Update, Sunday, 4:15 p.m. The N.C, Ferry Division just announced that the Pamilico Sound ferry schedules have also been revised, effective Monday, July 31. They are posted below.
HATTERAS –With the mandatory evacuation of Ocracoke visitors complete, the N.C. Department of Transportation Ferry Division will adopt an alternate schedule on the Hatteras-Ocracoke route beginning Sunday (July 30). The Swan Quarter-Ocracoke and Cedar Island-Ocracoke routes will remain on their regular schedules.
As of 2 p.m.Saturday, the North Carolina Ferry System had evacuated 3,782 people and 1,485 vehicles from the island since the evacuation order went into effect Thursday evening. Traffic at ferry terminals is now extremely light and Hyde County Emergency officials report that a vast majority of visitors have complied with the order.
Starting Sunday, the Hatteras-Ocracoke route will be as follows:
From Hatteras: 5 a.m., 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11, noon, 1 p.m., 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, and midnight.
From Ocracoke:4:30 a.m., 6:30, 7:30, 8:30, 9:30, 10:30, and 11:30, 12:30 p.m., 1:30, 2:30, 3:30, 4:30, 5:30,6:30, 7:30, 9:30, 10:30 and 12:30 a.m.
Visitors are reminded that Hyde County’s mandatory evacuation order for visitors remains in effect.
Only residents, property owners, emergency workers, vendors and critical infrastructure personnel with Ocracoke re-entry documentation will be allowed onto Ocracoke-bound ferries. Law enforcement officers will be on hand at ferry terminals to enforce the re-entry restrictions.
The Hatteras-Ocracoke route will resume its regular summer schedule when the evacuation order is lifted.
Here is the scheule for the Ocracoke Cedar Island and Swan Quarter ferry in effect to the mandatory evacuation order is lifted.
RESERVATIONS RECOMMENDED on Cedar Island and Swan Quarter ferries.
We will provide additional information as it becomes available. For Ocracoke news including other reports on the power crisis, click here.
July 29, 2017. 4:33 p.m.
By Connie Leinbach and Peter Vankevich
Update 6:30 p.m.: Cape Hatteras Electric Cooperative just posted on their Facebook page that crews have exposed one of the cables, revealing that it was severed by the steel casing. Cooperative crews are working with New River Construction to test the integrity of the other two cables, which remain buried underground, to ensure that only the one cable was damaged.
Once it is confirmed that only one of the three cables has been compromised, CHEC and New River Construction will move forward to splice the cable back together. There are several challenges to overcome before this can happen, as the damaged cable is missing about a two foot section. See Facebook post here.
As of this afternoon, Ocracoke Island is minimally powered via three emergency mobile generators and multiple sources are citing the time to restore power back to normal may be longer than anticipated.
The crisis, which began early Thursday morning when PCL Construction accidently drove a steel casing into an underground transmission cable at Bonner Bridge, worsened as Dare County, citing safety issues from a major power outage, has ordered a mandatory evacuation for visitors on Hatteras Island starting at 6 a.m. today. This evacuation order, covering points south of the Bonner Bridge, includes the villages of Rodanthe, Waves, Salvo, Avon, Buxton, Frisco and Hatteras. All National Park Service campgrounds on Hatteras and Ocracoke islands are closed.
On Ocracoke, additional personnel and equipment arrived via a special Hatteras ferry run at about 3:30 a.m. today to get the generators working. The occasional maintenance outage is to be expected from time to time but our goal is to keep them brief, Tideland reported on its website. At this time, all three circuits are energized and generators are not operating on a rotating schedule.
“We are thankful to several large facilities on the island that have agreed to remain on their privately owned generators to help alleviate the utility load,” Tideland said.
However, strict conservation is still necessary, said Donnie Shumate, Hyde County public information officer, in a press release.
Although residents should only use power for refrigerators, lights and fans, a text message from Tideland at 3:29 p.m. said that islanders can “conservatively use air conditioning and reheat water between 4 p.m today to 8 a.m. tomorrow (Sunday).
“Use only what you need and stagger use of multiple AC units,” the message said. “The later in the evening you turn on AC the better. If all goes well, we will not issue another advisory until tomorrow morning.”
“This only works if we all work together,” Shumate said. “If lights start to dim it could indicate the generator is overloading in which case you need to start turning items off again,” he said. “It is always toughest when we first pick up the load, as all the refrigerators and freezers start up simultaneously.”
The three island circuits are as follows:
The northwest circuit includes Howards Pub, Gaffers, the OVFD, the Variety Store, the Anchorage Inn and Marina, the Jolly Roger, the water plant, Ocracoke Seafood Co., NCCAT, Howard Street, the south Ferry Terminal and British Cemetery areas.
The Northeast circuit includes Ocracoke School, the health center, the Flying Melon, Sunset Drive, Pony Island, Oyster Creek and Jackson Dunes.
For Tideland’s updates, visit their Facebook page here and website here.
Only individuals who are Ocracoke residents, seasonal residents, non-resident property owners, vendors and emergency personnel who display a valid re-entry pass, or who possess some form of documentation proving residency and/or employment, will be allowed access to the island. Any seasonally employed residents that are having issues producing documentation to gain access to the island should call 252-926-4374 for assistance.
The Hyde County Sheriff’s Office is now issuing citations for anyone not in compliance with the evacuation order issued Thursday by the Hyde County Board of Commissioners.
Yesterday, Capt. Jason Daniels went to rental cottages where people had not yet left and warned them they had to leave. If they were still here today, he issued citations which would result in a court appearance. “Unlike a hurricane like Alex, where folks were stranded, there is no excuse this time for them not to leave,” Daniels said. He did not issue any citations for those in the ferry lines to depart. He added that he believed most visitors have left.
Those who fail to leave an evacuated area can be found guilty of a class 2 misdemeanor, which hold a maximum penalty of 60 days in jail and a $1,000 fine, Shumate said.
All renters should be aware that according to North Carolina general statues, travel insurance claims may be made when a claimant is complying with a mandatory evacuation. Renters should contact their travel insurance policy provider after evacuating from the island.
According to Shumate, at the site of the damaged power cable, engineers are still on-site at the damaged portion of the main transmission line, and are continuing to assess the state of the system. Excavation crews began digging down to the line at around 1 p.m. yesterday.
A trench box was set and a dewatering system is in place to allow crews to dig the final two to three feet out.
“But problems with silt and mud have prevented them from accessing the line so far,” he said. “Until that happens we will not have any information on the damage or the timetable for repairs.”
Cape Hatteras Electric Cooperative warned the repair could take days to weeks depending on how severe the damage to the transmission line is.
Gov. Roy Cooper spoke with local officials from Dare and Hyde counties Saturday, according to a press release. He offered all available state resources to help get the power back on quickly and deal with the crisis.
“I appreciate the hard work utility crews are doing to get the power back on and we must help them get the work done quickly,” the governor said in his statement. “This is an incredibly frustrating time for Hatteras and Ocracoke residents and visitors and repairs have to be completed as soon as possible. Safety is our top concern, but getting power restored quickly is also key for local businesses and our tourism economy during the peak summer travel season.”
The N.C. Ferry Division announced late this afternoon that the Hatteras/Ocracoke runs will revert to a winter schedule effective tomorrow (Sunday) until the mandatory evacuation order is lifted. For the temporary schedule, click here.
As of 8 a.m. today, the N.C. Ferry Division reported that they had evacuated 3,704 people and 1,372 cars. There is currently no wait time at the ferry terminals. Any reservations for ferry service to and from Ocracoke have been canceled for today and tomorrow.
If you have any questions about ferry reservations, cancellations, or refunds, please contact the Ferry Division at 252-926-4374 .
Dare County officials have requested that anyone evacuating from Ocracoke to Hatteras please wait until you get north of Oregon Inlet until you attempt to get gas or lodging as they are facing shortages themselves.
Two temporary two-megawatt generators arrived from Jacksonville, Fla., on Ocracoke this afternoon and when they are turned on, each of the three island electric grids will have constant power, Donnie Shumate, Hyde County public information officer, said Friday.
However, residents will still be prohibited from turning on HVAC systems, he said.
“Only refrigerators and fans can be on,” said Shumate, who is based in Swan Quarter. “HVAC and other resource-intensive systems are prohibited from being turned on at this time.”
Damage to the power line to Hatteras and Ocracoke is still being assessed.
The power went out to Hatteras and Ocracoke islands at 4:30 Thursday morning when PCL Construction, the contractors building the new Bonner Bridge, drove a piling through the underground cable between the southern end of Bonner Bridge at the Oregon Inlet and the first riser pole on Hatteras Island.
Crews excavate where the power line at the Bonner Bridge was severed. Photo courtesy of PCL Construction.
Shumate said in a press release engineers have arrived at the damaged portion of the main transmission line, and are assessing the state of the system.
“Excavation crews began digging down to the line at around 1 p.m. and are making good progress towards reaching the line,” Shumate said. “A trench box has been set and a dewatering system is in place to allow crews to dig the final two to three feet out.
“Light sources have been brought in for the crews working, and they will continue to work through the night.”
A message from Tideland at 8:40 tonight said engineers and splicing experts should be able to get their first look at it tonight.
A spokeswoman for PCL said today that the company is working with NCDOT and Cape Hatteras Electric to assist in restoring power as quickly as possible. “This is an active investigation,” said Stephanie McCay. “Once we expose the line and inspect the damage, we will be able to determine the cause.”
At the state level, officials are doing all they can to help Ocracoke regain full electric power as soon as possible.
Gov. Roy Cooper today urged authorities to work quickly to restore power to Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands following the major outage that occurred here early Thursday morning.
“The situation is stabilizing today thanks to the use of additional portable generators,” Cooper said in a press release. “Public safety services have power as do water and sewer. I ask residents and visitors to be patient as everyone works towards restoring the power and getting conditions back to normal on Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands. Conserving power is crucial until that time comes.”
A one-megawatt portable generator from Raleigh was delivered to the island Thursday night and at 3:30 this morning delivered power to the lighthouse area of the island along Lighthouse and Loop roads, which is the smallest of the three circuits on the island
Ocracoke Seafood is closed. Photo: C. Leinbach
Tommy Hutcherson, Variety Store proprietor and who also is on the Ocracoke Advisory Control Group composed of officials and island stakeholders and which advises the Hyde County Commissioners on emergencies, sent an email saying this generator will rotate power on the two circuits currently off-line.
The anticipated initial rotation will be four hours on and four hours off. A rotation schedule should be available by 10 p.m. tonight.
He said the transfer switch for generator No. 3 is in route to the island but will not arrive until 2 or 3 a.m. Saturday.
“Tideland is hopeful to have this generator up and running by early afternoon on Saturday,” he said. “Once it is running and there are not any glitches with any generators positioned on the island, we will be on full generated power with no interruptions. This is a hope and not a promise as many unforeseen incidents have occurred since we lost main power.”
On Thursday, the Hyde County Board of Commissioners issued a mandatory evacuation of all non-residents effective at 5 p.m. This is to conserve power once generators are working.
A run on batteries at the Variety Store. Photo: C. Leinbach
Only individuals who are Ocracoke residents, seasonal residents, non-resident property owners,
Vendors and emergency personnel who display a valid re-entry pass, or who possess some form of documentation proving residency and/or employment, will be allowed access to the island.
In the meantime, those restaurants and businesses with generators are open. That includes Ocracoke Oyster Company, the Flying Melon, Howard’s Pub, the Back Porch, the Ocracoke Bar & Grille, Zillies Island Pantry and the Ocracoke Station.
SmacNally’s and Sorellas Pizza and Pasta were among the closed eateries until full power can be restored.
Manager Daniela Gilbert said her Smac’s generator is only hooked up to the walk-in freezer and the refrigerator.
Ann Warner, Howard’s Pub owner, and Daphne Bennink, owner of the Back Porch, said they are open tonight and taking it day-to-day.
“We were open yesterday and are today,” said Bob Chestnut, owner of Ride the Wind Surf Shop.
Mermaid’s Folly also is closed, said Mickey Baker, co-owner. Both proprietors said their businesses were having a record year until Thursday’s power outage.
“We were going 100 miles per hour, then zero miles per hour yesterday,” Baker said.
Baker, who is active in resisting offshore drilling in the Atlantic, said there’s a direct correlation between what happened with this power outage and what could happen with offshore drilling, despite companies’ claims that technology is better now.
“Human error will always do something,” Baker said. “And this is the proof. A human cut the cord to our economy.”
Ocracoke Oyster Company is among the open businesses. Photo: C. Leinbach
The island knows when hurricanes are coming and can prepare, she said.
“But then they dry up and we go back to business,” she said. “This we didn’t see coming. We’re at the mercy of PCL. This issue is income in July, which is our most important month.”
Baker visited the Ocracoke Volunteer Fire Company, who had opened to the public today at 8 a.m. as a cooling and charging station, where she charged her electronic devices.
“They were all jammed this morning,” Baker said. “They’ve been so gracious.”
Under the evacuation order, tolls and reservations for the Swan Quarter and Cedar Island ferries are waived, and spots are on a first-come, first-served basis.
Under the state of emergency and evacuation order, any individual who fails to leave an evacuated area shall be guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor, in accordance with N.C.G.S. 14-288.20A.
All renters should be aware that, pursuant to Article 6 of Chapter 42A-36 of the North Carolina General Statues, travel insurance claims may be made when a claimant is complying with a mandatory evacuation. Renters should contact their travel insurance policy provider after evacuating from the island.
As of 4 p.m. today, the Ferry Division reported that they had evacuated 3,406 people and 1,316 cars.
OVFD firefighters Karmen Laton, Chrisi Gaskill and Theresa Ray take a break from helping to charge electronic devices at the fire house Friday. Photo by Mickey BakerThe Pirates Chest is open. Photo: C. LeinbachThe first portable generator makes the trip from Swan Quarter to Ocracoke Thursday. Photo courtesy of N.C. Ferry Division
The National Park Service Ocracoke Campground is closed until Hyde County’s mandatory non-resident evacuation of Ocracoke Island is lifted.
The Ocracoke Visitor Center and ORV Permit Office will remain open unless excessive heat necessitates a closure. ORV permits will be sold on a cash-only basis until power is restored. ORV permits may also be purchased online at http://recreation.gov.
Elsewhere in the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, the majority of the facilities, including the Cape Point and Oregon Inlet campgrounds, Cape Hatteras and Bodie Island lighthouses, the Hatteras and Bodie Island Off-Road Vehicle Permit Offices, beach access ramps and routes and lifeguard beaches remain open.
Due to current power restrictions on Hatteras Island, the Frisco Campground is closed through at least today (July 28). Unlike the Seashore’s other campgrounds, Frisco campground has an independent water plant that requires continual and reliable power to provide safe drinking water and operable restroom facilities. Camping sites are available at nearby Cape Point Campground.
The Ocracoke Advisory Control Group, which advises the Hyde County Commissioners on emergencies meets today at 10:30 a.m. We will update news as it becomes available.
By Connie Leinbach
The area of Ocracoke Island in the vicinity of the lighthouse received power at 3:30 a.m. today, but Tideland EMC is urging all it conserve it and use it only for refrigerators and fans.
The first generator arrived on the island at 9:30 p.m. last night and is the smallest of the three, according to a Hyde County press release.
At 3:30 am our crews successfully energized the south circuit, which is a small section of the island in the island.
“Overnight the load on the generator looked good but it will become more challenging as the day heats up,” the release said. “If the load becomes too high they will fail. If you see lights begin to dim it could signal that the generator is beginning to overload so please begin to turn things off once again to reduce the load.”
If the generator does overload, it will shut down and Tideland will have to start all over again bringing the circuit up.
The other two, much larger generators will be aboard the 1 p.m. ferry from Swan Quarter to Ocracoke. Tideland hopes to have those two generators up and running by tonight.
The gasoline queue at Ocracoke Station this morning. Laurie Death, proprietor, urges calm, noting the station has plenty of gas. ‘We went through 3,000 gallons yesterday and have 2,500 gallons today,’ she said.
Yesterday, the Hyde County Board of Commissioners has issued a mandatory evacuation of all non-residents effective at 5 p.m. This is to conserve power once generators are working.
The National Park Service has closed its campground until the crisis is over.
The power went out to Hatteras and Ocracoke islands at 4:30 Thursday morning when PCL Construction, the contractors building the new Bonner Bridge, drove a piling through the underground cable between the southern end of Bonner Bridge at the Oregon Inlet and the first riser pole on Hatteras Island.
Tommy Hutcherson, owner of the Variety Store and a member of the Ocracoke Advisory Control Group, which advises the Hyde County Commissioners on emergencies, said today that if the repair crews have the right materials, the repair could be done in a few days. If not, it could take much longer.
The Control Group is meeting today at 10:30 a.m.
The Ocracoke Volunteer Fire Dept. opened to the public today at 8 a.m. as a cooling and charging station. Medical personnel will be onsite to help treat heat related injuries.
As for the evacuation, there is no deadline on when visitors must be off the island but the county requests that all visitors please attempt to be off the island by noon today.
Ferries are running on their normal schedules. Dare County officials are requesting that visitors evacuating via the Hatteras Ferry try and get north of Oregon Inlet before attempting to get gas or find lodging. Their resources are being affected by the same outage.
The N.C. Ferry Division said priority boarding is suspended on all vessels leaving Ocracoke, and tolls will be waived for ferries on trips between Ocracoke and Cedar Island or Swan Quarter.
Evacuation procedures will remain in effect for all Ocracoke ferries until Hyde County emergency officials lift the order.
Noah Sultan of Chevy Chase, Md., is among the crowd at Howard’s Pub Thursday night eating and charging their cell phones. Photo: C. Leinbach
Yesterday, Gov. Roy Cooper has signed a state of emergency declaration and waived weight and hours of service restrictions due to the power outage.
“This declaration will allow us to move much-needed resources through the state as quickly as possible to help restore the power to Ocracoke and Hatteras Islands,” Cooper said. The waiver is in effect until rescinded.
Cape Hatteras Electric is delivering sparse power to various parts of Hatteras via diesel generators. The electric cooperative has asked everyone in the two villages to turn off their air conditioning and conserve power.
On ferries, priority boarding is suspended for all vessels leaving Ocracoke, and tolls will be waived for ferries on trips between Ocracoke and Cedar Island or Swan Quarter.
Evacuation procedures will remain in effect for all Ocracoke ferries until Hyde County emergency officials lift the order.
Due to the power outage, the Latina Fiesta scheduled for Saturday has been canceled. The next one is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 12, in the Community Center.
Ice at the Variety Store is the hottest selling item on Ocracoke. Tommy Hutcherson, proprietor, said they went through two ice trucks yesterday and more is on its way. Photo: C. Leinbach
In the wake of a power outage early this morning on Ocracoke Island, the Hyde County Board of Commissioners has issued a mandatory evacuation of all non-residents starting at 5 p.m. today.
There is no deadline on when visitors must be off the island but the county requests that all visitors please attempt to be off the island by noon Friday.
Ferries are running on their normal schedules. Dare County officials are requesting that visitors evacuating via the Hatteras Ferry try to get north of Oregon Inlet before attempting to get gas or find lodging. Their resources are being affected by the same outage.
Tideland Electric Cooperative said on its website no one will be allowed on the island unless they can prove residency. The duration of the evacuation is unknown.
Tideland said that PCL Construction, the contractors building the new Bonner Bridge, drove a piling through the underground cable between the southern end of Bonner Bridge at the Oregon Inlet and the first riser pole on Hatteras Island. This cut the power at 4:30 a.m. today.
Crews will arrive at Oregon Inlet tonight to assess the damage. Depending on the extent of the repairs and the specialized materials required, transmission repairs could take anywhere from days to weeks to complete.
Tideland’s initial attempt to operate the Ocracoke generator was unsuccessful after a 10-minute run time and resulted in equipment damage that currently renders the generator inoperable.
Tideland said it has located three mobile generators that will be transported to the island to run the island’s three circuits to avoid rotating service schedules.
The three generators should all be on the island on Friday, July 28. The earliest residents can expect electric service to resume will be Friday evening.
However, before they throw the switch, it will be crucial for residents to turn off HVAC and other large-electric load appliances, said Darlene Styron, owner of the Sweet Tooth and a member of the Ocracoke Advisory Control Group, which advises the Hyde County Commissioners on emergencies.
Ice was in high demand Thursday at the Variety Store. Photo: C. Leinbach
Tideland said the success of operating the island on generator power depends entirely on people observing the strictest conservation habits possible.
Tideland asks all to immediately shut off all non-essential breakers and to limit electric use to refrigeration and fans when you do receive power.
While you may be tempted to do so, we ask that you not use air conditioning systems when generator power is established.
Tideland will notify members as the generators are installed and as they begin to come on line.
Styron did not know if Dare County, in which Hatteras is located, had ordered an evacuation.
The state Health and Human Services Dept. gave a few general recommendations to keep as cool as possible when power outages occur.
Stay hydrated, drink more water than usual and don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink.
Set up a buddy system, check on a friend or neighbor and have someone do the same for you. Don’t use the stove or oven to cook—it will make you and your house hotter.
Open windows, where possible to allow a cross breeze to cool your house.
Wear loose and lightweight clothing. Take cool showers or baths to cool down.
Visitors and residents flocked this morning to the Variety Store, which has a generator, for coffee during the power outage. Photo: C. Leinbach
N.C. Press Association award-winner, 2017.
July 27, 2017
Ocracoke has been without power since 4:30 this morning when a transmission cable strapped to the Bonner Bridge over the Oregon Inlet lost power.
The outage is affecting all of Hatteras and Ocracoke islands.
At this time, there is no report on what caused the fault.
Crews from Cape Hatteras Electric Cooperative are working on repairing the line and CHEC has advised people on Hatteras and Ocracoke islands to be prepared for an extended power outage.
Tideland EMC’s initial attempt to operate the Ocracoke generator around 11:30 a.m. was unsuccessful after a total 10 minute run time.
Tideland urges all residents and visitors to heed the conservation warnings by shutting off (by breaker or unplugging) non-essential loads. Cut off water heater breakers, pools & hot tubs, and HVAC systems.
The Ocracoke Observer will continue to provide updates as soon as they become available.
Off shore drilling rig, Santa Barbara. Ph0to courtesy of Commons Wikimedia.
For Ocracoke news, click here
ATLANTIC BEACH–Gov. Roy Cooper announced Wednesday that the state Dept. of Environmental Quality will submit formal comments opposing offshore seismic testing for oil drilling on North Carolina’s coast.
Cooper joined coastal business owners and community leaders at the Fort Macon Visitor Center to announce the decision. Earlier this year, President Trump rescinded the moratorium on seismic testing permits – the first step toward offshore drilling. Friday marks the deadline for public comments on the testing.
At least 30 coastal communities have passed resolutions opposing drilling, joining hundreds of businesses and a bipartisan group of North Carolina’s Congressional delegation.
“It’s clear that opening North Carolina’s coast to oil and gas exploration and drilling would bring unacceptable risks to our economy, our environment, and our coastal communities—and for little potential gain,” said Cooper. “As Governor, I’m here to speak out and take action against it. I can sum it up in four words: not off our coast.”
A potential oil spill could decimate North Carolina’s coastal tourism and commercial fishing industries, both major economic drivers for the region. Coastal tourism in North Carolina generates more than $3 billion annually, supporting more than 30,000 jobs.
In addition to the economic risks, Cooper cited improving renewable technologies and the lower cost of natural gas. Cooper highlighted concerns that the political climate in Washington focusing on deregulation could jeopardize communities near drilling.
“In Washington, D.C., deregulation is a top priority,” he said. “That means fewer safeguards for the environment and ultimately offshore drilling. It’s simply not worth it.”
For key facts on North Carolina’s coastal economy and the dangers of offshore drilling, click here
Osprey at Lake Mattamuskeet. Photo by P. Vankevich
SWAN QUARTER–The Hyde County community is invited to attend the first of six public meetings at 7 p.m. Aug. 8 in the county services building, 30 Oyster Creek Rd., to discuss long-term solutions for Lake Mattamuskeet’s watershed, its declining water quality and changing lake levels.
Hyde County, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have come together to support the development of a watershed restoration plan for the lake, which will help protect its natural and cultural heritage.
“We want to design a voluntary blueprint that helps our county’s residents and landowners take care of the lake watershed and their properties for decades to come,” said Bill Rich, Hyde County manager. “We will identify and then work to carry out cost-effective steps to restore water quality in the lake, and at the same time, reduce flooding problems in the watershed.”
This first meeting will further explain how the plan will be developed, and then seek public input to help identify issues facing the lake watershed. The project team will also use the meeting to start identifying possible management solutions to address concerns over water levels and declining water quality.
When completed, the watershed management plan will explain how the lake should and does function, as well as its current status and health. It will also identify various practical management options for the lake watershed that will help address water quality and flooding issues. These goals, and the actions necessary to achieve them, will be informed by past and ongoing scientific studies as well as local knowledge and experiences.
The planning process has just begun, and will be completed in the fall of 2018.
To work toward identifying practical and affordable management solutions, the N.C. Coastal Federation will help the county and its project partners develop the plan. The federation previously worked with Hyde County landowners to develop a watershed restoration plan for about 43,000 acres of farmland and wetlands situated north of Engelhard. That plan has worked well in helping to address both drainage and environmental needs for the property owners.
Additional public meetings for the Lake Mattamuskeet Watershed Restoration Plan will be held at 7 p.m. on the following dates in the Hyde County services building: Nov. 7, Feb. 6, May 8, July 10 and Sept. 18, 2018.
More information about the plan can be found at nccoast.org/lakemattamuskeet. This web page will be updated regularly as the plan progresses. Interested community members can also leave comments and sign up for a mailing list to receive email updates.
Questions about the watershed restoration plan can be directed to Erin Fleckenstein, coastal scientist for the federation’s Wanchese office, at 252-473-1607.
In the event of severe weather, the meetings will be rescheduled and community members can call that number or check the websitefor more information.
Porch Talk, Ocracoke Preservation Society Museum. 1 pm
Jolly Roger: Aaron Caswell & Jackie Willis, 6 pm
Gaffer’s: Texas Hold ‘Em Poker, 7 pm
Ocracoke Bar and Grille: Jon Lea, 7:10
Coyote Music Den: Coyote Plus One–Katy Mitchell. 8 pm; doors at 7:30 pm
Gaffer’s: Konrad Kuechenmeister & Brian Hill, 9 pm
Wednesday, July 26
Skipjack Wilma Lee Dockside Talk , Community Square dock, 10 am
Makers Market on Silver Lake, Wahab estate dockside, next to SmacNallys, 1 to 7 pm
Family movie night, Ocracoke library, 6 p.m.
Jolly Roger: Edgar Scrubbs, 6 pm
Dajio Restaurant: Jon Lea, 7 pm
Coyote Music Den: Just We Two, 8 pm; doors at 7:30 pm
Deepwater Theater: The Dingbatter’s Guide to Ocracoke, 8 pm
Ocracoke Oyster Co.: Karaoke, 9 pm
Gaffer’s: Frankie Goodrich, 9 pm
Thursday, July 27
Skipjack Wilma Lee Dockside Talk, Community Square dock, 10 am
Porch Talk, Ocracoke Preservation Society Museum. 1 pm
Ocracoke Oyster Co.: Martin Garrish & Lou Castro, 3 pm
Deepwater Theater: Molasses Creek band, 8 pm
Ocracoke Bar & Grille: Kate McNally, 7:10 pm
Dajio Restaurant: Raygun Ruby, 80s music, 7 pm
Gaffer’s: Frankie Goodrich, 9 pm
Friday, July 28
Skipjack Wilma Lee Dockside Talk , Community Square dock, 10 am
Museum tour, Ocracoke Preservation Society Museum. 1 pm
Jolly Roger: Willis Gupton, 6 pm
Dajio Restaurant: Adam LaVigne, 7 pm
Ocracoke Oyster Co.: Clam Slammers, 7 pm
Ocracoke Bar & Grille: Barefoot Wade, 7:10 pm
Coyote Music Den: Playing your Ocracoke Memories, Martin Garrish, 8 pm; doors at 7:30 pm
Gaffer’s: Emily Musolino, 9 pm
Saturday, July 29
Ocracoke Alive Fiesta Latina, Community Center, 5 pm to 11:45 pm
Jolly Roger: Willis Gupton, 6 pm
Ocracoke Oyster Co.: Clam Slammers, 7 pm
Dajio Restaurant: Kate McNally, 7 pm
Ocracoke Bar & Grille: Barefoot Wade, 7:10 pm
Gaffer’s: Emily Musolino, 9 pm
Sunday, July 30
Stratford Upon Ocracoke, Sakespeare readings, Richard the III this week, Oracoke Community Library, 2 p.m.
Gaffer’s: Barefoot Wade, 9 pm
