Ten years of work to protect one of North Carolina's most important water resources.
Jordan Lake is a critical reservoir in central North Carolina — a drinking water source for multiple municipalities, a habitat for bald eagles and other wildlife, and an outdoor recreation resource for hundreds of thousands of people across the Triangle.
Van Murray has served as President of Clean Jordan Lake for over a decade, leading conservation and advocacy efforts to protect the lake's water quality from the ongoing threats of development, nutrient runoff, and algal blooms that have plagued the reservoir since its creation.
Clean Jordan Lake advocates for science-based water quality standards, engages with state regulators and legislators, and works to build public awareness about the lake's importance and the threats it faces.
The organization has been a consistent voice in debates over Jordan Lake rules — the regulatory framework that governs nutrient loading into the lake — fighting to maintain standards that protect water quality against pressure from development interests seeking to weaken them.
In 2023, Van received the Hallam-ICS Community Service Award — a $10,000 grant in recognition of over a decade of volunteer leadership on behalf of Jordan Lake and the communities that depend on it.