Charlotte Observer

 Belmont is tightening some of its mandatory water use restrictions that resulted from the recent Stage 2 declaration.

Effective immediately, the watering of lawns is prohibited at all times. This includes not only the continued prohibition against any type of irrigation or sprinkler system, as banned under Stage 2, but now includes lawn watering with the use of a hand-held hose.

The watering of plants, shrubs, or trees may continue using a hand-held hose with a spring-loaded nozzle on the schedule of days and times specified in the Stage 2 regulations. Also banned are ornamental fountains.

Civil penalties for violating any of the mandatory water use rules will remain as for Stage 2: up to $100 for residential customers and $500 for commercial or industrial customers, with possible disconnection for continued violations.

The actions are in anticipation of a Stage 3 water restriction, which is likely to occur within the next few weeks.

For more information, call the Belmont City Hall at 704-825-5586.

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Does this mean the fountain at Stowe Park too?

What about the football field and baseball field at South Point?

Does that mean the folks out at Belle Meade and Reflection Pointe have to stop watering?

What if we all just put out signs that say, “Well Water Used For Irrigation”, does that count?

How water restrictions are decided:

Wondering who and what decides local water restrictions?

At their heart is Duke Energy, which manages the Catawba River reservoirs under a federal hydroelectric license that expires in 2008. In negotiating terms of a new license, Duke created a drought-response plan that’s getting its first test.

How it works

The plan is designed to stretch water supplies during a dry spell.Twenty-four local governments, including Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utilities, belong to an advisory group that puts the plan into action. Each enacts its own water restrictions based on shared conservation goals.

Duke monitors three conditions: lake levels, for how much water is in its reservoirs; stream flows that feed the lakes; and the U.S. Drought Monitor.

As the drought drags on

The plan sets trigger points to respond to conditions.

At Stage 1, declared July 30, Duke reduced the amount of water released from its dams and closed some boat ramps as lake levels fell. Local water agencies asked customers to reduce water demand 3 percent to 5 percent.

At Stage 2, in effect Aug. 27, Duke further cut water releases, shutting down most of its hydro plants. Local governments set mandatory restrictions with a conservation goal of 5 percent to 10 percent.

More cuts to come?

Stage 3 awaits, probably later in October if no rain falls.Duke would further lower lake levels, especially at Lakes James and Norman, which hold most of the system’s water. Lake James could fall to as much as 15 feet below full pond in October. The winter months could take it still lower.

Municipal water users could face more restrictions to meet a Stage 3 conservation goal of 10 percent to 20 percent. The watering ban last week by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utilities and several other cities is as harsh as it’s likely to get for homeowners. Charlotte-Mecklenburg says it would turn to cuts among large industrial and commercial customers.

Stage 4 would further clamp down, with a goal of cutting water use 20 percent to 30 percent.

If rain doesn’t come

The Catawba won’t run out of water. But lake levels could drop to the point that intakes for power plants, municipalities and industries can’t pump water.

The region’s conservation efforts are trying to prevent that.

At Lake Norman, for instance, the critical intake-covering level is 10 feet below full pond. The lake is now 6.5 feet below full. Since a lot of water depth is under the intake, the lake could be left with billions of gallons — all out of reach.

Good article in the neighbors section of the Charlotte Observer today about the plight of Marching Bands in the Gaston County Schools.

Have you ever seen a ruff, tuff football player making the rounds, hat in hand, to sell fruit during the holidays? At the local churches for the “pre-game” meal served to South Point football players, do most of them thank the preparers/servers with a handshake or a word of praise? It must be a God-given right for football players to have a trainer, doctor, and multiple coaches along the sideline to “guide these young men and leaders” through the intracacies of  high school life. The message is, “someone else will take care of you”. What are they teaching their charges about life?

Not so, for the so-called “non-revenue sports and extracurricular activities”. Scraping by every year to teach fine arts at the high school level, teachers employed by the school system, resort to what amounts to begging for leftovers through piddly-fundraisers. Nickels and dimes are raised to offset the thousands of dollars necessary to operate a band or theater program.

At South Point for example, the band instructor, Tim Hamilton, has as many as 80-100 students in the marching/concert band class in fourth period. John Devine, PE teacher, has as many as 6-10 coaches, some of those are volunteer-daddies, for 60 players.  Players from South Point are also fed, visiting teams as well, after each home game — granted, a couple of hotdogs/hamburgers — but still fed, while the band has to run out to the local McDonald’s to get hamburgers at a reduced rate. According to SPHS Booster Club (re: FOOTBALL), this is because, “If we fed the band, we wouldn’t have enough to sell”.

Football, and all sports for that matter, are extracurricular activities, just like Band, cheerleading, French Club, and Moot Court. We would expect as taxpayers, that the various school sports booster clubs respect the students and families that PAY to see the football darlins’ — in the case of the Red Raiders — HOME and AWAY.

The 70 or so banner sponsors(at $300 a pop), Ray McKenney, and the Football Boosters should also support the Marching Band, which is an important part of the Friday Night High School Tradition.

We are calling on our Belmont friends and neighbors to help support the bands and fine arts programs at South Point. Participate in their fundraising activities and consider “adding” some dollars to your contribution for their effort.

You can call the school, 704-825-3351 to get band contacts, and contacts for the other programs as well.

BETTER BE CAREFUL OUT THERE !