Transcript Title goes here – this sample illustrates a two

Georgia’s Water Plan
June 17, 2008
Agenda
Plan Development
Plan Overview
6/09/08
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Plan Development
Backdrop & Drivers
Dramatic expansion in population and
economy
– 4.6 million in 1970
 2nd fastest ‘total employment’ growth among states in southeast between ’80 & ‘93
– 6.3 million in 1990
 ~ 100,000 new jobs per year in 90’s
– 9.4 million in 2006
Droughts (’81, ’86 – ’88, ’98 – ’02, ’06 - ?)
Interstate
water disputes
Intrastate water concerns
Growing stresses on water supplies and water quality
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Legislative Direction
2004 Comprehensive Statewide Water
Management Planning Act
– Created the Water Council for planning
oversight
– Assigned EPD responsibility for preparation of
draft plan (with Water Council oversight)
– Established guiding policy for water planning
– Set schedule for completion of Water Plan
– Mandated extensive public involvement
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Vision Statement For Water Plan
“Georgia manages water resources in a
sustainable manner to support the state’s
economy, to protect public health and
natural systems, and to enhance the quality
of life for all citizens.”
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Purpose of Plan
Within framework of existing laws, provide a guide
for the sustainable management of water
resources by:
– Supporting Georgia’s Economy;
– Protecting Natural Systems &
– Public Health; and
– Enhancing Citizens’ Quality of Life
Art by: Brittany Thomas
Georgia Winner
2005 River of Words
6/09/08
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Plan Development Schedule
6/09/08
Page 8
Public Involvement
 Technical Advisory Committees:
– 4 TACs, 45 members, 10 meetings
 Basin Advisory Committees:
– 7 BACs, 187 members, 42 meetings
 Statewide Advisory Committee:
– 32 members, 9 meetings
 Town Hall Meetings:
– 22 meetings
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6/09/08
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Plan Summary
Organization of the Document
 Introduction to Statewide
Water Planning
 Overview – Georgia’s
Water Resources
 Comprehensive Statewide
Water Management Plan***
 Implementation of Regional
Water Planning
 Acknowledgements
 ***Section submitted to
legislature
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Major Aspects of Plan
 Water Policies
– Integrated Water Policy
– Water Quantity Policy
– Water Quality Policy
 Resource Assessments
 Management Practices
– Water Quantity
– Water Quality
 Regional Planning
– Demand Forecasts
– Water Development &
Conservation Plans
Art by: Megan Maller
Georgia Winner
2006 River of Words
6/09/08
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Integrated Water Policy
Links future water quality management decisions
with water quantity management decisions
Where appropriate, links surface water
management deliberations and groundwater
management deliberations;
Links water withdrawal decisions with water
return decisions;
Accomplishes this linking through existing
authority for permitting water withdrawals,
drinking water, and water discharges, and erosion
and sediment control authority.
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Water Quantity Policy
Manage Georgia’s waters in manner that
recognizes the values and opportunities
provided by surface and groundwater
historic flow patterns
Manage consumptive uses of Georgia
waters so that opportunities associated with
these historic flow patterns continue to be
available to Georgians of the future
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Water Quality Policy
Protect and preserve the quality of
Georgia’s waters through watershed-based
management of both point and non-point
sources of pollution
Restore impaired waters through use of
watershed-based management tools
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Water Resource Assessments
The Plan proposes that
the State determine
capacities of various
water resources –
around the state - to
support additional
water consumption,
and to assimilate
additional pollutants.
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Water Quantity Assessments
Using scientifically valid data and
information, determine historic flows
available within specific water sources to
support human needs and the needs of
natural systems.
From these assessments, determine the
quantities of water available to sustainably
support human uses (‘consumptive use
assessments’).
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Water Quality Assessments
Using scientifically valid data and information,
determine the extent to which specific current
surface water systems can accommodate the
introduction of additional quantities of
pollutants without violating established water
quality standards for that resource.
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Management Practices
The Plan identifies
some current and
some new
management tools that
could be employed to
help ensure continued
sustainable use of
Georgia’s waters.
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Water Quantity Management
Practices
Manage consumptive use of water through
selection of a mix of management actions
from the following categories:
– Demand Management Practices
– Supply Management Practices
– Return Management Practices
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Selected Demand
Management Practices
Water Conservation
activities
– Conservation rate
structures
– Water loss control
programs
– Outdoor water use
schedules
Water reuse activities
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Selected Supply Management
Practices
 Interbasin and/or Intrabasin
Transfers
– In compliance resource
assessments, and in
conformance with WDCPs
and rigorous set of
requirements
 Surface Water Storage
– Based upon rationale
demand forecasts; full
investigation of options; site
selection to minimize
environmental impacts, etc
 ASR & Desalination
D.Shaw -TNC
– Regional investigation of
these options
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Selected Returns
Management Practices
Centralized Treatment
& Discharge of Water
On-Site Sewage
Treatment & LAS
– Assessment of return
rates
– Assessment of locations
of returns
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Water Quality Management
Practices
Management actions and activities that
control the extent to which we call upon
Georgia’s waters to assimilate additional
quantities of pollutants.
Arrays of actions that are technically
effective and economically feasible
management practices that prevent some
percentage of these pollutants entering our
streams.
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Selected Water Quality
Management Practices
 Continue Point Source
Management Successes
 Enhance Standards
– Bacteria
– Dissolved Oxygen
 Non-Point Source
Management
– Improved stormwater mgmt
compliance
– Coordinated environmental
planning & land use
management programs
 Explore New Tools
– Pollutant allocation trading
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