North Carolina–Virginia Conflict: The Lake Gaston Water Transfer

The city of Virginia Beach, Va. completed an interbasin transfer from Lake Gaston on the Roanoke River for municipal water supply in 1998 after years of controversy. Federal regulatory and judicial decision processes provided the primary forums for debating the proposal’s merits. A major project opponent was the state of North Carolina in which most of Lake Gaston and the downstream portion of the river are located. Interbasin transfers are always controversial as the direct impacts in the area of origin are compounded by concern over possible disruption in the sense of place and environmental quality that water contributes to an area. The Virginia Beach transfer produces relatively modest impacts as it is small in relation to the size of the source, leading to a consistent regulatory finding of no significant environmental impact. Alternatives were limited as significant demand reduction measures had already been implemented, additional local water sources were limited, desalination would have been more costly, and construction of new reservoirs would have been environmentally damaging. The transfer appears to provide a relatively noninjurious solution to a reasonable need for water supply expansion.