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Interstate Water Management Committee Meeting Summary June 11, 2020 Conference Call

  1. Call to Order—Chair Drew Dehoff, SRBC called the committee to order at 10:05 a.m. Central. 
  • Introduction of Participants on the call:  Drew Dehoff, Chair; Sue Lowry; Rhonda Manning; Sam Swartz; Shawn Jackson; Heidi Moltz; Kirsten Wallace. 
  • Update of the 2006 Interstates Report  
    • Final Report and Primer—Drew reported that the full report, the executive summary and primer are all in final draft and his graphic designer is adding photos and making last edits for publication.  Drew will edit the acknowledgements paragraph at the end of the Executive Summary to provide information on ICWP links. 
    • Roll out details—End of June is our goal for having the report ready to distribute.  The completion of this report update is highlighted in the accomplishments letter that accompanies the annual dues invoices to members.  A MailChimp announcement can go to the full members/prospects list of almost 400; we can also develop a draft press release and ask other interstate and water organizations to notify their membership of the report’s completion. Drew will ask his graphics person to draft the press release.  UCOWR would also be a good group to alert of the report’s completion as Heidi mentioned that one of ICPRB’s commissioner is a university professor who uses the report in his classes.
  • Identify 1-3 Principle Statements topics from 2020 Workplan—Drew will review the summaries from the breakout groups at Mobile to see there are other topics to add beyond the recommendations from the Report Update for developing Principle Statements.  Deadline of August 10 for the draft statements.  The Board will review the statements from each of the committees during their Strategy session the last week of August. 
  • Other items for the Committee’s consideration
    • Other issues for 2020 
      • Update on MS/TN groundwater litigation
      • Compact case studies
      • Topic for Virtual Annual meeting—The Interstates Committee session will be on October 15 and will share the session with the Annual Membership meeting.  Discussing the report update and perhaps one other presentation should fill the time allocation.   
  • Next call or webinar—All-committee with Planning-FEMA July 13; next call of Interstates Committee on July 21; 10 a.m. Central time—Shawn Jackson will provide a presentation on Arkansas’ interstate river management activities. 

Interstate Water Management Committee:  Educate public officials about value of interstate water management organizations.  Provide a forum for sharing current trends in interstate issues.

2019 Accomplishments:

  • Updated the 2006 “Interstate Water Solutions” report
  • Drafted an Interstates Water Primer
  • Updated Interstate Water Management Case Studies

Issues for 2020 Workplan

  1. Complete Interstates Report update
    1. Complete Primer
    1. Update on MS/TN groundwater litigation
    1. Compact case studies—Many of our state/interstate members have expertise on individual compacts and their administration.  The water quality issues between Arkansas and Oklahoma has been suggested.  There are likely other examples across the country.  Sue mentioned seeing Stephen Bartell at the ARWA meeting and he is willing to provide an update on the various interstate litigation the Dept. of Justice is involved in.
    1. Work with interstate water organizations to highlight, promote and nourish regional approaches and effective organizations.

Hear about Federal cases:  Stephen Bartell—Solicitor’s office

Federal Reserved Rights Primer (perhaps Norm Johnson could do a similar webinar to what he presented at AWRA)

Ask member states/interstates to give talk on recent litigation

            Republican River Basin (KS and NE)

            Montana v Wyoming—Chris Brown from Wyoming AG’s office

            Ken Brazil mentioned some Water Quality interstate litigation

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