, ,

Water Planning Committee Meeting Summary December 17, 2018 Conference Call

Meeting Summary

Water Planning Committee Conference Call

December 17, 2018

9 a.m. Mtn, 10 a.m. Central; 11 a.m. Eastern Time

  1. Call to Order—Chair Jennifer Hoggatt-Missouri DNR

Jennifer called to order at 9:04 a.m. MST

  • Introductions of Participants on the call

Participants:  Jennifer Hoggatt, Chair, Missouri DNR; Sue Lowry, ICWP Executive Director; Ed Swaim, Arkansas Natural Resources Commission; Brian Atkins, Alabama DECA; Brian Carr, West Virginia Bureau of Health; Jodee Pring, Wyoming Water Development Office; Christina Springer, NEIWPCC.

  • Standing up the Committee and General Guidance

Jennifer pointed out that Water Planning as a topic can encompass many things and different states/interstates take different approaches.  Many different policy considerations could come out of this committee. 

  1. Review the ICWP Board’s direction for this Committee per its August 2018 strategic planning session—Sue pointed out that Water Planning is a new Committee, but the ICWP Board felt it was important to have a committee focus on this topic.
  2. Further refine issue definition and potential solutions/identify and prioritize issues

Jennifer emphasized the topics from Estes Park that this committee could work on:

            PAS

            Silver Jackets

            Integrate with Data and Science Committee (data that would be of use to planning, such as drought events and extreme events)

            Networking opportunities between Committee members to share what works or challenges that many are facing and how to address

            Topics for Washington Roundtable agenda

            NIDIS tools that might be applicable to state water planning

            Collaboration with AWRA and their NLI—Brian Atkins attended the NLI in 2018 in Baltimore and found the experience very helpful.  Ed Swaim has attended (the first one in Denver). The AWRA monograph gives a lot of information about the planning efforts and products for the 17 states highlighted in that report. ICWP is more year around focus and can complement the NLI information.

  1. Discuss a 2019 “work plan” for the Committee
  2. Determine plans for this Committee’s membership that would reflect priorities and activities
  • Initial Items for Committee to Address:
    • Status of water planning among Committee members

Jenifer went through the list of members on the call and asked each to give an update of the status of their water planning efforts:

Arkansas:  Plans were developed in the mid-1970’s; significant drought led to update in 1980’s, then went 21 years with no update.  Between 2011 and 2016 completed a thorough update, including a rules update. Non-point source, water use reporting, drought aspects. Groundwater use and overdraft challenge.

Alabama:Bare bones plan between Brian’s office and the State Geological Survey to look at water use and compare to surface and groundwater supplies, planning out to 2040.  New governor came in and asked for a “plan for a Plan” that was just submitted and a corresponding budget request for the upcoming legislature.

West Virginia-2004 Water Use Planning Act passed—a follow-up law created the water use section of DEP and when Marseilles shale play began the state tracked water use for the shale development.  Elk River spill led to source water protection plans. Flood protection plans included. 

Wyoming-First round of planning through the 7 river basins that cover Wyoming.  Framework meshed info from the 7 individual plans for a statewide document, but all consultants didn’t use same methodology.  Another round of the 7 basins was completed.  Groundwater studies were completed.  Now looking at water supply and water use comparisons.

Missouri:Water Resources Center has the authority for planning in Missouri.  Past “plans” more of a report of conditions rather than forward looking into a plan for needs and where stressors lie. Scenario planning can be a useful part of the plan and way to express options to the public.  Update planned to be finished next fall, 2019. 

  • New storage opportunities being explored

Jennifer would like for this to be a focus of our next call and ask that members be prepared to discuss how future water development is included (or not) in their respective plans.  

  • Topic ideas for the Water Planning panels at Washington Roundtable April 2-3, 2019

This too will be discussed on the next call.

  • Other items for the Committee’s consideration—These were topics raised during the round-robin report on plans.  As the committee has time, these issues were raised as potential work items for the Committee:
    • How to communicate to legislators is a challenge all states and interstates face and may be a good topic for this committee.
    • How to prepare for drought and be pro-active and tie of drought planning to state water planning. 
    • Funding the plans and Implementation challenges
    • Authorities by state and how rulemaking fits in
    • Stakeholder interaction (Public, water users, legislators, agency leadership)
    • Scenario planning—what are the tools and delivery
  • Next call or webinar—Scheduling and discussion on frequency 
    • Jodee can help with the hosting of Webinars if needed

Next call was set for Monday, January 14 at 9 a.m. Mtn; 10 a.m. Central and 11 a.m. Eastern. Main topics will be round-robin discussion on water development aspects of plans and speaker/topic suggestions for the Washington Roundtable on April 2-3, 2019.

/by