Status of Alabama Water Resource Planning

Transcription

1 Status of Alabama Water Resource Planning Brian Atkins Alabama Office of Water Resources October 22, 2014

2 Alabama Water Agencies Working Group (AWAWG) ADEM-AL Department of Environmental Management (water quality management and biological monitoring) AGI-AL Department of Agriculture and Industries (agriculture, farming, agribusiness, irrigation) DCNR-AL Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (state land management, wildlife resources protection) GSA-Geological Survey of Alabama (water and natural resources investigations and assessments) -AL Office of Water Resources (water quantity, water use reporting, water planning, drought response) 2

3 Water Management Issues in Alabama Key Issues: Water Resources Management Enhanced Certificates of Use/Permitting Economic Development Surface Water and Groundwater Availability Drought Planning Water Conservation and Reuse Interbasin Transfers Instream Flows Water Resources Data Interstate Coordination Key Stakeholder Education and Outreach Public Education and Outreach Web site:

4 Water Management Issues in Alabama Comments from Stakeholder Groups: Academic (6) Business and Industry (12) Citizens (8) Environmental (14) Federal Agencies (9) Lake Associations (5) State Agencies (6) Water Associations (4) Water Utilities (4) Watershed and Recreation (2) Web site:

5 Stakeholder Comments Summary 52% - Water resources management 42% - Water data collection 40% - Surface and groundwater assessments 40% - Instream flows 39% - Conservation and water reuse 35% - Economic development 34% - Key stakeholders education and outreach 28% - Interbasin transfers 26% - Public education and outreach 26% - Riparian law/legal regime 20% - Drought planning 17% - Enhanced COU- permitting 16% - Interstate coordination Web site:

6 Alabama Water Agencies Working Group (AWAWG)

7 Proposed Alabama Water Management Planning and Implementation Process

8 Proposed Alabama Water Management Planning and Implementation Process

9 Technical Track Consists of science and engineering activities related to improving the understanding of Alabama water resources and their uses

10 Focus Panel Track Goal is to involve technical subject matter experts who will discuss and make recommendations with respect to these water resource issues

11 Stakeholder Outreach Track Goal is to educate and inform the public on the progress of water management planning and solicit their input and includes activities such as these

12 Process Support Recognize funding and support requirements to accomplish tasks Update Governor s Office and Legislature Support agency involvement Identify additional needs to support this effort Track

13 Proposed Alabama Water Management Planning and Implementation Process

14 Proposed Alabama Water Resources Management Plan Themes and Topics

15 Proposed Alabama Water Management Planning and Implementation Process

16 Alabama Water MAP Process AWAWG recommends an approach to implement statewide water resources management that consists of Monitoring data, technical Assessments, and periodic review of Plans and policies.

17 Governor Bentley s Instructions, August 1, Continue the AWAWG Dr. Nick Tew Chairman Added Dr. John Christy, State Climatologist 2. Further engage stakeholders - Provide recommendations on a formal stakeholder process, including composition, structure, and operational parameters.

18 Governor Bentley s Instructions, August 1, Prioritize data assessment - Coordinate with and GSA to incorporate the findings of the ground- and surface-water assessments into the AWAWG process to help ensure that the assessments results provide the necessary data and information to enhance our understanding of Alabama s water resources and to guide the development of water management programs and policies for the state.

19 Governor Bentley s Instructions, August 1, Develop the Focus Panels Further develop the establishment and operation of the issue-based Focus Panels including structure, timelines, and deliverables. In addition, determine which issues need further analysis by the Focus Panels considering those listed in the December Report, and any others, as appropriate. Recommendations for establishment and operation of the focus panels shall be submitted to Governor s Office for consideration and direction. Due by December 1, 2014

20 Assessment Process Define what you have (Flows) Define what you need (Withdrawals) Step 1 Step 2

21 Water Withdrawal Sources

22 Water Withdrawal Sources Fall Line

23 ~60% of the population Water Withdrawal Sources ~60% ground water ~80% surface water Fall Line 60% of the population lives above the Fall Line Surface water is used by a margin of 4 to 1 compared to ground water above the fall line Ground water is the predominant source in the Coastal Plain

24 2010 Water-Use Assessment Data is Preliminary Pending Publication Troy University Center for Water Resource Economics

25 Public-Supply Withdrawals by Source, 2010 Troy University Center for Water Resource Economics Data is Preliminary Pending Publication

26 Water Assessment Upper Choctawhatchee River Basin

27 Withdrawals by Source, 2010 Public Supply Industrial Troy University Center for Water Resource Economics Irrigation Livestock Data is Preliminary A Division Pending of ADECA Publication

28 Withdrawals by Source, 2010 Public Supply 20.9 MGD 0 MGD Industrial Irrigation 1.3 MGD 2.8 MGD 0 MGD Troy University Center for Water Resource Economics Livestock 0.5 MGD 6.1 MGD 0.7 MGD Data is Preliminary A Division Pending of ADECA Publication

29 Flows vs Water Use

30 Flows vs Water Use 20 cfs 279 cfs

31 Groundwater Use, Recharge, and Subsurface Storage in SE Alabama Aquifers Data and graph from Marlon Cook Geological Survey of Alabama

32 Population Growth in Alabama University of Alabama Center for Business and Economic Research (CBER)

33 Population Growth in Alabama University of Alabama Center for Business and Economic Research (CBER)

34 Agricultural and Irrigation Water Use Auburn University Water Resources Center and University of Alabama in Huntsville Earth Systems Science Center

35 Questions?