Woods Creek Water Permit: What the Community Should Know

Public Comment Period on Lexington Golf & Country Club Water Withdrawal

Public comments are due by 2/6/26!

Why this matters: This is a chance for the public to speak up by requesting a public comment hearing, which takes place only if 25 unique public comments are submitted by 2/6/26. The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is considering a permit that would allow the Lexington Golf & Country Club to withdraw and use large amounts of water from Woods Creek, nearby tributaries, and underground wells. Woods Creek already has water quality problems, and recent events show the stream is getting worse, not better. 

Key Concern: Where the Golf Course Water Comes From

The draft permit allows the golf course to use:

• Water from Woods Creek
• Water diverted from Moores Creek
• Water is pumped from underground wells
• Why people are concerned:
  • Moores Creek is not a natural stream. It flows mainly because of a broken pipe from an old, abandoned water system. Keeping this water flowing could require public money to benefit a private golf course.
  • The golf course wells are contaminated with lead and PFAS (“forever chemicals”). Using this water for irrigation risks spreading pollution into the soil, streams, and groundwater.

What The Community is Asking For Before Any Permit Is Approved

Woods Creek is a shared community resource. Before approving any new water withdrawal, the community members are asking DEQ to ensure that the creek, nearby wells, and downstream waters are protected from further degradation. To determine appropriate actions, we are asking DEQ to hold a public comment hearing, during which we hope the following will be addressed or approved:

• A review of water use that relies only on uncontaminated wells and stable water sources 
• Regular testing of stream water, groundwater, and sediments, with a defined frequency of testing
• Protection of wetlands and stabilization of stream banks within the LGCC grounds
• Restoration of tree and vegetation buffers along streams within the LGCC grounds, preferably native plants that are tolerant of harsh conditions, in order to ensure successful long term protection
• A clear plan to protect nearby wells and springs from further chemical contamination
• Strong limits on toxic chemical use and public reporting on what chemicals are being used
• No approval for ponds that exist only as decorative features, as they degrade water quality by decreasing water temperature, lowering dissolved oxygen, and promoting algal growth
• Full compliance with Virginia’s water protection laws

Other Considerations Worth Mention

1. Damage to Wetlands and Stream Banks

• The redevelopment plan could disturb wetlands and natural stream channels.
• The golf course contains one of the last remaining wetlands in this area, which helps filter water and prevent flooding.
• Woods Creek is already officially listed by DEQ as an impaired stream.
• The existing plan does not include enough measures to control stormwater, erosion, or collapsing stream banks.

2. Loss of Streamside Trees and Vegetation

• Trees and vegetation along Woods Creek and its tributaries have been steadily removed.
• These streamside buffers are important because they: Slow runoff, filter pollution, and keep water cooler for aquatic life.
• The permit does not require the golf course to restore or protect these buffers, even though neighbors and community groups have worked hard to plant them upstream and downstream of the golf course.

3. Concerns for Nearby Wells and Springs

• Many homes in the vicinity of the golf course rely on private wells for drinking water.
• Testing has found lead and PFAS in golf course wells.
• The area sits on limestone bedrock, with springs and sinkholes that allow pollution to move quickly underground.
• County planning documents warn that development in these areas needs extra care to protect drinking water.

4. Heavy Chemical Use on the Golf Course

• Golf courses use large amounts of herbicides and pesticides.
• Recently, more than 100 acres of grass were killed using chemicals, including glyphosate and Fusilade II.
• Fusilade II is highly toxic to aquatic life and is also a PFAS chemical.
• Many greens and fairways are very close to streams and ponds, making chemical application highly likely to run off into these nearby waterways.
• With few buffers (e.g., trees and shrubs), it is hard to prevent chemicals from reaching Woods Creek–or drifting into nearby neighborhoods.

5. Golf Course Ponds

• There are three ponds on the course; only one is used for irrigation. The other two are decorative and degrade water quality.
• One pond is described as rain-fed, but residents have seen pipes diverting water from Woods Creek into it. During heavy rain events, water from this pond flows out through a discharge pipe to Woods Creek. A Virginia Tech study found that water released from this harms Woods Creek by adding sediment and other pollutants.
• Ponds present a number of challenges for related streams: they warm the water, reduce oxygen, grow algae, and collect polluted runoff that later washes into streams.

6. Woods Creek Is Already Getting Worse

Virginia law says water quality should not be allowed to decline. Woods Creek is under serious stress, as shown by these recent warning signs:

• Dead crayfish were observed in Woods Creek during herbicide spraying.
• DEQ testing is showing declining stream health.
• There were multiple mud and pollution discharges from the golf course after storms in late 2025 and early 2026.
• The golf course missed water testing requirements under existing permits, raising a question of whether they are acting in good faith.

Below is a downloadable DEQ Permit Comment Template for your use. Comments should be sent by 2/6/26 to the below contact. This is a chance for the public to speak up by requesting a public comment hearing, which takes place only if 25 unique public comments are submitted by 2/6/26.

KAELEN CLOSE

Richmond Central Office

Virginia Department of Environmental Quality

PO Box 1105, Richmond, Virginia 23218 

Phone: (804) 659-2657

E-mail: kaelen.c.close@deq.virginia.gov