What Do We Do?
- RRBA consists of an all volunteer citizen appointed Board of Directors, Executive Committee and the Officers of President, Vice President, and Secretary/Treasurer. The Executive Committee is made up of the officers of the organization and appointed Directors representing the upper, middle, Kerr Lake, and lower Basin areas. Each executive acts as the ombudsman for their respective area assuring involvement in issues supporting our mission. Three separate full Board Meetings are held each year in the three regions of the Basin. At these meetings Executive Committee and Officers report on the important activities and issues being pursued in order to gain advise, counsel and consensus in direction. Financial and other business matters are also taken up at that time. One meeting is designated as the Annual Meeting where election of officers and Directors takes place. A Basin newsletter is published and the day to day office operations, fund raising, accounting, web site maintenance, personal contacts and other general matters are handled by the Officers.
- RRBA has a permanent seat on the Corps of Engineers (COE) Stakeholders Water Management Committee. This group meets by teleconference each week and at a face to face on a Bi monthly basis. Water flow conditions, lake level projections and strategies and plans to deal with both flood and drought conditions are discussed and agreed upon. All government agencies and concerned municipalities are asked to report status and offer suggestions for improvement of conditions. Almost always, the RRBA is the sole volunteer citizens advocate group at the sessions and our comments and suggestions are sought and appreciated.
- RRBA helped establish, and now supports the Roanoke River Basin Bi-State Commission legislated by the States of Virginia and North Carolina for the purpose of providing guidance and recommendations to local, state and federal legislative and administrative bodies for the use, stewardship, and enhancement of the water and other natural resources for all the citizens within the river basin.
- RRBA educates basin residents and other affected parties about the resources of the Roanoke River basin. As part of this effort, RRBA publishes a newsletter, Basin Bulletin, for its supporters and constituents.
- RRBA fought for over 20 years in an effort to prevent the city of Virginia Beach from diverting up to 60 million gallons of water per day from the Roanoke River at Lake Gaston.
- RRBA monitors non-basin municipalities in North Carolina and Virginia who might seek an inter-basin transfer of water out of the Roanoke River Basin.
- RRBA monitors activities that might negatively impact the quality of the water resources within the basin.
- RRBA promotes and helps to fund recreational and safety facilities in the basin.
- RRBA has also mobilized support for North Carolina's "Year of the Rivers" Highway Sign Program which marks the perimeter of the Roanoke River basin with identifying highway signs.
- RRBA supports public service to the basin. In February 2000, RRBA announced the establishment of the R. Bolling Lambeth Scholarship to be awarded in recognition of self-sacrificing public service to the Roanoke River basin. For more information about the scholarship, click here.
RRBA maintains relationships with regional basin organizations such as the Upper Roanoke River Roundtable, Dan River Basin Association, Lake Gaston Association, Roanoke Rapids Lake Association, Roanoke River Partners, The Nature Conservancy, and other municipal organizations.