, ,

Water Planning Committee Meeting Summary –March 7, 2022 Webinar–Erik Smith–USGS Water Use Research & Data Program

Link to Meeting Recording:  https://youtu.be/j1wcc5w51MQ

  1. Call to Order—Chair Jennifer Hoggatt-Missouri DNR was called to a legislative hearing and Sue Lowry chaired the meeting in her absence, calling to order at 2:04 p.m. Central time.

 

  1. Introductions of Participants on the call: Sue Lowry, Amy Shallcross; Ed Swaim; Julie Cunningham; Drew Dehoff; Carrie Roberts; Jennifer Schellpeper; Harold Brady; Erik Smith.

 

  1. Webinar Presentation – Erik Smith, USGS Hydrologist /Water-Use Data and Research Program Coordinator  presented an overview of the WUDR program, current grant opportunities and examples of successful projects funded with past WUDR support. More details can be found in the recording at the link above.

Erik described that the WUDR program gets its authorization in the 2009 SECURE Water Act.  Each state is currently capped at $250,000 which can be awarded in multiple grants for different projects.  The current grant opportunities notice is open until March 31.  Erik described the current priority topics from USGS’ perspective.  He then highlighted projects from:

  1. Texas—Public Water Supply
  2. Virginia—Consumptive Use and Analysis
  3. West Virginia—Water Use and developed good mobile app example
  4. Maine & Alaska—Good final reports in Improved data systems
  5. Nevada & Missouri—Improved Data Bases
  6. Utah- On-line Reporting and Data Entry

 

  1. Washington Roundtable Water Planners Conference-April 5-7—Please register for the event as Early bird registration has passed and the room block has expired. Remote attendance option is available.

 

  1. ICWP Internship Program for Spring, 2022— 3 students have been selected and have begun their projects on Climate Change; Irrigation Infrastructure; and possible state Water Resource officials bi-annual RoundTable.

 

  1. Report out of other ICWP committee activities—IWM topic of Trans-basin Transfers are being offered as All-committee events. Next in the series will be held April 21 at 10 a.m. Central time and SRBC will be presenting.

 

  1. Additional items to add to 2022 committee workplan
    1. Suggested topics– discussion of innovative funding approaches and North Dakota and Colorado were suggested as possible speakers

 

  1. Next call or webinar—set date after the RoundTable meetings as new topics might arise for speaker suggestions.

 

 

 

Water Planning Committee:  Provide a forum of the exchange of ideas and concepts related to state and regional water planning.

 

2019/21 Accomplishments:

  • Webinars from several state planning efforts
  • Contributed Planning topics/speakers for Annual Meeting and Washington DC Roundtable

 

Issues for 2022 Workplan

 

  1. Continue with Webinar presentations from individual states on their water planning programs
  2. Support for PAS
  3. Water Quality and Infrastructure—how ICWP might integrate these topics with our main mission topic areas
  4. Planning topics at 2022 Washington Roundtable and Annual Fall Meeting
  5. Funding approaches used by various states:
    1. North Dakota
    2. Washington
    3. Colorado