive SWPPP with a permit can be avoided. If this development is for 37 homes whch would be consistent with the requested modifiacation to the HMR waste facility modification, then a SW permit and a complete SWPPP evaluation and plan must be produced and approved. I suspect this smaller development parcel is an intentional attempt to avoid having to develop the comprehensive SWPPP which would go along with the SW Permit.

I have filed a request for a public hearing with ADEQ on this requested modification to the Holiday Mountain Resort's treatment facility and will post when and where this hearing will be held as soon as it is established and will post additiional information on this subdivision and the sewage connection line location as it becomes available.

Trout Management Plan

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission began developing trout management plans for each of the tailwaters a few years back. This past spring they began the task of doing a plan for the White and Norfork. It was saved for last because it will be the most contentious. After several public input sessions and several advisory committee meetings, they released a draft plan last week. The draft plan can be found on their website www.agfc.com.
The plan contains strategies for managing the trout, the trout fisherpeople and the watershed.

I plan to share some of my views regarding this draft on this blog soon.

Friends of the North Fork and White Rivers Blog is On-line!

This is the new blog for the Friends of the North Fork and White Rivers. Friends President Gene Dunaway and other Friends members will periodically post items of interest the Friends of the Rivers and other citizens concerned about water quality, watersheds, and preservation of the White and North Fork Rivers.