Feb. 2, 2026 Editor, The News-Gazette: Your readers may be interested in a follow-up to the stormwater pollution events that affected Woods Creek in December and January. On three separate occasions, the creek below the golf course ran muddy all the way to the Maury River and a considerable amount of silt and clay was deposited on the stream bed. No enforcement action was taken or penalties imposed.
On Jan. 15 there was a site visit. This involved city and county officials, the county supervisor for the district; the golf course superintendent; representatives of project contractors and consulting engineers; and members of the board of managers of the LGCC/Washington and Lee LLC responsible for the redevelopment project.
They reviewed measures being put in place to avoid future problems, including repairs to silt fences and temporary seeding and mulching (in January?). And will these measures solve the stormwater problems? Maybe, but the destruction of riparian vegetation along all golf course waterways and the unstabilized stream banks that have long caused problems for Woods Creek suggest otherwise.
More information on the health of Woods Creek will have to wait until monitoring of benthic organisms resumes in the spring.
In the meantime, there is an opportunity until Feb 6 for public comment on the golf course Draft Water Protection Permit (https://www.deq.virginia.gov/ Home/Components/Calendar/ Event/4318/17?npage=3). Letters should state opposition to the draft permit as drafted, particular issues of concern, and requirements needed before approval and include a request for a public hearing.
DEBORAH WOODCOCK Lexington
