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Interstate Water Management Committee Meeting Summary September 15, 2020

  1. Call to Order—Chair Drew Dehoff, SRBC called to order at 10:04 a.m. Central
  • Introductions of Participants on the call: Drew Dehoff, Sue Lowry, Pooja Kanwar, Rhonda Manning.  
  • Update of the 2006 Interstates Report 
    • Final Report and Executive Summary—Drew updated the group that the remaining effort is adding the map showing the location of interstate organizations across the US.  Rhonda noted that the map on page 15 is of low resolution.  Drew will look into getting a more crisp version. 
    • Primer—the same map of known interstate organizations is being finalized for the Primer and a release date of the Annual meeting will be used for both the report and the Primer.  
    • Roll out details—Once Drew gets the final pdf from his graphics person, Sue will create a site on the ICWP website for the report and the Primer.  A press release is ready for the announcement. The availability of the report will also be included in the packet to the annual meeting attendees. 
  • Discuss Interstates session during virtual Annual Meeting—Oct. 15.  Sue related that the speakers for this session are mostly confirmed.  The one exception is awaiting approval from his superiors but is confident approval will be given.  The agenda allows an hour and 15 minutes reserved for the annual membership meeting. 
  • Review Principle Statements for presentation to the ICWP membership during the annual meeting.  The 3 draft Principle Statements related to this committee’s work were reviewed and edited by the committee.  The Board will review these versions and then the statements will be sent to the Annual meeting attendees in draft form and comments will be taken from the general membership at the annual members meeting.  Final version of the statements will then be ready for the Board to approve in early November. 
  • Intern Topics for Spring, 2021 semester.  ICWP could include the availability announcement to universities beyond those in the greater DC area since it’s not certain the Washington DC Roundtable will be a face to face meeting in spring 2021.  Sue will research if the top water policy university programs are already listed somewhere. 
  • Other items for the Committee’s consideration
    • Other issues for committee presentations 
      • Great Lakes various organizations—how they fit together
      • Compact case studies
  • Next call or webinar—set date for early December.  Sue will contact  Peter Colohan—IoW, for his availability to speak on including Interstate organizations in their Peer to Peer network. 

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 (2020 Annual Meeting)
    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.
    1. Work with interstate water organizations to highlight, promote and nourish regional approaches and effective organizations.

Potential topics for 2021:

Hear about Federal cases:  Stephen Bartell—Solicitor’s office (2020 Annual Mtg Speaker)

Federal Reserved Rights Primer (perhaps Norm Johnson-UT 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

Host a webinar series on Great Lakes organizations/management

            States’ perspective—Tim Bruno, PA

            Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes —St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Council

Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative

Montana Reserved Rights Compact Commission

Help SRBC celebrate 50th anniversary

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